'General readers will enjoy it as much as Brontë students and fans, and its careful avoidance of anything too topical or controversial will keep it fresh for years. Thormählen's high quality contributors, assembly of reliable facts and data, pertinent commentary, maps, illustrations, splendid chronology and further reading lists make it everything that one could wish for.' Claire Harman, The Times Literary Supplement

• Chronology; Introduction Marianne Thormählen; Part I. Places, Persons and Publishing: 1. Haworth in the time of the Brontës Michael Baumber; 2. Domestic life at Haworth Parsonage Ann Dinsdale; 3. Northern-England locations associated with the Brontës' lives and works Ann Dinsdale; 4. The father of the Brontës Dudley Green; 5. A mother and her substitutes: Maria Brontë (née Branwell), Elizabeth Branwell and Margaret Wooler Bob Duckett; 6. Patrick Branwell Brontë Victor A. Neufeldt; 7. Charlotte Brontë Dinah Birch; 8. Emily Brontë Lyn Pykett; 9. Anne Brontë Maria Frawley; 10. Friends, servants and a husband Stephen Whitehead; 11. The Brontës' sibling bonds Drew Lamonica Arms; 12. Juvenilia Christine Alexander; 13. The Brussels experience Sue Lonoff; 14. The Brontë correspondence Margaret Smith; 15. Portraits of the Brontës Jane Sellars; 16. The poetry of the Brontës Janet Gezari; 17. Literary influences on the Brontës Sara J. Lodge; 18. The Brontës' way into print Linda H. Peterson; 19. Reading the Brontës: their first audiences Stephen Colclough; Part II. Scholarship, Criticism, Adaptations and Translations: 20. Brontë biography: a survey of a genre Tom Winnifrith; 21. Mid-nineteenth-century critical responses to the Brontës Miriam Elizabeth Burstein; 22. Brontë scholarship and criticism, 1920–70 Herbert Rosengarten; 23. Brontë scholarship and criticism, approx. 1970–2000 Sara J. Lodge; 24. Current trends in Brontë criticism and scholarship Alexandra Lewis; 25. Adaptations, prequels, sequels, translations Patsy Stoneman; Part III. Historical and Cultural Contexts: 26. Religion David Jasper; 27. The philosophical-intellectual context Stephen Prickett; 28. Education Dinah Birch; 29. Art and music Christine Alexander; 30. Natural history Barbara T. Gates; 31. Politics Simon Avery; 32. Newspapers and magazines Joanne Shattock; 33. Agriculture and industry Marianne Thormählen with Steven Wood; 34. Transport and travel Edward Chitham; 35. Law Ian Ward; 36. Class Elizabeth Langland; 37. Careers for middle-class women Elizabeth Langland; 38. Marriage and family life Marianne Thormählen; 39. Dress Birgitta Berglund; 40. Sexuality Jill L. Matus; 41. Physical health Janis McLarren Caldwell; 42. Mental health Janis McLarren Caldwell; Further reading; Index.

'General readers will enjoy it as much as Brontë students and fans, and its careful avoidance of anything too topical or controversial will keep it fresh for years. Thormählen's high quality contributors, assembly of reliable facts and data, pertinent commentary, maps, illustrations, splendid chronology and further reading lists make it everything that one could wish for.' Claire Harman, The Times Literary Supplement

• Chronology; Introduction Marianne Thormählen; Part I. Places, Persons and Publishing: 1. Haworth in the time of the Brontës Michael Baumber; 2. Domestic life at Haworth Parsonage Ann Dinsdale; 3. Northern-England locations associated with the Brontës' lives and works Ann Dinsdale; 4. The father of the Brontës Dudley Green; 5. A mother and her substitutes: Maria Brontë (née Branwell), Elizabeth Branwell and Margaret Wooler Bob Duckett; 6. Patrick Branwell Brontë Victor A. Neufeldt; 7. Charlotte Brontë Dinah Birch; 8. Emily Brontë Lyn Pykett; 9. Anne Brontë Maria Frawley; 10. Friends, servants and a husband Stephen Whitehead; 11. The Brontës' sibling bonds Drew Lamonica Arms; 12. Juvenilia Christine Alexander; 13. The Brussels experience Sue Lonoff; 14. The Brontë correspondence Margaret Smith; 15. Portraits of the Brontës Jane Sellars; 16. The poetry of the Brontës Janet Gezari; 17. Literary influences on the Brontës Sara J. Lodge; 18. The Brontës' way into print Linda H. Peterson; 19. Reading the Brontës: their first audiences Stephen Colclough; Part II. Scholarship, Criticism, Adaptations and Translations: 20. Brontë biography: a survey of a genre Tom Winnifrith; 21. Mid-nineteenth-century critical responses to the Brontës Miriam Elizabeth Burstein; 22. Brontë scholarship and criticism, 1920–70 Herbert Rosengarten; 23. Brontë scholarship and criticism, approx. 1970–2000 Sara J. Lodge; 24. Current trends in Brontë criticism and scholarship Alexandra Lewis; 25. Adaptations, prequels, sequels, translations Patsy Stoneman; Part III. Historical and Cultural Contexts: 26. Religion David Jasper; 27. The philosophical-intellectual context Stephen Prickett; 28. Education Dinah Birch; 29. Art and music Christine Alexander; 30. Natural history Barbara T. Gates; 31. Politics Simon Avery; 32. Newspapers and magazines Joanne Shattock; 33. Agriculture and industry Marianne Thormählen with Steven Wood; 34. Transport and travel Edward Chitham; 35. Law Ian Ward; 36. Class Elizabeth Langland; 37. Careers for middle-class women Elizabeth Langland; 38. Marriage and family life Marianne Thormählen; 39. Dress Birgitta Berglund; 40. Sexuality Jill L. Matus; 41. Physical health Janis McLarren Caldwell; 42. Mental health Janis McLarren Caldwell; Further reading; Index.