Books in the Letters of Charlotte Bronte series

This volume covers the period from 1852 until Charlotte Bronte's tragically early death in March 1855. We read of her struggle to complete 'Villette'. Complete texts of many letters to Mrs Gaskell illuminate Charlotte's friendship with the fellow-novelist who was to be her biographer. Subsequent letters touchingly reveal her love for her husband.

The success of "Jane Eyre" and the strange power of "Wuthering Heights" made the 'brothers Bell' the 'universal theme of conversation'; but privately the family endured the deaths of Branwell Bronte in September and Emily in December 1848, followed by Anne's in May 1849. This volume helps us to share Charlotte Bronte's experience for four years.

Despite Charlotte Bronte's entreaty to her lifelong friend Ellen Nussey to burn her correspondence, very little seems to have been destroyed. In this fully annotated edition, based as far as possible on original manuscripts, many confidential and outspoken letters are published in full.