Biographies of Jane Austen
My all time favourite biography is The Life and Times of Jane Austen written by Brian Wilks. This is a very informative and enjoyable biography, covering the historical happenings during Austen's life along with her family particulars. Brian Wilks includes many excerpts from family letters, a family tree and portraits of Jane's family.
It was this book that first introduced me to Jane's Juvenalia and helped me understand the complicated Regency world. This is definitely a must read for any one interested in all the doings of Jane's life.
I have not yet read this biography, but Brian Wilks highly recommends Elizabeth Jenkins' Jane Austen
I do not recommend Maggie Smith's "Jane Austen's World," as I found it very simplistic and sometimes a bit too deprecating towards Jane and her world.