Our friends at the Bronte Blog have noted that today is the 160th anniversary of the death of Emily Bronte, the beloved author of Wuthering Heights and the most mysterious of the literary Bronte clan. Although the official cause of Emily's death was tuberculosis, some also believe it was tantamount to suicide, since Emily denied any medical treatment for what might have been a manageable illness. Her heart was broken because of the terrible reviews Wutheirng Heights had received from Victorian England upon publication--the book was too passionate and amoral.Laura Joh Rowland's critically acclaimed The Secret Adventures of Charlotte Bronte takes place in the last year of Emily's life, when the famous literary sisters each published their debut novels (Charlotte's was Jane Eyre). Rowland's rich and fascinating historical thriller imagines the sisters' adventures from the time of the debut of Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre through their last year together.
Also available in paperback from Overlook is Juliet Barker's literary biography The Brontes, as well as her wonderful collection of family correspondence, The Brontes: A Life in Letters.
1 comment:
I can't recommend Juliet Barker's biography highly enough. After reading it you realise how much of the Brontes' output was autobiographical. I can't now read the death of Helen Burns without a tear in my eye - it was Charlotte describing the death of her older sister.
Put it on your Christmas list today.
Laura Essendine
Author – The Accidental Guru
The Accidental Guru Blog
The Books Limited Blog
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