Publisher's Synopsis
Although the four novels published in her lifetime were well-received, much of Jane Austen's notoriety came about after her death. Her decision to publish anonymously was a standard for women in the early 19th Century and furnished one of the most beloved writers in English literature little personal acclaim during her lifetime. The stories in this collection are drawn from the manuscripts of the author that are commonly referred to as her "Juvenilia". Although the literary quality of these early works does not rise to the level of Austen's more polished later works they do provide an invaluable glimpse into the early talent of the author, and her development as a poet, satirist, playwright, and novelist. The reader will most assuredly note the misspelling of friendship in the title work as well as the many other quaint misspellings and odd capitalizations that were intended as a parody by the author of the Romantic novels she read as a child. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper and follows a collection first published in 1922 with a preface by G. K. Chesterton.
