Thornfield Hall, Home of Edward Rochester, Country Gentleman

I found this artwork by Stewart Platt of a place called, "North Lees Hall," in Derbyshire. Charlotte Bronte had visited the area with her friend Ellen Nussey to help prepare the vicarage for Ellen's brother who was the new vicar, to be arriving after his honeymoon. Charlotte and Ellen visited North Lees Hall. 

by Stewart Platt

Research into the name "North Lees Hall" translates "north" to "thorn" and "lees" to "field." This is fascinating. We can see the inspiration that Charlotte Bronte would have gotten from visiting the place which she then turned into "Thornfield Hall" the home of Edward Rochester, country gentleman.

Just for comparison, here are some photographs of North Lees Hall.

 

Wouldn't you like to walk the grounds and wander inside as Jane would have done? Jane Eyre has come to life. 

(Inspired by this post)

The Anne of Green Gables Bible

 

This is a brand new project that dives deep into the creation of Anne of Green Gables by it's author L.M. Montgomery. I am calling it the Anne of Green Gables Bible. A place to read, research, and dig into anything and everything you could ever imagine about the creation of Anne and her Green Gables story that are loved by so many around the world. We didn't know we needed this, but wow, what an amazing place to devour and delve into Anne.

Bronte Parsonage Donations

We did it for Jane, now it's time for the Brontes. To keep this amazing place open into the coming year, they need our help. If you love Emily, Charlotte, Anne, and Branwell, their books, art, poetry, etc. Please consider donating!

DONATE TO THE PARSONAGE

There Was No Possibility of Taking A Walk That Day

This is a book of poetry composed during Covid 19 pandemic and all about the Brontes. Each poem has something to do with the Brontes and also experiencing a pandemic. You will find my poem called, "Homebound," in this collection. Available as a paperback book or Kindle versions.

Little Books

The British Library is encouraging children to make little books like the Bronte sisters did!
https://www.bl.uk/childrens-books/activities/make-a-miniature-book

The Duchess Reads

I'm pretty sure the Duchess of Cambridge (Kate Middleton) likes classic books. Here she is in her Anmer Hall office below, and on her desk there are a set of these stunning cloth bound books that really look like this set I've been coveting.

And several years ago, she wore a certain dress for visiting the Anne of Green Gables house on P.E.I. that was Anne-like, a nod to Anne, if you will. In fact, she went out of her way on that tour to be able to see the Anne house. I posted about that here.

What do you think, is the Duchess a fan of the classics?


Edited:
Just saw this story about the Cambridges at home during the isolation, and yes, they noticed the books, too!
Here is a caption that went with the story (see below)

From Hello Magazine:

 

From Daily Mail:

 

The New Emma and Isolation

I keep seeing the new Emma flash across my Amazon as being able to watch it at home right now. It's currently playing in theaters, but because we're all homebound, we can watch it early, at home. Honestly, it's really tempting to do that, anyone else? Grab the popcorn and your wallet, and sit in your comfy chair.

Movie Stills

Classic "Little Women" from 1994.

I just adore seeing new {and old} classic movie stills. It's the first view you get of a film that you hope will match the feeling that you got from reading the book. They are usually stunning and beautiful pieces of art I think.
Here is the new still from "Little Women." One I am hearing great things about so far. I'll decide for myself when I see it in the movie theater.

And yet another "Little Women" that I've never seen before. I've always considered this a winter-themed book for some reason, so the watching of this will be beautiful and cozy. Here's to more movie stills in the future and the hope they bring!

My Library is Growing

Just bought this 1967 Washington Square Press edition of Longfellow's Evangeline. I have been buying and buying old books a lot lately and my library is growing! My goal is to eventually have at least one or multiple copies of my favorites. I also have a penchant for vintage field guides for flowers, birds, and trees. Is anyone at all surprised?

I Loved It

It's not a perfect version, but I loved this latest depiction of Victor Hugo's Les Miserables. I've watched it through once and will be watching it again. Probably one of the best ones out there that tells much of the story found in the book.

Stacked High

Sometimes you find little gems at the used bookstore that you never expected to find. There was this gorgeous (what I thought to be vintage) French paperback of "To Kill A Mockingbird," that had to come home with me.

It now finds its place on the bookshelf with other pretty treasures stacked high on display. I've really been on a vintage paperback binge lately, not sure why, but I'm loving it. I keep seeing the 1980's set of the Anne of Green Gables books and it makes me melancholy to read them again, to escape to Anne's world. I've learned a lot from dear Anne that I'd never know about but for her. I'll be hunting for more treasures this summer.

The Works of Jane Austen

That moment when you are window shopping and find something you just cannot live without. What I found ... A 1970's copy of Jane Austen's novels in one volume. One gorgeous, pretty bound, exquisite volume of gathered words that I love, love, love.

Two Stories

I love the two stories behind these images. 

I bet you know them both.

Mary Oliver

Mary Oliver. Her words are simply stunningly beautiful. Her voice was silenced this week. But her poetical gifts will last forever.

Walk the Streets

Here is the Main Street of Haworth, Yorkshire where the Bronte family lived. Walk the streets with me, if you will, and have a Merry Merry Christmas.

 Photo from Wikipedia

I Found Walden

...and crows, at the library sale last week.

The crows did not cooperate with taking photos. They kept inching away from me as if they knew I wanted their picture. Mischievous little things. The book looks old, but it's actually from 2017. I am planning on collecting copies of Walden whenever I find them, no matter the age, just because I love that book and they look so pretty on the shelf all lined up. "Walden," Walden," "Walden," and so on. Know what I mean? It sort of gives me thrill when I see them all lined up in a row on the shelf, ...sort of like Matthew and his grubs ...

Anne Shirley: Do things ever give you a thrill?

Matthew Cuthbert: Well, I don't rightly know.

Anne Shirley: There has to be something.

Matthew Cuthbert: Well, now, um... I suppose it kind of gives me a thrill to see those ugly white grubs that spade up in the cucumber beds.

Anne Shirley: I suppose I can imagine that.

Put on Your Bonnets

Fantine

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is a new Andrew Davies production coming to PBS in the future, (think Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth's Pride and Prejudice), that I have really high hopes for. It is after all my favorite book and it needs to be well done to erase the 2012 version from my mind (this could have been so amazing, but it fell short). Here are the latest publicity stills from the upcoming Les Miz.

Valjean

Javert

Looks to be a good season in the autumn of 2019, perhaps. PBS/BBC has also adapted Jane Austen's unfinished book, "Sandition," that is currently airing. So put your bonnets on and get ready for some serious period film watching.

The Woman in White - BBC One

BBC One is currently filming/airing? a new production based on one of my favorite books by Wilkie Collins, "The Woman in White."
Article 1
Article 2

I've written about the 1997 film version before, which was okay, but did not do the book justice. I have high hopes for this one to be a better adaptation. It will take awhile for it to make it's way to the states, but I will be watching when it does. If you've never read the book before, I highly recommend it. Collins was a Victorian writer, and friend to Charles Dickens. He is often overlooked, so it's nice to see this being done. You can read the book online here.


Update: Look what I found

Something is Coming

Something is coming soon. I wonder if you'd be able to guess the author based on this tiny glimpse of this pretty book set. It is one of my favorite authors that I don't talk about enough. Lots of this author's books that I haven't read yet, which is why this pretty bundle was so appealing to me. I'll reveal more when these arrive from the UK to my little mailbox.

In Vintage Form

The new old books have started to arrive. I'm loving what's been popping up in the mailbox. This will definitely be a process that will take months, but the plan is to choose and find all of my favorite classic books in vintage (antique) hardback form for my library, biographies of my favorite authors, as well as old beauties that I love for one reason or another. 

For reference, here is my list of favorites, (this list is old).

The books shown in the pictures are Poems of Emily Dickinson, America and England, Certain English Towns, a science book with a gorgeous cabin/tree image, a biography of Charlotte and Emily (poor Anne is left out again). Lest you think I'm leaving out the vintage paperbacks, no worries there. They still have a place in my heart, as does Anne.