Charlotte Brontë cover art

Charlotte Brontë

A Life

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Charlotte Brontë

By: Claire Harman
Narrated by: Claire Harman
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About this listen

Penguin presents the unabridged, downloadable, audiobook edition of Charlotte Brontë: A Life, written and read by Claire Harman.

Raised motherless on remote Yorkshire moors, watching five beloved siblings sicken and die, haunted by unrequited love: Charlotte Brontë's life has all the drama and tragedy of the great Gothic novels it inspired.

Charlotte was a literary visionary, a feminist trailblazer and the driving force behind the whole Brontë family. She pushed Emily to publish Wuthering Heights and took charge of their precarious finances when her feckless brother turned to opium.

In Jane Eyre she introduced the world to a brand new kind of heroine, modelled on herself: quiet but fiercely intelligent, burning with passion and potential. This is the definitive biography of one of Britain's best loved writers.

©2015 Claire Harman (P)2015 Penguin Audio Art & Literature Authors Women Biography

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All stars
Most relevant  
I really feel as if I know Charlotte Bronte after listening to this audiobook, I found it an absolutely engaging and revealing story of her life and relationships, such as they are known. Her intellectual snobbery is a little off-putting and, and no doubt she would have been a discomforting companion - though not as difficult as Emily! However her determined and unswerving search for truth and honesty shines through - I loved this book.

Charlotte Bronte revealed

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I find Charlotte Brontë as mysterious as I did before starting this audio book - and yet more taken with her than ever.
I love the way this biography weaves between the writer’s own take on Charlotte and all the literary samples used to build the picture.
Highly recommended.

Intriguing and enlightening

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What did you like most about Charlotte Brontë?

The revealing information about how she and her siblings lived and coped. People often ask how they could write so imaginatively when so remote - but I think this book shows they had to make up a life for themselves to keep going

What other book might you compare Charlotte Brontë to, and why?

None at present

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

Yes

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When Charlotte came back to Howarth after both Emily and then Ann had died - and the house seemed so lonely. Prior to that I was distressed at the violent side of Emily when she attacked their dog Awful

Any additional comments?

I did not like the way the narrator spoke - in a 'sticky' way so you could hear her lips sticking together Have always hated this!

BRONTE LIFE

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I visted the Howarth Parsonage a few years ago & came away feeling sad at the lives of the Bronte family. This book had the same effect! However, it is still a great listen & offers so much insight into the writing & lives of Charlotte Bronte & her sisters. Although a great biographer, I think that it would have been better to have had an actress read this book, rather than the author. Sorry! However, if you are a Charlotte Bronte fan, you just have to listen to this book.

A Must Sad Listen!

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Good narrator not much joy in the content. struggled to finish it. I wonder if her life was that grim!!

miserable account of her life

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This book is exquisite not only because of the perfection of the writing and narration but also in its portrayal of the incredible talent and excruciatingly sad life of Charlotte Bronte.
I listen to this many times over the years and begin to learn more and more each time I listen.
Highly recommended.

This book is exquisite

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Ever since my first visit to Haworth in 2016, I have become obsessed with the Brontë’s. This book does justice to the story of Charlotte, It will make you cry, their story is so sad but it will also make you proud of what was achieved in her too short life span. I have this book in paperback and have read it twice, it was nice to hear the author who has a clear voice read her words aloud. Totally recommend to all

A Heartfelt Book

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loved the narrator amazing book interesting facts about the Bronte's visited Haworth parsonage several times

Bronte's

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Amazing, the lives of the sisters and family. Indeed the past is another world, the physical, mental and emotional hardships of this family is what I will carry away with me, as well as their own words in much loved books. Very well written, and narrated.

Incredible story, beautifully told.

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Until now I would have said that of all the Brontë biographies that I have read (and I have read many) Winifred Gerin's was hands down, the best. It is still very good and I would highly recommend it but Claire Harman's book is not only well researched and well written but also very readable and not at all dry or over academic. My one problem was the reading which was a bit flat and monosyllabic. An actor would have done the job better. Still I've only taken off one star.

Best Brontë biography I have read

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