Mapp, Lucia and Charlotte

The Telegraph devotes an article to E.F. Benson, in particular to his Mapp & Lucia novels (this autumn ITV will premiere a new adaptation):

He also wrote biographies, including a 1932 life of Charlotte Brontë; it is richly perceptive, although its Victorian style is scarcely recognisable as that of the great chronicler of Tilling. But then Charlotte Brontë is not a subject for satire. Tilling is. (Laura Thompson)

His biography can be read here. It was one of the first to put, in Lucasta Miller's words, Charlotte-as-a-bitch on the map as Mr Benson was very hard on Charlotte and her 'hard-heartedness' which, in his opinion, caused Emily and Branwell much suffering.

Todmorden News tells the story of a local author and his new book:

His latest work is Border Roses, which he hopes will appeal to readers of both counties - the border once ran through the middle of Todmorden and the curious position of Todmorden being a Yorkshire town with close links to Lancashire sparked his imagination.
The book is a descriptive tour in rhyme of some very popular stately homes and historic places to visit on both sides of the border, including Towneley Hall near Burnley, the Brontë Parsonage at Haworth, Clitheroe Castle and Shiden Hall at Halifax, to mention just a few.

The Denver Post reviews The Language of Houses by Alison Lurie:

Not surprisingly, there's a literary bent to her latest undertaking, with allusions to the work of Charlotte Brontë, Tom Wolfe, Joyce Carol Oates and Michael Lewis, whose decision to rent a seven-bedroom, $13,000-a-month New Orleans mansion at the height of the real estate boom gave him personal insight into the American penchant for overspending on a dream home. (Eric Wills)

YES! Magazine discusses ways to bring more empathy to your Internet experience. Like joining a book club:

According to a recent study, people who read fiction tend to have a greater ability to empathize. This may have to do with readers' skill at understanding characters' thoughts and feelings. Whether it's Twilight or Jane Eyre, works of fiction require this ability—granted, some more deeply than others. (Liz Pleasant)

Western Gazette talks about the ChapterHouse Theatre Wuthering Heights performances next week in Somerset; Radio Times announces the screening of Jane Eyre 1997 tomorrow on ITV3 (10.50 AM); Wuthering Heights gets a mention in a Sunday Times article about the upcoming exhibition Wp Wp Wp by Fiona Banner at the Yorskhire Sculpture Park; Billy Barrett reviews the Peter MacMaster's approach to Wuthering Heights; Chalemme (in Italian) reviews Emily Brontë's novel.