Emily Brontë

The British Library Writers' Lives Series on EMILY BRONTE was shelved in the Biography section at my library with a "Young Adult" sticker on the spine. But why should the YA set have all the fun? This 112-page volume is packed with goodies: It's Colorful. Glossy pages, which makes for great reproductions of artwork. Reproductions of Emily Bronte's original manuscripts (clearly readable with a magnifying glass or reading glasses). Maps of where the Brontes lived and the settings for their books. Many color and B & W photos of the Bronte homes. Emily's watercolors and drawings (quite good ones, too). Photos and drawings of structures and places that inspired Wuthering Heights. Emily's poetry (also quite good). Chronology of the Brontes. Index. Further reading. This biography is primarly about Emily, but because her life was so intertwined with her sister Charlotte's life, the book is almost a dual biography. Probably because a young woman's life in the 19th century (on the English moor, anyway) was so family-centered, do we read so much about the entire Bronte family and those they daily interacted with. Robert Barnard (author) is the Chairman of the Bronte Society and a writer of crime novels as well. His mystery/detective sense shines through in this volume, as he seems to be able to spot a smoking gun here and there in the Bronte history. He often highlights discrepancies, mysteries, and twists in the history of the Bronte family. Apparantly, there is no shortage of such mysteries and has given rise to many theories about the family and the girls. This book is a fine introduction to the life of the Brontes. The photos, drawings, and other coloful items included in this slim volume bring this 19th century history to life. I highly recommend it for Young Adults and other adults as well.