#7 on The Guardian's list of The 100 Best English-Language Novels. Emma Woodhouse, beautiful, wealthy, and self-assured, loves to play matchmaker for those around her, without much personal interest in romance. She takes young Harriet Smith under her wing, aiming to find the perfect match for her. Emma's neighbor and friend, Mr. Knightley, suggests she should perhaps restrain herself. But when Harriet begins to explore her own interests Emma, too, discovers her deepest desires. When Jane Austen began writing the novel Emma [1816], a cult following had emerged in Britain after the success of Pride and Prejudice [1813] and Mansfield Park [1814]. Austen was now ready to create what many consider her masterpiece – Emma, the crown jewel in a literary career that has established Jane Austen as perhaps the greatest British novelist of all time. JANE AUSTEN [1775–1817] was an English author. Her novels are set in the English nobility, often portrayed with sharp irony. Social rules and codes are often barriers to finding happiness, especially for the women her novels center around. Austen is one of the most beloved authors of all time and her works are constantly being adapted for film, television and the stage.