Sense and Sensibility is the first novel by the English author Jane Austen, published in 1811. It was published anonymously; By A Lady appears on the title page where the author's name might have been. It tells the story of the Dashwood sisters, Elinor and Marianne as they come of age. They have an older half-brother, John, and a younger sister, Margaret.
Title page from the original 1811 edition
A 19th-century illustration by Hugh Thomson showing Willoughby cutting a lock of Marianne's hair
The three volumes of the first edition of Sense and Sensibility, 1811
A debut novel is the first novel a novelist publishes. Debut novels are often the author's first opportunity to make an impact on the publishing industry, and thus the success or failure of a debut novel can affect the ability of the author to publish in the future. First-time novelists without a previous published reputation, such as publication in nonfiction, magazines, or literary journals, typically struggle to find a publisher.
The title page of Sense and Sensibility, Jane Austen's debut novel published in 1811.