In this biography of Jane Austen, Byrne explores the forces that shaped the interior life of Britain's most beloved novelist. These include her father's religious faith, her mother's aristocratic pedigree, her eldest brother's adoption, her other brothers' military experiences, her relatives in the East and West Indies and more. Interest in Austen is high, as her face will appear on the $10 note; Byrne also made a BBC2 film about the author which was watched by more than 2 million people.