Synopses & Reviews
Charlotte Brontë won great fame with her semi-autobiographical novels Jane Eyre, Shirley, Villette, and The Professor. Her life story is almost as well-known as the history of her most popular herione, from her bereaved yet extraordinarily creative childhood in a bleak Yorkshire parsonage to her early death just months into a happy marriage to her father's curate. Few writers have had the facts of their lives so inextricably linked with the fiction they wrote. This book, written by an acknowledged expert on the Brontes and beautifully illustrated throughout, provides a fluent, objective and compassionate account of the life of a much loved genius of English literature.
Review
"This excellent biography of the author of Jane Eyre is a wonderful introduction to a complex woman."--School Library Journal
"[A] sophisticated, profusely illustrated biography of the author.... Sellars writes with authority."--Booklist
"Elegant biography... Sellars, a Bronte scholar, has carefully pieced together the details of the author's life; lavish illustrations and excerpts from letters, diaries and manuscripts make the book a fascinating companion to Bronte's work."--Teacher Magazine
"Makes revealing use of a multitude of original sources: letters, diaries, and original manuscripts, all laid our for readers to examine.... This portrayal of Charlote Bront's life conveys how an astute and original mind coped with overwhelming grief and despair to triumph creatively."--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"A very readable and accessible biography of one of the most fascinating figures of the nineteenth century. Sellars's prose is elegant and slightly reminiscent of her subject's... The text is expanded and enriched by a variety of illustrations, drawings, and photographs of excellent quality."--VOYA
"This authoritative biography of the author of Jane Eyre is a scholarly but engaging introduction to Bronte's life and its parallels with her most famous character.... Photographs and reproductions of letters and manuscript pages enhance the volume."--The Horn Book Guide
Review
"[A] sophisticated, profusely illustrated biography... Sellars writes with authority."--Booklist
"Makes revealing use of a multitude of original sources: letters, diaries, and original manuscripts, all laid our for readers to examine.... This portrayal of Charlotte Bronte's life conveys how an astute and original mind coped with overwhelming grief and despair to triumph creatively."--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"This excellent biography of the author of Jane Eyre is a wonderful introduction to a complex woman."--School Library Journal
"[A] sophisticated, profusely illustrated biography of the author.... Sellars writes with authority."--Booklist
"Makes revealing use of a multitude of original sources: letters, diaries, and original manuscripts, all laid our for readers to examine.... This portrayal of Charlote Prontë's life conveys how an astute and original mind coped with overwhelming grief and despair to triumph creatively."--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Synopsis
Charlotte Brontë won great fame with her semi-autobiographical novels Jane Eyre, Shirley, Villette, and The Professor. Her life story is almost as well-known as the history of her most popular herione, from her bereaved yet extraordinarily creative childhood in a bleak Yorkshire parsonage to her early death just months into a happy marriage to her father's curate. Few writers have had the facts of their lives so inextricably linked with the fiction they wrote. This book, written by an acknowledged expert on the Brontes and beautifully illustrated throughout, provides a fluent, objective and compassionate account of the life of a much loved genius of English literature.