The land of the Brontës

Booktrade reports that the Huddersfield Literature Festival, which is 10 years old this year and runs from 3rd – 13th March,

promises to be the best yet. The 2016 Festival also marks the centenary of the birth of Harold Wilson in Huddersfield, and the bi-centenary of the birth of Charlotte Brontë.
Irvine Welsh, explorer Levison Wood, Joanne Harris, actor and comedian Ben Miller, theatre critic Michael Billington, poet and playwright Lemn Sissay, Christopher Fowler, Rupert Thomson, Claire Harman, Milly Johnson and Egyptologist Joann Fletcher are all appearing this year. Alan Johnson MP will present the annual Harold Wilson Lecture, in partnership with the University of Huddersfield and the Diocese of West Yorkshire and the Dales.
The Festival runs from 3rd – 13th March, with some events taking place before and after these dates. A Big Screen Family Day, John Peel Pub Quiz, Writing and Publishing Workshops, Mother's Day event with stand-up Kate Fox, events for National Libraries Day, LGBT events, Open Mic Night and Poetry Competition ensure that the tenth anniversary will truly be celebrated in style.

A.V. Club recaps the latest episode of Downton Abbey (Season 6 , Episode 4). Beware of spoilers!

But when family and staff stumble over the housekeeper’s new name (“Mrs. Carson,” Rosamund says, “it’s like Jane Eyre asking to be called Mrs. Rochester”), the two volunteer to remain Mr. Carson and Mrs. Hughes in the manor. Some things never change. Downton Abbey thinks that’s a virtue. (Emily L. Stephens)

Some of the characters from Downton Abbey would certainly be proud of this reader's letter to The Telegraph:

Sir – While most countries teach their citizens to take pride in national achievements, Britain seems to take pride in denigrating itself. It is not surprising that young people are considerably less patriotic than they used to be.
Britain has much to be proud of. It is the land of Chaucer, Shakespeare, the Brontës, Newton, Churchill, the Beatles, Elgar, J K Rowling and Adele. This is where the Industrial Revolution and the world wide web originated, and we created the Commonwealth, the Scout Movement and the Salvation Army.
The much-maligned British Empire gave the world a global language and it spread democracy and the rule of law. We also have the most loved and internationally respected head of state in the world.
To paraphrase the apparently unfashionable Cecil Rhodes: to be born British is to win first prize in the lottery of life.
Nicholas Young
London W13

Leighton Buzzard Observer reviews Matthew Bourne’s choreography based on Sleeping Beauty.

I love that our Princess Aurora is a real wild child – you see that in the baby puppet and then when the grown-up Aurora is on stage she is still a bit of a rebel!
“The relationship between her and Leo is almost a bit Wuthering Heights or Lady Chatterley’s Lover – which is exciting to dance and portray. [says Principal Dancer Dominic North]