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Northanger Abbey

Northanger Abbey was published posthumously along with Persuasion in 1817. However, it is the first of Jane Austen's novels that was completed for publication in 1803. 

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The novel was originally entitled Susan, which was Catherine Morland's original name. It bears no relation to her novella, Lady Susan. In 1803, under the title Susan, Jane sold the manuscript for £10 to Crosby & Co, a London bookseller. It later became clear that they had no intention of publishing the novel, but Jane did not have the money to buy the manuscript back. 

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Her brother bought back the script in 1816 for the same sum, the seller not knowing that Jane had four novels published due to their anonymity. Following its return, Jane revised the novel further and following the change of character name, renamed it Catherine. 

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Her brother Henry renamed the novel Northanger Abbey and arranged the publication in December 1817. He included a preface identifying Jane as the author of all her novels for the first time.

 

 

You can read Northanger Abbey for free on Project Gutenberg. 

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