Jane Eyre is now a banned book in some US public schools

US News reports that nearly 12,000 books have been banned in public schools over the past year in the United States.

In all, PEN found 11,982 cases of bans, affecting 7,370 individual works. Over 4,500 were on the list for the first time, ranging from the 19th century classic “Jane Eyre” to Sui Ishida's “Tokyo Ghoul” manga series.

The report is here. It is quite ironic that quite a few a American opinion columns have been written about China's decision to make Jane Eyre a mandatory read for teenagers while in the background Jane Eyre has been quietly disappearing from the shelves of American public schools.

A contributor to The Daily Princetonian writes about 'How ‘Jane Eyre’ helped me find my voice at Princeton'.

. . . it’s impossible to ignore the call of Charlotte Brontë’s powerful writing in “Jane Eyre.” Beyond being an intensely emotional and passionate novel, its dark, mysterious Gothic setting amid pouring rain and a slight chill in the air makes it a perfect autumn read as the leaves on campus turn brilliant hues of red and gold. 

The novel is narrated by Jane, an orphan girl who suffers under the cruelty of her aunt and cousins, as well as in the unlivable environment of Lowood School. After leaving Lowood to take up the position of governess at Thornfield Hall, she at last begins to find joy and meaning in her life through her relationship with her employer, Rochester. What begins as an intellectual bond strengthens into a passionate and burning love that is made deeper through its transcendence from a physical connection to one of the soul. [...]

Reading something like “Jane Eyre” can reveal insights about ourselves, but it is even more extraordinary when strengthened by the human connection that comes from our classes. This novel is one example of how literature and reading can communicate with us across time and space, highlighting the experiences that shape who we are. Through such compelling and moving stories, literature shows us what it means to be alive and how we create meaning in our own lives through sharing these experiences together. Whether a novel speaks about the desire to be loved or the journey to self-discovery, each book takes on unique meanings for each of us, shaping how we choose to live our lives. I might not have figured out what my favorite book is, but revisiting “Jane Eyre” at Princeton has strengthened my sense of identity and inspired me with the courage to live out the values that are important to me. (Katharine Vennink)

In an article on Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Epigram points out that

Author Alison Espach made the observation that to question whether Charlotte Brontë’s canonical 1847 novel Jane Eyre is a feminist piece of work is to misunderstand what feminism is. (Daisy Forbes)

A contributor to 1819 News is certainly reading a different Jane Eyre because she says it's one of several 'examples of gentle womanhood' in literature. She should read it again. El pueblo de Ceuta (Spain) recommeds the novel for young readers.

The Guardian reviews The Housekeeper by Rose Tremain.

“Last night I dreamed I saw Daphne again,” Danni declares as the novel opens, recalling one of the most celebrated first lines in literature. Rebecca itself is, of course, part of a complex interplay of gothic novels, from Jane Eyre to Jean Rhys’s Wide Sargasso Sea, each book shifting the reader’s understanding of the others. (Clare Clark)

A contributor to Her Campus recommends '5 Books For Every Kind of Fall Reader' and one of them is

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

Wuthering Heights is not a cozy fall novel. It is dark and gloomy in atmosphere, and the themes it explores are incredibly introspective. Much of it is tragic, and the parts that aren’t are usually brutal. Despite all of that, Wuthering Heights is one of the first gothic novels, and there is never a better time to read gothic novels than October. Wuthering Heights is about a toxic love across social boundaries. Since it crosses social boundaries, Catherine, the main female protagonist, makes a choice against her heart that damns everyone around her, including herself. None of the characters are particularly likeable, and yet their story reveals to the reader many lessons and morals to follow throughout their life. And no, it is almost nothing like the movie. 

You should read Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights because of the lessons it can teach you and the conversations it could spark between you and your peers. It is a deep novel that can provide a multitude of deep conversational topics deepening your relationships and understanding of the people and the world around you. Wuthering Heights, and literature generally, provides its reader with a new perspective through which to view the world. Since Wuthering Heights is an old novel, it can be found online in the Gutenberg Project’s library entirely for free. The Amazon Classics edition is also available on Kindle Unlimited. Outside of that, most local and school libraries carry it, it’s available on the Libby app which is essentially an online library where you can borrow copies of almost any text, and Wuthering Heights can be found at most local booksellers! (Jamie Putman)

The Yorkshire Post interviews author, yoga teacher, filmmaker, designer and screenwriter Diana de Gunzburg.

Name your favourite Yorkshire book/author/artist/CD/performer.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. An extraordinary work of imagination which remains are powerful and relevant today as it did when Emily wrote it in 1845.

RTÉ features Wexford Festival Opera's composer-in-residence, Ailís Ní Ríain.

I have created new work for heritage spaces for many years. My first site-specific music based work was created for an early 19th century cotton-spinning mill in Manchester back in 2006. Since then, alongside my concert music, I’ve made work for Bronte Parsonage Museum, the iconic K6 red telephone box, a lighthouse and a castle keep.

Peebleshire News has an article on 25 dancers who have recreated Kate Bush's Wuthering Heights video.