Product Description

The story of the tragic Bronte family is familiar to everyone: we all know about the half-mad, repressive father, the drunken, drug-addicted wastrel of a brother, wild romantic Emily, unrequited Anne and 'poor Charlotte'. Or do we?These stereotypes of the popular imagination are precisely that - imaginary - created by amateur biographers from Mrs Gaskell onwards who were primarily novelists, and were attracted by the tale of an apparently doomed family of genius. Juliet Barker's landmark book is the first definitive history of the Brontes. It demolishes myths, yet provides startling new information that is just as compelling - but true. Based on first-hand research among all the Bronte manuscripts, many so tiny they can only be read by magnifying glass, and among contemporary historical documents never before used by Bronte biographers, this book is both scholarly and compulsively readable. The Brontes is a revolutionary new picture of the world's favourite literary family.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #232903 in Books
• Published on: 2001-08-23
• Binding: Paperback
• 1024 pages

Synopsis
The story of the tragic Bronte family is familiar to everyone: we all know about the half-mad, repressive father, the drunken, drug-addicted wastrel of a brother, wild romantic Emily, unrequited Anne and 'poor Charlotte'. Or do we?These stereotypes of the popular imagination are precisely that - imaginary - created by amateur biographers from Mrs Gaskell onwards who were primarily novelists, and were attracted by the tale of an apparently doomed family of genius. Juliet Barker's landmark book is the first definitive history of the Brontes. It demolishes myths, yet provides startling new information that is just as compelling - but true. Based on first-hand research among all the Bronte manuscripts, many so tiny they can only be read by magnifying glass, and among contemporary historical documents never before used by Bronte biographers, this book is both scholarly and compulsively readable. The Brontes is a revolutionary new picture of the world's favourite literary family.

About the Author
Juliet Barker has a D.Phil in history from Oxford University, and was for six years librarian/curator of the Bronte Parsonage Museum at Haworth. She has been involved with all recent research into the Brontes, and has made many major new finds which are revealed for the first time in this book.

Customer Reviews

Outstanding, Replaces Gaskell as the definitive Bronte biography
I absolutely love this book from cover to cover and would recommend it to all Bronte enthusiasts and am not ashamed to say that I welled up as Barker wrote of each of the siblings untimely deaths. Unlike other books, Barker does not veer towards pure speculation, particulary where Anne and Emily are concerned as sadly there is so little known of them compared to their older sister. I particularly enjoyed the chapters concerning Branwell Bronte, the childrens imaginary kingdoms they so lovingly wrote and also Patrick Brontes early life.
I understand that Juliet Barker used to work at the Bronte museum and obviously she has spent years painstakingly researching not only the principle Brontes but also, their parents, aunt and even family history.
I intend to read other biographies/histories (not to mention this one again) written by this author as you are guaranteed a superb read.
Many Bronte fans will choose to read the more well known but occasionally flawed biography as written by Elizabeth Gaskell who was a contemporary and friend of the family, but Juliet Barker provides a much more realistic representation of the family. A must-read.

The acceptable face of revisionism
The Bronte story has been plagued by biographers (some of them cranks) who transferred their own prejudices and fantasies onto the family and, frankly, made up a lot of nonsense. Juliet Barker's biography is both a retelling of the story and a refutation of the nonsense. Her restoration of Patrick Bronte is particularly worthy; it seems amazing that no other Bronte biographer in the past 150 years bothered to consult local papers to find out about him. The portrait that emerges is of a much more well-rounded, sane, compassionate individual than previously thought. But it is his offspring, of course, who are the "stars" of this biography. And, inevitably, it is also a portrait of mid-19th century life. If anything, it is a bit too detailed, but that's not a problem. One to savour over a long-period of time like a good Victorian novel.

How to Write a Biography
If you want an example of how to write a biography, this is it. It is a sweeping look at the Bronte family and their literature, and it also contributes to the social and ecclesiastical history of Yorkshire in the nineteenth century. I particularly enjoyed the chapters on Patrick, and the fine observations on the Luddite rebellion. I love the way that Ms Barker debunks the myths perpetuated by Charlotte and Mrs Gaskell about the strict, sheltered upbringing of the family. The book is superbly referenced and endnoted. I enjoyed this book ten years ago, and have recently re-read it with great pleasure. Biography, social history, and a thrilling read in one wonderful book!