Jane Eyre (The 100 Greatest Books Ever Written)

xviii, [1], 431 pp. 8vo. Red full leather, gilt titles and decorations, all edges gilt, silk moire endpapers, ribbon marker bound in. Color lithographs by Barnett Freedman. Includes publisher's preface, 'How This Book Came to Be by John T. Winterich, and author's prefaces to the second (1847) and third (1848) editions. Jane Eyre is the story of a small, plain-faced, intelligent, and passionate English orphan. Jane is abused by her aunt and cousin and then attends a harsh charity school. Through it all she remains strong and determinedly refuses to allow a cruel world to crush her independence or her strength of will. A masterful story of a woman's quest for freedom and love. Partly autobiographical, and filled with social criticism and sinister Gothic elements.