Lots of people first meet Jane Austen through Pride and Prejudice often at school, and often as their only encounter with her work. It's certainly her most dramatised novel. In this episode, Caroline and Nicola delve into something a little different: one of Austen’s earliest stories, Love and Freindship (spelled just as she wrote it!), penned when she was just fourteen, and Sanditon the novel she sadly never finished before her untimely death.

Caroline, whose expertise lies in the history of medicine, shares why the cause of Austen’s death at 41 remains uncertain and looks at the competing theories.

This episode comes with a small audio caveat: Nicola was recording from a holiday cottage in the wilds of Cornwall with dodgy broadband and no microphone, and may sound a little Dalek-esque at times. She hopes you’ll forgive the wobble in sound in exchange for the joys of Austen.

In this episode, we discuss Wide Sargasso Sea with writer Victoria Smith. Commonly referred to as the prequel to Jane Eyre, it does tell the story of Antoinette (Bertha in Jane Eyre) but works beautifully as a stand-alone read in its own right.

Victoria Smith is the author of brilliant books Hags and Unkind and is one of the significant feminist voices of our time, so we were delighted to hear her thoughts on this highly acclaimed work.

This is what some of the critics have said about the book:

Angela Carter, novelist and critic:

“The best post-colonial novel of the twentieth century. It’s not just a prequel to Jane Eyre — it’s a complete reimagining of what literature can do.”

The New York Times Book Review:

“Brilliant… A work of fierce poetic intensity, richly imagined and quietly devastating.”

Diana Athill, editor of André Deutsch publishing house:

“Jean Rhys wrote it as though it had to be written — and it did. It’s that rare thing: a work of literature that also rights a moral wrong.”

Time Magazine (Top 100 Novels of the 20th Century):

“A hypnotic and hallucinatory vision of the Caribbean — Rhys reclaims Bertha Mason’s voice and in doing so, reshapes the entire legacy of Jane Eyre.”

Jamaica Kincaid, novelist and critic:

“Rhys understood the cruelty of colonialism and the way madness can be imposed, not born. Her writing is laced with beauty and fury.”

In this episode, we consider Lois the Witch, a haunting novella by Elizabeth Gaskell set against the backdrop of the 1692 Salem Witch Trials. With her characteristic emotional depth and historical sensitivity, Gaskell explores themes of fear, isolation, and the dangers of moral panic and in doing so offers a powerful critique of society’s treatment of women, both in 17th-century Massachusetts and Victorian England.

Like many women writers of her time, Gaskell’s work has often been overlooked or dismissed, side-lined as too ‘domestic’ or ‘feminine’ to warrant serious study. A mother of four and a minister’s wife, Gaskell was long boxed into the role of a sentimental storyteller, despite her sharp engagement with social justice, gender inequality, and mental illness in both fiction and biography.

This podcast examines why Lois the Witch as well as considering Gaskell more broadly, who we think deserves closer attention - particularly in light our of earlier episode where we discussed Gaskell with Graham Watson. We wonder: how did gender shape the way her writing was received? What happens when stories about women, written by women, are categorized as ‘lesser’ literature? And what can Gaskell’s nuanced portrayal of historical trauma teach us today?

Aside from Gaskell’s interesting life and treatment, revisiting the time of the Salem witch trials is an interesting topic to consider - the real dangers, the serious threats to the newly established communities leading to the paranoia of the time. Join us as we revisit this quietly radical voice in literary history and consider whether the fear and hostility that communities felt a very long time ago are still of contemporary relevance today. Particularly in light of the idea that sometimes it suits those who are upholding power to encourage paranoia.

Barbara Leigh Smith Bodichon (1827-1891) is one of 19th-century Britain’s most influential feminist campaigners, involved in women’s suffrage, female higher education, the abolition of slavery and passing of the Married Women’s Property Acts.

In this episode of She Wrote Too, historian Jane Robinson tells Caroline about her biography of this impressive - yet now little-known - woman, Trailblazer: Barbara Leigh Smith Bodichon, the First Feminist to Change our World.

Charlotte Brontë’s life was complex and dramatic. A survivor of unimaginable loss, she turned her back on the past to become not only an acclaimed writer but a figure of public fascination. There has not been a biography of Charlotte in over 10 years and in this interview, Graham Watson makes his very convincing argument as to why another one was needed.

In her effort to make sense of it all, Brontë’s friend, the novelist Elizabeth Gaskell, produced a tell-all biography that revealed secrets of love, rivalry, and rebellion. Charlotte had been treated shabbily by many and Gaskell was out to seek justice for her friend. The life she had begun to reinvent for herself after the tragic deaths of Anne and Emily is often overlooked and barely gets a mention. No more.

In his ground-breaking debut, The Invention of Charlotte Brontë, Graham Watson revisits this story not to sensationalise it, but to restore Charlotte’s voice. It’s a biography that reclaims Brontë’s legacy from the myths that have long overshadowed her.

In our conversation, Graham shares his fresh perspective on the final chapter of Charlotte’s life and how his research sheds new light on Elizabeth Gaskell’s sensational Life of Charlotte Brontë, published in 1857, which Graham sees as a whistleblowing exercise ultimately compromised by those Gaskell wished to expose. He reflects on the dangers of tidying up women's lives to fit a narrative, and why the truth matters, especially for those who were written over in their own time.

Graham Watson is a writer and editor who studied English language, linguistics and literature at the University of Glasgow. His first paper, on fraudulent Brontë portraiture, was published in Brontë Studies in 2019. The Invention of Charlotte Brontë is his first book, out now in the UK and from August in the US.

It is to be published in the US with this cover:

Our sincere thanks to Graham for this incredibly fascinating talk on his excellent book. One piece of advice - read it.

In this episode of She Wrote Too, I talk with comedian and writer Andy Gleeks, who also brings his background as an English teacher to our conversation. This is our second episode on Emily Brontë’s extraordinary novel, if you haven’t already, do listen to our first discussion with best-selling gothic novelist Essie Fox, where we reviewed other fascinating aspects of the book.

Few novels inspire such strong and conflicting reactions as Wuthering Heights. It is a story of obsession, revenge, and passion so intense that it transcends death itself. Unlike many of its 19th-century counterparts, which explore love within the constraints of social convention, Wuthering Heights is wild, gothic, and deeply unsettling. It is a novel that resists easy categorization as it is many things; a love story and an anti-romance, a family saga and a supernatural tale, a narrative of social class and exclusion that also carries echoes of Britain's colonial past.

One of the most fascinating aspects of Wuthering Heights is its narrative structure. Brontë gives us a story within a story, mediated by unreliable narrators including Lockwood, the clueless outsider, and Nelly Dean, whose biases and personal stake in events leave us constantly questioning what is true. This fragmented storytelling enhances the novel’s sense of mystery and psychological complexity, as the past seems to haunt the present at every turn.

We also discuss how Wuthering Heights is, in many ways, the antithesis of Pride and Prejudice. Where Austen’s novel is witty, rational, and deeply concerned with social norms, Brontë’s is elemental and ungovernable, steeped in passion, violence, and the supernatural. If Pride and Prejudice teaches its characters to temper their emotions, Wuthering Heights shows what happens when they consume and destroy.

Beyond its gothic intensity, Wuthering Heights is also a novel about intergenerational trauma and about the way pain and obsession pass down through families like a curse. The novel’s themes of power, race, and exclusion have led to modern readings that explore its links to Britain’s colonial past. As Andy observes, Heathcliff, a dark-skinned foundling whose origins remain ambiguous, is repeatedly dehumanized and brutalized by those around him, his suffering transforming into a relentless cycle of cruelty. The novel’s exploration of outsider status, revenge, and inherited suffering makes it feel as urgent today as it did when it was first published.

We consider why Wuthering Heights endures. Perhaps because it refuses to be easily explained. It is not simply a gothic romance, nor a ghost story, nor a critique of class and power but somehow all of these things at once. It is a novel that lingers in the mind long after reading, as unsettling and unforgettable as the howling winds over the Yorkshire moors.

Join us as we consider the many layers of this haunting masterpiece and discuss why Wuthering Heights remains a must-read for lovers of literature, gothic fiction, and stories that defy easy resolution. As Andy says ‘just read it’.

Our sincere thanks to Andy Gleeks and Essie Fox for their fascinating insights.

🎧 Missed our first episode with Essie Fox? Catch up here:

What do the Brontë family and the Methodist movement have in common? More than you might think. In our latest episode of She Wrote Too, we had the pleasure of speaking with genealogist Dr. Sarah Halton, who has been tracing the intricate and often surprising connections between the Brontës and Methodism. Diagrams are provided below!

Most of us think of the Brontës as being firmly rooted in the Anglican tradition. After all, their father, Patrick Brontë, was a clergyman in the Church of England, and their home at Haworth Parsonage is steeped in the trappings of traditional Anglican life. But, as Dr. Halton reveals, the family's ties to religious nonconformity run deeper than many realize.

The Methodist movement, founded in the 18th century by John and Charles Wesley, was a powerful force in shaping the religious landscape of Britain. It was a movement that attracted working-class communities and emphasized personal faith, social justice, and education which are values that would have resonated with the Brontës. Dr. Halton’s research uncovers how Patrick Brontë’s early theological training and connections to evangelical circles may have influenced not only his ministry but also the intellectual and moral framework in which his children were raised.

This raises fascinating questions: Did the Brontës’ exposure to nonconformist ideas shape their literary imaginations? Can we see traces of Methodist themes such as redemption, struggle, and social reform in Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, or The Tenant of WIldfell Hall? And what does this tell us about the broader intersection of faith and literature in the 19th century?

Join us for this deeply engaging conversation as we explore faith, history, and storytelling with Dr. Halton. If you’re a fan of the Brontës, historical detective work, or the way belief systems shape culture, this is an episode that you will enjoy.

Caroline and Nicola explore Anne Brontë’s final novel, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, where an enigmatic world unfolds—a narrative that boldly challenges Victorian conventions through its portrayal of a woman's struggle for independence. In their discussion, they delve into Anne’s life and her position within the Brontë family, examining how personal and familial conflicts shape the key themes of the book. They also consider the legal rights and vulnerability of women at the time and explore how the novel intertwines gothic intrigue with incisive social commentary, inviting reflection on enduring issues of gender, morality, and personal freedom.

It is a beautifully rich book, full of well-developed range of characters, mystery and a resilient heroine determined to ensure her son is shielded from the pitfalls of toxic masculinity. We thoroughly enjoyed reading it and hope that you will too.

Trigger Warning: This discussion addresses challenging themes including alcoholism, domestic abuse, coercive behaviour, and portrayals of child treatment that may be disturbing by modern standards.

Historical novelist Essie Fox joins Caroline and Nicola to talk about one of her favourite books - Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë - and to introduce her own new novel, Dangerous, a Byronic tale of vampirism and mystery. Find out more about Essie at www.essiefox.com

Exploring Black Beauty with Anne Brooke and Mari Durward-Akhurst: A Journey into Anna Sewell’s Legacy

In our latest podcast episode, we delve into the enduring legacy of Black Beauty, Anna Sewell’s iconic novel that has touched hearts for generations. Joining us for this fascinating discussion are Anne Brooke, fabulous author, and Mari Durward-Akhurst, an inspirational Paralympian dressage athlete. Together, we consider the novel’s timeless themes, its impact on equestrian culture, and the profound empathy it fosters for animals and humans alike.

A central thread of our conversation is Celia Brayfield’s biography Writing Black Beauty, a compelling exploration of Anna Sewell’s life and the making of her masterpiece. Sewell, a little known writer in her time, channelled her own struggles with disability and her deep bond with horses into a novel that championed animal welfare and advocated for kindness. Her book has never gone out of publication and went on to be one of the best-selling novels of all time. Brayfield’s work unveils the rich historical and personal context behind Black Beauty, bringing Sewell’s world vividly to life. A recommended read from us.

Anne Brooke shares her literary insights on Sewell’s narrative technique and the groundbreaking way Black Beauty gives voice to its titular character. The novel’s first-person perspective from the horse’s point of view was revolutionary, transforming how readers perceive animal intelligence and emotion. Anne offers a contemporary lens on why the story continues to resonate today, over a century after its publication.

Mari Durward-Akhurst brings a unique perspective, connecting her own experiences as a Paralympian in the equestrian world to the novel’s themes of resilience and mutual respect between humans and horses. Her reflections on how Black Beauty has inspired generations of riders and animal advocates enrich the discussion, making it deeply personal and powerful.

To complement the episode, we also take a trip to the London International Horse Show, immersing ourselves in a vibrant celebration of equestrianism. The event highlights the continuing importance of the human-horse connection—a bond so beautifully depicted in Black Beauty.

This episode is more than a tribute to a beloved novel; it’s a journey into the life of a remarkable author, the enduring relevance of her work, and the ways horses inspire us today. Whether you’re a literary enthusiast, an equestrian lover, or simply someone who cherishes stories of compassion, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.