The Oxford Companion to the Brontļæ1/2s [Paperback]

Christine Alexander (Author), Margaret Smith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2006

The works of Anne, Charlotte, and Emily Bront� are among the best-known in English literature. From the masterly fusion of romance and realism in Wuthering Heights to the passion and drama of Jane Eyre, the works of these three sisters have captured the hearts and imagination of readers everywhere. Their tragic, real-life stories only contribute to the timeless attraction to these three brilliant writers. With The Oxford Companion to the Bront�s, Christine Alexander and Margaret Smith provide a comprehensive volume about the lives, works, and reputations of the Bront� sisters, together with their father, Patrick, an author in his own right, and their brother, Branwell who, along with his sister Charlotte, created the imaginary world of Angria. This authoritative guide is organized in an easy-to-use A-Z format, offers extensive cross-referencing, and provides chronologies of the sisters' work, including a list of juvenilia, first line of poems and Bront� art, as well as maps and illustrations for quick, easy study and further research. In addition, the authors offer insight into the publishing history, biographical studies, collectors and museums, book illustrations, and theoretical and critical approaches to the Bront�s' writing. The Oxford Companion to the Bront�s is a unique and fascinating guide that will appeal to all lovers of English literature.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

For almost two centuries both general readers and scholars have been intrigued by the writings that sprang from the fertile imaginations of a curate's children raised on the moors of Yorkshire. Covering not only the three Bronte sisters who have attracted the most attention (Anne, Charlotte, and Emily) but also their brother, Branwell, and their father, Patrick, this guide provides a wealth of information about their lives and works and the society in which they lived, as well as historical and critical perspectives on their writings. The more than 1,000 alphabetically arranged entries include lengthy articles on each Bronte and his or her individual works and shorter entries on characters and places in the writings and real people, places, and other entities associated with them. In addition, numerous substantive thematic and topical entries (for example, Art of the Brontes, Health and medicine, Psychoanalytic approaches) help to elucidate the Brontes' world and their creative output. Bibliographical references generally accompany longer entries, and a selective bibliography appears at the end of the volume. The latter provides no references to relevant Internet sites, an unfortunate omission, since useful tools for studying the Brontes are available on the Web. Additional features include a generous network of cross-references, a number of black-and-white illustrations, a chronology, and a section that identifies dialect and obsolete words in the Brontes' writings. Providing an overview of the entire work is a classified index that arranges entries into topical categories, enabling users to find, for example, all entries relating to adaptations of the Brontes' works or to places where they traveled.

As Bronte scholars, Alexander and Smith are highly qualified to have undertaken this project, and they and the seven other contributors have created a valuable compendium of impeccable scholarship. Containing more than twice as many entries as The Brontes: A to Z (Facts On File, 2003), this excellent guide is the most comprehensive and scholarly reference companion to the Brontes now available. It is highly recommended for all academic libraries and larger public libraries. Marie Ellis
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

'wonderfully detailed' Christopher Hirst and Christina Patterson, Independent 'This book is a must...A treasure trove of a book' Brian Maye, Irish Times

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Product Details

• Paperback: 640 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (June 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0198614322
• ISBN-13: 978-0198614326
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #438,110 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The lives and works of the Bronte sisters, November 26, 2006

By 

J. Cameron-Smith "Expect the Unexpected" (ACT, Australia) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Oxford Companion to the Brontļæ1/2s (Paperback)

This book supplements other books about the lives, works and legacies of the Bronte sisters. It includes entries on sequels and adaptations of the works of Charlotte, Emily and Anne as well as coverage of their juvenilia.

The book itself is organised alphabetically, has indexes, cross-references and contains over 2000 entries.

Highly recommended for those of us who can never have too much information about the Sisters Bronte.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Indispensable source book... and a GREAT read!, February 27, 2009

By 

R. David Roe (Hixson, Tennessee United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Oxford Companion to the Brontļæ1/2s (Paperback)

If you are beginning any research on the Brontės or just want the back story behind the origins of their writings, you can do no better than to start here. Detailed biographical sketches, citations to the latest scholars and scholarship, plot summaries, character analysis, historical characters and local background sketches, as well as reconstruction of the basic Glass Town, Angria, and Gondal (inasmuch as is known) narratives. And far, far, more.

IMMENSELY READABLE! while maintaining the highest standards of scholarship. There is enough here to sate much of your Brontėan appetite and whet that which is still wanting. And enough bibliographical references to show you where to look next. Christine Alexander and Margaret Smith have produced in a single volume, a model for reference work that I only wish were available for other writers. I own two copies. One to mark up and abuse, the other to cherish and admire. If you like any of the Brontės (for me it's Emily and Anne), you NEED this book whether you know it yet or not.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Snowy day reading..., September 19, 2009

By 

VRegina "VRegina" (New England) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Oxford Companion to the Brontļæ1/2s (Paperback)

As a total devotee of the Bronte family, their lives and their tremendous literary works, I was a bit skeptical about this book. How could any one volume encompass the magic of Haworth's most famous citizens? It is vital, encyclopedic indeed, but also entrancing and wonderful. Curl up with it on a rainy or snowy afternoon with a cup of tea or hot chocolate, or on a stormy evening with a glass of wine, and flip back and forth through its pages enjoying the trip into the lovely, passionate lands of the Brontes. Imagine a boiled beef dinner across the table from Emily, silent and ironic, Keeper at her side, with Charlotte and Anne making brilliant conversation. I LOVE this book and highly recommend it to those of us who curtsy at the name Bronte.