Speaking of Charlotte Bronte...

Weren't we speaking of her? Somewhere, someone is...

I've become a Charlotte Bronte fanatic, I'm afraid. It all started with "Jane Eyre". (I know, book titles are supposed to be underlined rather than putting quotation marks around them, but I can't find an underline option here. Can anyone help me?) Anyway...

"Jane Eyre" is one of my all-time favorite novels. I've read it probably four times and seen many versions of the movie. (The 1944 version with Orson Welles is a favorite; though it leaves out a great deal.) I love how she (Charlotte) can develop characters with such depth. You really get to know her heroines in great detail. The way she handles the English language is beyond anything most of us experience these days with our limited vocabularies and lack of imagination.

I just finished reading "Villette" for the second time. I began the second reading the day after I finished the first go through. This particular book had so many little twists and turns you really need to read it a second time to catch all the stuff you missed the first time! Once more, a very complex heroine and a very satisfying ending.

I'm just now beginning "Shirley". I have no idea what to expect, but already see the promise of an interesting tale, told in her inimitable style.

I've heard that certain activities help to keep a person's brain sharp. I think reading English literature must be one of these. It requires your full attention and much thinking. I really enjoy it!