Jane Austen's life is striking for the contrast between the great works she wrote in secret and the outward appearance of being quite dull and ordinary. Austen was born in the small English town of Steventon in Hampshire, and educated at home by her clergyman father. She was deeply devoted to her family. For a short time, the Austens lived in the resort city of Bath, but when her father died, they returned to Steventon, where Austen lived until her death at the age of 41. Austen was drawn to literature early, she began writing novels that satirized both the writers and the manners of the 1790's. Her sharp sense of humor and keen eye for the ridiculous in human behavior gave her works… lasting appeal. She is at her best in such books as Pride and Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park (1814), and Emma (1816), in which she examines and often ridicules the behavior of small groups of middle-class characters. Austen relies heavily on conversations among her characters to reveal their personalities, and at times her novels read almost like plays. Several of them have, in fact, been made into films. She is considered to be one of the most beloved British authors.Dennis Prager is one of the most listened to and respected media personalities in America. He has a nationally syndicated radio talk show, is a bestselling author of four books, writes a syndicated column, and has written for the Los Angeles Times, the Wall Street Journal, and Commentary. A true Renaissance man, he has traveled to a hundred countries, lectured in Russian in Russia and Hebrew in Israel, taught Russian and Jewish history at Brooklyn College, conducted orchestras, and created the Internet-based Prager University. He has lectured in forty-five states and on all seven continents.