The amazing contribution of the Brontë sisters

Bradford is on the final shortlist in the competition to be UK City of Culture 2025 and The Telegraph & Argus knows it:

It is the rich heritage of Bradford that makes it special and uniquely qualified to become the next UK City of Culture. Bradford has been graced by several major figures in the arts, born and bred in the area. In the 19th century the hill village of Haworth witnessed the amazing contribution of the Brontë sisters - Charlotte, Emily and Anne, born in Thornton. (Martin Greenwood)

The New York Times features the new old book collectors:

Back at the fair, Jesse Paris Smith, 34, and her mother, the singer-songwriter Patti Smith, were looking at a book written by Charlotte Brontë when she was 13. For the two of them, poring over texts and covers has been a source of bonding. (Patti started collecting books around the age of 9, when she purchased “A Child’s Garden of Verses” at a church bazaar for 50 cents; today, it’s worth $5,000.)

“Jesse’s made books, and I’ve sold them,” Patti said. “I’ve done inventory, packed them, gift-wrapped them, charged them.”

The Smiths routinely give books away, too. “It’s painful, but we try to put the ones that we’re not reading back out into the world,” Jesse said.

“But not our special books!” Patti said. (Kate Dwyer)

The Yorkshire Post talks about the auction of the contents of Rawdon Hall:

The auction also includes impressive pieces of furniture that were probably made for Rawdon Hall, including a 17th century oak and inlaid side cupboard with the words “Give God al praise, for to Him it is dewe, Love God above all thing, and thi neightbour as thiself”. There are literary connections to the hall, too, as it is believed that Charlotte Brontë was a visitor in 1841, when governess in nearby Upperwood House. (Stephanie Smith)

El Periódico de Catalunya (Spain), Soha (Vietnam) talk about the acquisition of A Book of Rhymes for the Brontë Parsonage Museum by the Friends of the National Libraries (FNL),

La casa de un escritor o, en este caso, de una familia de escritoras, puede funcionar, si se la protege y se la cuida como se protege y cuida la casa de las Brönte, como lo haría un enorme rompecabezas que nunca deja de completarse, una memoria física, el lugar en el que el tiempo ha dejado de existir porque, todo, cualquier cosa, está a punto de volver a empezar. La vuelta a casa del diminuto original de Charlotte Brönte, un poemario titulado simplemente 'A Book of Rhymes', escrito y confeccionado por ella misma en 1829, esto es, cuando tenía 13 años, apunta en ese sentido. Desaparecido desde 1916, en realidad, en manos privadas desde entonces, el original era el único de la casi veintena de ese tipo de ejemplares que se sabe que Charlotte escribió y confeccionó para divertirse, que permanecía aún lejos de casa. (Laura Fernández) (Translation)´

Looper lists Judi Dench's best films, Including Jane Eyre 2011:

Jane Eyre

Focus Features

Charlotte Brontë's 1847 novel "Jane Eyre" is a literary classic for good reason. The story is a fantastic example of Gothic romance. Cary Joji Fukunaga's 2011 film adaption perfectly captures what has given the novel its staying power. Mia Wasikowska stars as the film's titular character, and Michael Fassbender plays Edward Rochester, Jane's primary romantic interest. The two are joined by Judi Dench playing Mrs. Fairfax, the housekeeper of Rochester's Thornfield Hall. Jane finds herself falling for Rochester, but their budding romance is threatened by a dark secret from his past.

This version of "Jane Eyre" is a pitch-perfect period piece that earned an Oscar nomination for its costume design. The scenery isn't all that impresses in the film, though, as the cast absolutely shines. The critics consensus on Rotten Tomatoes, where the film has an 84% approval rating, praises Wasikowska's performance in particular, describing it as "possibly the best portrayal of the title character ever." The film is bound to please anyone from those intimately familiar with the source material to those interested in exploring Brontë's work for the first time. (Gabran Gray)

USA Today reviews Blame It on the Brontës by Annie Sereno:

There’s a subset of nerd who can recount, with detail, the first time they first read “Wuthering Heights.” If you’re reading this, you’re probably one. So is Athena Murphy, the English professor at the heart of “Blame It on the Brontës.” So much so that she can’t stop comparing her ex, Thorne Kent, to Heathcliff. When Athena returns to her hometown on book leave – a Hail Mary attempt to save her job – she has no idea that Thorne moved back, too. What are the odds? They’re forced to work together at the cafe which Thorne bought and Athena uses as book research. Athena promised the chair of her department she’d uncover the identity of C.L. Garland, the bestselling author who lives there and writes erotica based on classic literature. Except, Athena has no idea who Garland is, and the town would like to keep it that way. Though plays on classics have their appeal – how many “Pride and Prejudice” spin-offs are there? – they can suffer from expectations set by their forebears. “Brontës” falters from that weight. At points, readers may be tempted to pick up an original by Emily, Charlotte or Anne. Or even the fictitious Garland – if classic-lit erotica doesn’t exist, someone should write it immediately. But the suspense around Garland’s identity picks up in the second half and helps carry through for an enjoyable read. (Kelly)

Vogue (Poland) mentions Florence Welch's literary inclinations:

W ubiegłym roku Welch napisała również przedmowę do zbioru „Love is Enough: Poetry Threaded with Love” z poezją między innymi Williama Blake’a, Elizabeth Dickinson, Anne Brontë oraz ilustracjami, pracami graficznymi Andrei Zanatellego. (Julia Wlaszczuk) (Translation)

El Diario (Argentino) talks about feminism:

Cuando Laura Ramos publicó Infernales. La hermandad Brontë: Charlotte, Emily, Anne y Branwell empecé a entender algo sobre nosotras; sobre ella y sobre mí, que no nos conocíamos (ni nos conocemos demasiado al día de hoy), y sobre unas cuantas más, y sobre algo que quería decir sobre otras épocas y sobre esta época.  (...)  Muchos años después, entonces, me sorprendió enterarme de que Laura Ramos estaba tan obsesionada como yo con el siglo XIX y sus mujeres encerradas, las locas encerradas en cuartos escondidos y las cuerdas encerradas en matrimonios burgueses. Leyendo su libro sobre las Bronte entendí que ella, como yo, había gozado todas las novelas de Alcott, hasta las más moralistas de todas; entendí que había algo en su forma de leer y de vivir que abrazaba por igual la aventura y lo que se conserva, una noche llena de imprevistos y un párrafo entero de descripción de una puntilla. No es que esto nos hiciera particularmente perspicaces o interesantes, ni a ella ni a mí, estas dos pasiones contradictorias; pero me hizo pensar en la relación entre una cosa y la otra. (Tamara Tenenbaum) (Translation)

Il Libraio interviews the writer Chiara Tagliaferri:

Iolanda Di Virgilio:A un certo punto cita ‘il potere del trio non coincide più con il mio’, facendo riferimento a una celebre frase del telefilm cult Streghe. Quali sono le streghe che l’hanno più influenzata e che l’hanno aiutata a scoprire se stessa?

C.T,;“Sicuramente le tre sorelle Brontë, che infatti io e Michela abbiamo trasformato anche in una puntata del podcast, una di quelle a cui sono più affezionata. Queste tre ragazze goffe e malvestite, estranee a ogni corrente letteraria, in piena epoca vittoriana, hanno rivoluzionato ogni regola dello scrivere. Sono morte tutte prima dei trent’anni, ma hanno scardinato i confini in cui la donna era stata relegata, influenzando generazioni di scrittori. Fanno parte della mia vita. Per esempio con Emily io ho un vero e proprio dialogo… nel senso che ci parlo per davvero”.

Cosa le dice?

“Quando sono in difficoltà l’unico oracolo a cui mi affido è Cime tempestose. Lo apro a caso, leggo qualche riga e so come comportarmi”.

Perché le piace così tanto?

“Emily viveva reclusa in una canonica, non ha mai dato un bacio, eppure ha generato il capolavoro più appassionante e brutale che sia mai stato scritto. Mi piace così tanto perché mostra come odio e amore siano la stessa cosa. I suoi personaggi sono avulsi dal mondo, hanno animi teneri, violenti e tormentati. Pensiamo a Heatcliff, che non ha niente del classico eroe ottocentesco. È feroce, nero, vendicativo. Legato a Catherine da forze misteriose della natura. Non gliene frega niente della salvezza, non cerca quello. Ho perfino il suo nome tatuato sul collo”.

Come mai?

“È un tatuaggio che ho fatto quando ero ragazzina. Mi inventavo che Heatcliff era il nome di un ragazzo che avevo conosciuto al mare, e che era morto in un incidente in motorino. Era una tragedia, ma è stato uno dei fidanzati migliori che ho avuto, perché me lo sono disegnata come volevo io”. (Translation)

Elsemarie Maletzke travels to the Brontë country in Frankfurter Allgemaine:

 Yorkshire im Norden Englands ist das Land der frischen Luft und stürmischen Höhen. Und ausgerechnet Haworth – ein Ortsname wie ein Raucherhusten – ist darin so etwas wie der magnetische Pol. Denn in Haworth lebten und schrieben um die Mitte des neunzehnten Jahrhunderts die Schwestern Charlotte, Emily und Anne Brontë, stolze, scheue Frauen, Pfarrerstöchter und Bestsellerautorinnen. Die mit großen Kopfsteinen gepflasterte Hauptstraße, deren Bürgersteige in Stufen hügelan klettern, führt hinauf zum Dorfrand, zur Kirche, zum Friedhof und zum Pfarrhaus, das auf der Grenze zwischen der bewohnten und unbewohnten Welt liegt. Dahinter beginnen Moor und Heide und mit ihr die Freiheit, herumzustrolchen, zu spielen, zu phantasieren, zu träumen und zu dichten. In Emily Brontës Roman „Sturmhöhe“, einem Klassiker der Weltliteratur, ist sie Schauplatz einer tragischen, brutalen Familiengeschichte und einer unsterblichen Liebe. „Im Winter nichts trostloser . . .“ (Translation)

The Chicago Tribune's Biblioracle recommends Jane Eyre. A young new member of MENSA who is reading Jane Eyre in Bucks Free Press. West End Best Friend reviews the performances of Jane Eyre in  Newcastle-under-Lyme. Sanesio reviews Wuthering Heights.