I’ve been so busy recently, doing this and that involving hiring a van and moving furniture we’ve just bought, so it was only tonight that I got a chance to sit down and read the Guardian Review section. It’s the bicentenary of Charlotte Bronte’s birth, so there’s an article about Jane Eyre and comments from various writers and artists on their thoughts about Jane Eyre. You can read them all here. I have to say that I’m a Jane Eyre fan rather than Wuthering Heights, although I enjoyed that one too, it didn’t have such an impact on me as Jane did. Which camp are you in Jane or Wuthering?
If you’ve been enjoying reading Hilary Mantel’s books you might be interested in reading about her working day here.
If knickers and undergarments are what get you going you might be interested in reading about the new V&A exhibition that has just opened in London called Undressed: A Brief History of Underwear. You can read about it here. The article is by Lucy Worsley who no doubt is a knowledgeable historian but she does have a penchant for diving into the dressing up box given half a chance, like an over enthusiastic four year old.
Hi Katrina,
Oh, I am a Jane person, absolutely. Have read it three times, finding new delights in it each time. I enjoyed Wuthering Heights, but I found the heroine so unpractical–in fact, I couldn’t relate to her or the human wild beasts in it. I will surely read Jane Eyre a fourth time at some point. Looking forward! I want to see the Bronte parsonage first. Oh, and yes, if I ever travel to England, I will definitely be visiting Edinburgh.
Judith,
You’re a scream! If you ever travel to England – you’ll find that Edinburgh isn’t there, you’ll have to travel up north to that better country – Scotland, I’ll meet you on the Royal Mile!
I’ll be reading Jane Eyre again at some point in the future I’m sure, I think I’ve read it three times already too, first time when I was about 12. We’ve visited Haworth Parsonage a couple of times, it’s a great experience.
Did you buy more bookshelves?
Peggy,
No I didn’t buy bookshelves and that is the one thing I should have been buying!
Jane Eyre though WH is good too but I’ll pick Jane over Cathy every time.
Stefanie,
I agree WH is well worth reading but Jane Eyre is more my kind of girl and the fact that Charlotte put so much of her own experiences into it, particularly that terrible school they were sent to.