Jane Austen Books in Order: The Complete Reading Guide

Here is the good news for anyone nervous about starting: Jane Austen's novels are completely standalone. No shared characters, no cliffhangers, no continuing saga. You can begin anywhere. What order gives you, then, is not plot continuity but a sense of an artist growing — from the sharp, playful early comedies to the quieter, more autumnal later books. Below you will find both the publication order and the friendlier "start here" order, so you can pick whichever suits your mood.

The 6 completed Jane Austen novels in publication order

1. Sense and Sensibility (1811) — Austen's first published novel, and the story of the Dashwood sisters: sensible Elinor and passionate Marianne, both learning that love and money rarely arrive together. Published anonymously, "By a Lady."
2. Pride and Prejudice (1813) — Elizabeth Bennet, Mr Darcy, one disastrous first proposal and the most famous slow thaw in English literature. Begun years earlier as a manuscript called "First Impressions," it remains the beloved gateway to Austen.
3. Mansfield Park (1814) — Quiet, watchful Fanny Price is raised among wealthier relatives at Mansfield Park. The most morally serious and divisive of the six, and rewarding for readers who lean into its restraint.
4. Emma (1815) — "A heroine whom no one but myself will much like," Austen said of clever, meddling, spectacularly wrong Emma Woodhouse. A comic masterpiece of misread matchmaking.
5. Northanger Abbey (published December 1817, posthumously) — Austen's affectionate spoof of the Gothic novels teenage Catherine Morland adores. Actually written early in her career, it reached print only after her death.
6. Persuasion (published December 1817, posthumously) — Anne Elliot, persuaded years ago to refuse the man she loved, gets a rare second chance. Austen's most tender, grown-up romance, and Captain Wentworth's letter is justly famous.

Northanger Abbey and Persuasion were published together in a single set in December 1817, a few months after Austen died at 41. So while they close out the list, both were finished works she had prepared for readers.

The recommended "start here" reading order

If you would rather ease in than march chronologically, most Austen lovers suggest this order:

1. Pride and Prejudice — the warmest, wittiest entry point.
2. Sense and Sensibility — same era, same sparkle, a touch more melancholy.
3. Emma — settle in for her funniest, most intricate comedy.
4. Persuasion — a swoony second-chance romance once you trust her.
5. Northanger Abbey — a short, playful palate-cleanser.
6. Mansfield Park — save the most demanding for when you are all in.

Lady Susan, the juvenilia, and the unfinished novels

Beyond the famous six, Austen left a handful of shorter and unfinished works that are well worth seeking out once you have read the main novels.

• Lady Susan — a complete short novel told entirely in letters, starring a gloriously scheming widow. Written around the mid-1790s but not published until 1871. It was loosely adapted into the film Love & Friendship.
• The juvenilia — the witty sketches, parodies and mini-stories Austen wrote as a teenager, including Love and Freindship (her deliberate misspelling) and The History of England. Playful, savage and often hilarious.
• The Watsons — an unfinished novel Austen abandoned, likely around 1804–1805. Only the opening survives, but it hints at a warm, sharp family story.
• Sanditon — the novel Austen was writing when she fell ill in 1817. She completed only the first eleven or twelve chapters; the fragment was published in 1925 and later inspired a television series.

Exact composition dates for the juvenilia and unfinished works are uncertain and debated by scholars, so we have described them in broad terms rather than pinning down years that cannot be verified.

Where to start

Start with Pride and Prejudice. It is the most immediately charming, the wit lands from the first page, and it will tell you quickly whether Austen's world is for you (it almost certainly is). From there, follow the "start here" order above, or simply read whichever premise most appeals. Save Lady Susan and the fragments for after you have met the main six — they are a delicious bonus rather than a beginning.