Mansfield Park - Large Print Author:Jane Austen Jane Austen (1775-1817) is considered by many scholars to be the first great woman novelist. Her novels revolve around people, not events or coincidences. Miss Austen sets her novels in the upper middle class English country which was her own environment. — Her novels have increased in stature over time. Her skills of writing, including a dry hum... more »or and a witty elegance of expression have attracted generations to her work.« less