Emma , the comic and sharply observed story of young Emma Woodhouse's education in life, is regarded by many as Jane Austen's most perfect novel.Introduced to the reader as "handsome, clever, and rich," Emma Woodhouse is alsoa spoiled,meddling matchmaker—Austen's most flawed, and possibly most endearing heroine. Herfourth published novel, and the last to appear before her death,this lively comedy of manners is the work of an incisive writer at the height of her powers.Jane Austen is a renowned Regency novelist. Her other works include Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility . Andrew Lycett is the author of Dylan Thomas: A New Life , Ian Fleming , and The Man Who Created Sherlock Holmes .

簡·奧斯丁，1775年12月16日生於斯蒂文頓鄉一教區牧師傢庭。受到較好的傢庭教育，主要教材就是父親的文學藏書。奧斯丁一傢愛讀流行小說，多半是庸俗的消遣品。她少女時期的習作就是對這類流行小說的滑稽模仿，這樣就形成瞭她作品中嘲諷的基調。她的六部小說《理智與感傷》(1811)《傲慢與偏見》(1813)《曼斯斐爾德花園》(1814)《愛瑪》(1815)以及作者逝世以後齣版的《諾桑覺修道院》(1818)和《勸導》(1818)，大半以鄉鎮上的中産階級日常生活為題材，通過愛情婚姻等方麵的矛盾衝突反映瞭18世紀末、19世紀初英國社會的風貌。作品中往往通過喜劇性的場麵嘲諷人們的愚蠢、自私、勢利和盲目自信等可鄙可笑的弱點。奧斯丁的小說齣現在19世紀初葉，一掃風行一時的假浪漫主義潮流，繼承和發展瞭英國18世紀優秀的現實主義傳統，為19世紀現實主義小說的高潮做瞭準備，起到瞭承上啓下的重要作用。