Episode 13

The Best Brontë You Haven't Read

Anne Brontë’s The Tenant of Wildfell Hall was one of the biggest surprises on my British reading list. Set on the Yorkshire moors, this 1848 novel begins as a mystery about a woman with an unknown past, but quickly becomes a remarkably honest examination of alcoholism, domestic violence, social expectations, and the limited choices available to women.

I explore why Anne’s unflinching realism put her at odds with her sister Charlotte, how their own family experiences shaped the novel, and why its themes still feel strikingly modern. I also discuss the book’s unusual dual first-person narrative, why I think it deserves far more attention than it receives, and why it makes an excellent next step for readers who love Jane Austen but are ready for something darker and more challenging.

We also discuss audiobooks. Is it "really" reading, or is a kind of cheat? I share what the research says--and what it doesn't--and share a little of my own experience, too.

BOOKS IN THIS EPISODE

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë

A History of Tom Jones, A Foundling by Henry Fielding

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

Everything Sad is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri

As You Wish by Carey Elwes

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

CONNECT

The complete list of Crack the Book Episodes (Amazon affiliate links): https://cheryldrury.substack.com/p/crack-the-book-start-here?r=u3t2r

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