The Canon Library

Author guide

Jane Austen

Austen’s novels make small social fields carry large moral weight. Courtship and marriage organize the plots, while money, inheritance, family judgment, language, and the education of perception determine what those plots mean.

Where to start with Jane Austen

Begin with Pride and Prejudice, then follow the suggested sequence below as your interest grows.

Start with Pride and Prejudice

Suggested reading order

  1. 1. Pride and Prejudice

    Accessible · Medium · 8–12 hours

  2. 2. The Hunchback of Notre-Dame

    Moderate · Medium

  3. 3. The Toilers of the Sea

    Moderate · Medium

  4. 4. The Man Who Laughs

    Moderate · Medium

Books by Jane Austen

Book

Emma

Jane Austen · Romantic / Regency · Novel

Book

Persuasion

Jane Austen · Romantic / Regency · Novel

Reading context

The cataloged works span Novel. Follow the linked era, genre, and subject pages to place them alongside other works in the collection.

Romantic / RegencyNovelClassJudgmentMarriageMarriage

Related authors

Author guide

George Eliot

Explore 5 works and a suggested starting point.

Author guide

Virginia Woolf

Explore 9 works and a suggested starting point.