The Life of Charlotte Brontë

By: Elizabeth Gaskell

Narrated by: Penelope Rawlins, Lucy Scott, Sarah Lambie, Nigel Pilkington, Georgina Sutton, David Timson

Elizabeth Gaskell’s biography of her friend Charlotte Brontë—the first full-length biography of a woman novelist by a woman novelist—is a true classic. It transports us with a deft hand straight into 19th-century Haworth, Yorkshire and crafts an extensive account of Brontë’s life, quoting throughout from letters she sent and received. From her challenging, isolated childhood to her death shortly before the age of 39, newly married and pregnant, the enigmatic author of Jane Eyre is portrayed with enormous care. Although its inevitable bias has long caused controversy, it remains a fascinating and vital work—the one to which all subsequent biographies of Charlotte Brontë must relate. It springs to life here in a full cast recording.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

Public Domain (P)2024 Naxos AudioBooks UK Ltd.

Long, long monolgues

I did not care for the voice used for Charlotte herself. Especially that it did not not chance to a more adult-sounding voice as she matured. It's sounds a bit ridiculous.

Five stars

Admirers of the writings of Charlotte Bronte will surely enjoy this biography. Gaskell, herself an accomplished novelist, was a personal friend of Bronte during the last five years of the latter’s life. She often lets Bronte speak for herself by including excerpts from her letters.. The cast of narrators was excellent, and the 19 hours passed quickly.

Try a different one

This biography is not detailed enough and the redactions make it all but devoid of meaningful information.
Buy a more modern bio.