Most traditional accounts of Jane Austen's life portray her as a "picture of perfection." In his compelling new biography, David Nokes reexamines Austen's life and presents a picture of her which is less perfect but more full of dangerous excitement. Nokes plumbs the extraordinarily close relationship between Jane and her sister Cassandra, lifts the haze from the conflicting accounts of Jane's one great love affair in the summer of 1801 and reveals that Jane herself helped to conceal the best kept - and darkest - of family secrets. Her first full-length novel, a favorite of critics and family, originally entitled FIRST IMPRESSIONS languished in the offices of a London publisher. Across the top of Mr. Austen's letter - her father had submitted the book on Jane's behalf - was scrawled a note: "Declined by return of post." The book was none other than PRIDE AND PREJUDICE.