New Zealand Brontës in the making

The Hindustan Times recommends reading Wuthering Heights:

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
Deep, moving and unforgettable are the three words that describe this novel. The capacity of love to consume and destroy has never been etched so powerfully before or after. (Manali Shah, Nirmika Singh, Rochelle Pinto, Shweta Mehta)

Paul Daniggelis is asking a few questions about it (in connection with the new film) on the Brontë Parsonage Blog - do stop by and take the time to answer them as it will certainly be interesting to hear about the results.

The Glee co-creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk are interviewed by The New York Times Arts Beat and Mr Murphy seems to think that a Brontë adaptation finds an easy audience:

Horror as a genre is rarely attempted on television now and is succeeding only in a couple of discrete cases. Are you sure audiences are really interested in it?
MR. MURPHY I think they are interested in it, and when it’s done well, it works. I really love “The Walking Dead.” It’s my favorite television show. The show really is a throwback to that ’60s, ’70s psychological horror, like “Don’t Look Now,” “Rosemary’s Baby” and “The Shining.” My favorite TV show growing up was “Dark Shadows,” and Brad’s favorite movie as a kid was “Jaws,” so in some weird way I think they collectively exploded. We both know that this is a very polarizing show, but “Glee” was a polarizing show and “Nip/Tuck” was a polarizing show, right from the beginning. I really do long for the days when I can do a Brontë adaptation. (Dave Itzkoff)

The National discusses prequels/sequels now that PD James has announced that she's to set a novel in the world of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.

For James's part, she says on the Faber website that it "has been a joy to revisit Pride and Prejudice and to discover, as one always does, new delights and fresh insights". She also apologises to Jane Austen for involving her beloved Elizabeth in a murder investigation.
In many ways it seems like a more inventive use of Austen than Trollope's Sense and Sensibility: a re-imagining rather than a re-telling. In much the same way that Jean Rhys's 1966 novel Wide Sargasso Sea acted as a prelude to Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre, and Susan Hill's Mrs De Winter followed up Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, there's more of a chance that books only loosely connected to their "parent" novel will be successful, freed as they are from the shackles of adhering to the original plot. (Ben East)

The Courier-Journal discusses banned books and puts the Brontës among the literary 'élite':

I’m no elitist — hey, I read a lot of Victoria Holt before I cracked Austen or any of the Brontës — but when I see Nobel Prize winners such as William Faulkner, John Steinbeck and Toni Morrison on the banned and challenged lists, and they’re kept company by Pulitzer Prize winners such as Robert Penn Warren, Kurt Vonnegut and Alice Walker, I wonder again about the bizarro-world standards regarding how we feed our heads. (Pam Platt)

According to Scoop, New Zealand may have found its very own future Brontë sisters:

A collection of poems and stories by New Zealand children - being published next week by New Zealand Post - has uncovered a wealth of young talent - including three sisters from Palmerston North who might one day give the Brontë sisters a run for their money.
“Submerged: Magical Tales by Kiwi Kids” features more than 50 talented young writers aged between 5 and 12 from across the country – from Culverden to Waipukurau, from Kamo to Tirau to Whangaparaoa and Hawera. Their pieces were selected from more than 4,400 entries received from children throughout New Zealand. [...]
But three Palmerston North siblings – the Williams sisters - have achieved an unprecedented trifecta - each earning a place in the “Submerged” collection.
The similarities to England’s famous Brontë sisters don’t end there – the Williams sisters have the given names Charlotte (10), Emily (6) and... well the third sister is named Madeleine (8) not Anne, but two out of three isn’t bad!
Charlotte contributes a poem which richly evokes autumnal splendour, Madeleine’s poem distils the essence of fire, while the youngest Williams sister, Emily, contributes a delightful story about a girl whose joyous singing leads her on a gravity-defying adventure.

Voxy user Michael McLachlan gives the new Jane Eyre an 8 out of 10 and Book Club Babe gives it a 3.5 out of 5. Brian's Book Babble also reviews it while The Press writes about going to see the movie. Drawn by Emma has posted a step-by-step on a drawing of Mia Wasikowska as Jane. The Squeee reviews the 1980 novel It All Began with Jane Eyre by Sheila Greenwald.

Finally, two alerts for today, October 3:

Chatham Library, Chatham, New Jersey
Monday, Oct. 3, 2 pm - English Women Writers - Agatha Christie and The Bronte Sisters
For many people, Agatha Christie may be the Queen of Crime Fiction with her many murder mysteries such as “Death On The Nile” and “Murder On The Orient Express.” Her life story was filmed on location in her native England. We also learn all about the Brontë Sisters-Emily, Anne and Charlotte writing such novels as “Jane Eyre,” “Wuthering Heights,” and “Agnes Grey.” Their life stories are also filmed on location in rural England and its lovely countryside. (Independent Press)

In Portland, OR:

ShanRock's Triviology

Bully for Brontë: Jane Eyre vs. Wuthering Heights
Monday, October 3rd, 7:00
Ella Street Social Club @ 714 SW 20th

Gothic romance prevails on this night! ShanRock is a Heathcliff girl, so she'll be inquiring about Miss Emily, while Mr. Rochester makes Margaret's heart go pitter patter - she'll be representing Miss Charlotte. Both novels, as well as film and TV adaptations shall be included.