The Best Order to Read Jane Austen’s Books

Updated by Esther Fung, Jan. 6, 2025

Despite living in Regency England, Jane Austen is still one of the most famous and beloved writers today. Novels like Pride and Prejudice and Emma have cemented her place in the Western literary canon, and have inspired movies and limited series as well as retellings both modern and historical.

This comprehensive guide to Jane Austen’s novels is for those who are both new to her works and fans looking to expand their familiarity with her bibliography. Read on to discover what her most popular book is, explore the order in which to read her novels, and check out her works beyond the six novels.

What is Jane Austen's most famous work?

Pride and Prejudice is without a doubt Austen's most popular and famous work. This classic enemies-to-lovers romance between the vivacious Elizabeth Bennet and the arrogant Mr. Darcy has captured hearts throughout time. It has also spawned a plethora of adaptations and retellings. The hand flex scene from the 2005 adaptation is nothing short of iconic, while the white shirt lake scene from the 1995 BBC version lives rent free in our heads.

Pride and Prejudice currently enjoys a 4.90 rating on PangoBooks. Already read this book? Check out retellings like Pride, Bridget Jones's Diary, Eligible, and Pride and Premeditation.

Jane Austen books in order

The order in which Austen wrote her books differs from the order in which they were published. The publication order of Austen’s six complete novels are:

1. Sense and Sensibility (1811)
2. Pride and Prejudice (1813)
3. Mansfield Park (1814)
4. Emma (1815)
5. Northanger Abbey (1817)
6. Persuasion (1817)

Those who are opting to read Austen in this order will get a better sense of her career. Please note that Northanger Abbey and Persuasion were both published after her death in 1817.

However, if you’d prefer to explore Austen’s journey as a writer, then reading her books in the order they were written would be a better choice for you. That order is:

1. Sense and Sensibility (begun in 1795)
2. Pride and Prejudice (begun in 1796)
3. Northanger Abbey (begun in 1798)
4. Mansfield Park (begun in 1811)
5. Emma (begun in 1814)
6. Persuasion (begun in 1817)

Our recommended reading order

Finally, if you are reading Austen for pure entertainment purposes, this is the order in which we recommend reading her works.

1. Pride and Prejudice. It's a classic for a reason. This iconic love story is the perfect introduction to Austen's trademark wit and romance.
2. Sense and Sensibility. Sisterhood is an important part of Pride and Prejudice. Continue that trend with her first novel, and then watch the 1995 adaptation starring Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, Alan Rickman, and Hugh Grant.
3. Northanger Abbey. Finish the trio of Austen's early novels with this hilarious romance about a young girl who reads too many Gothic novels and thinks she has stumbled on a real crime.
4. Emma. Austen herself once said that Emma is a heroine no one but her could love. As if! Emma Woodhouse has won the hearts of generations of readers. Read this novel, and then rewatch Clueless for the seventh time.
5. Mansfield Park. The most controversial of Austen’s works, this Regency Cinderella story features a friends-to-lovers trope and a love triangle.
6. Persuasion. In our opinion the very best of Austen, Persuasion is romantic, witty, and full of yearning, which makes this slow burn romance the best choice to conclude your journey with Austen. But do yourself a favor and skip the 2022 Netflix adaptation.

Beyond the six completed novels

Already read these six novels? You're not done with Austen yet! She may have finished six novels, but they weren't the only stories she had written. Explore her unfinished novels, novellas, and other stories below.

Sanditon

Austen began Sanditon in January 1817. Unfortunately, she passed before she could finish it. This novel, which takes place in a seaside town, features both Austen's trademark humor and insight into her world. Austen wrote the first eleven chapters of this work, with various writers creating their own endings for this last uncompleted novel. We recommend the version completed by "Another Lady" and then watching the British television series adapted by Andrew Davies.

The Watsons

Like Sanditon, The Watsons is an unfinished work that Austen began in 1804 but never finished. It follows the story of Emma Watson, a young and impoverished woman, as she navigates societal expectations and romantic entanglements in the English countryside. In 1850, one of Austen's nieces finished this novel and published it. You can read The Watsons in a collection of Austen's works, including Sanditon and "Lady Susan."