The Brontë Society Writes Next Chapter in Haworth Bricks and Mortar

Exciting news from the Brontë Parsonage Museum: The Brontë Society has acquired a cluster of historic but neglected buildings near the top of Main Street in Haworth, marking a significant expansion as they approach the centenary of the Brontë Parsonage Museum in 2028. The three adjoining properties, including the former studio of photographer Fred Smith, who once served as caretaker of the original Brontë Museum, will be restored to provide additional space for archives and staff while enabling greater community engagement. The purchase was made possible through a recent bequest; however, external funding will be sought for the extensive refurbishment work required to bring these conservation area buildings back to life. Quoting Rebecca Yorke, Director of the Brontë Parsonage Museum:

The Brontë Society has long held an ambition to have a presence closer to the heart of Haworth. Restoring this neglected building will provide us with the opportunity to create unique and much-needed additional space for our archives and team members and we look forward to breathing new life into this part of West Lane.

There is a lot of work to do before the restoration can begin, but everyone at the Brontë Parsonage Museum is very excited about the potential of this building and the opportunities it offers for closer community engagement with local residents and visitors alike.

Lisa Byrne in The Times is more than excited to sleep in the same house where Charlotte Brontë was born, and that's something you can do too: 

It’s long past midnight, but despite resting in an opulent room on an utterly dreamy four-poster bed I cannot sleep. The mattress is so comfortable that even the most habitual insomniac would fall into a coma once they’ve snuggled in — what’s at fault is my own overactive imagination. My brain is adjusting to the knowledge that just over 200 years ago, all six of the Brontë children slept in this very room, giggling and whispering in bed while their parents, Patrick and Maria, slept next door. (...)

As a Brontë devotee, it feels rather overwhelming to enter the front door and tread the same stone steps as these prodigies; even holding the banister that their little hands touched feels electric. Downstairs is Curate Patrick’s study where he would have greeted his flock, both well heeled and destitute. Because all the family’s original furniture was removed to the Brontë Parsonage Museum in Haworth (bronte.org.uk), the Brontë Birthplace committee has diligently sourced antique pieces in keeping with the period to furnish the room.

At the back of the house is the kitchen, where to the committee’s delight the local heritage builder DC Liptrot & Co discovered the original ceiling and flooring where the children would have played, possibly forming their very first stories. A secret door leads up a back staircase where the family’s servant, Nancy Garrs, who ended up dying in the Bradford Workhouse, used to sleep with the youngest children.

The Seattle Times presents the new novel by Amie Schaumberg, Murder by the Book:

Enter Dr. Emma Reilly, a literature professor with a brilliant mind, a soft spot for “Jane Eyre” and an introvert’s discomfort in social spaces. She stumbles into the investigation when she identifies the Ophelia reference in a crime scene photo. To her surprise, the police, particularly the tightly wound Detective Ian Carter, need her insight. The killer isn’t just reenacting scenes; they’re quoting from and manipulating classic texts to send a message. It’s up to Emma to figure out what that message is.

“I definitely share Emma’s love of literature,” says Schaumberg, who teaches English at a rural college in northeastern Washington. “Her favorite book is ‘Jane Eyre’ because that’s my favorite book. And while she’s more socially awkward than I am, maybe just slightly, we both experience the world through stories.” (Jordan Snowden)

Times Now News and books that flopped at first but 'aged like wine':

2. Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys

Jean Rhys had nearly disappeared from literary memory when she returned decades later with 'Wide Sargasso Sea', a prequel to 'Jane Eyre' that tells Bertha Mason’s story. Early reviews were lukewarm, confused by its fragmented style and postcolonial lens. But readers eventually saw the brilliance in its haunting portrait of race, madness, and identity. Today, it is considered a feminist and postcolonial classic that reframes one of literature’s most controversial characters with nuance and heartbreak. (Girish Shukla)

People are already pairing the tracks of the newly announced Taylor Swift album, The Life of a Showgirl, with books: 

'Ruin the Friendship' and 'The Favorites' by Layne Fargo

Fargo's blockbuster book is framed around a fictional documentary, which details the dramatic rise and fall of an elite figure skating duo. Inspired by Wuthering Heights, and set in the cutthroat sports world a la Carrie Soto, this novel is a riveting love story you won’t be able to put down. (Lizz Schumer)

The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever still generates some articles like this one in The Post (New Zealand). 

Hello Rayo lists Adrian Dunbar's best films and TV shows, including

Emily - 2022

In 2022, Adrian featured in the film Emily - a British biographical drama film centred around Emily Brontë, the mind behind Wuthering Heights. The film stars Emma Mackey as Emily, with other cast members such as Joe Alwyn and, of course, Adrian Dunbar - as Patrick Brontë. (Emma Dickson and Georgie Holland)