Edward Chitham – författare

Emily Bronte's achievement as a poet has been in part eclipsed by that of her masterpiece, Wuthering Heights, yet the poems reveal a powerful and highly individual imagination and poetic voice. The Poems of Emily Bronte is the first edition of the poetry to appear with full scholarly apparatus: based wherever possible on the manuscripts, it preserves Bronte's original (sometimes unorthodox) presentation, and records the stages of her revisions. The lack of any surviving manuscript of the novel makes this policy particularly valuable, since it offers the reader the rare chance of watching the writer's creative mind at work.Returning to the original manuscripts has achieved a more accurate text than in any previous edition, resulting in a substantial number of new readings. The Poems records everything that could be deciphered from these difficult manuscripts, including Emily Bronte's spelling, punctuation, and numerous variants, cancellations, and revisions.The enlightening introduction and commentary place the poems in their literary context, and a large number of echoes and parallels from Scott, Byron, Moore, and other authors are identified. The 'Gondal' Poems are related to what is known of that imaginary world in which many poems are set, and a fresh attempt is made to relate these to Emily Bronte's other poems.

This new book on the Brontes concentrates on the way in which the literary interests and expressions of Charlotte and Emily were built up. It makes use of recent research into background and reading matter to investigate the development of the authors' poetry and novels.

This new book on the Brontes concentrates on the way in which the literary interests and expressions of Charlotte and Emily were built up. It makes use of recent research into background and reading matter to investigate the development of the authors' poetry and novels.

Harborne today is a west Birmingham suburb - yet older residents still talk of 'going down the village' to the shops. Everywhere there are visible reminders of its rural heritage, from the wide, open sweep of the golf courses to the 'old village' conservation area, with its ancient hall, stately 18th-century house, cottages and village pub. Though the High Street may be clogged with traffic, the parish church retains a rural air, with its 14th-century tower, its memorials to worthies of past centuries and its old charity boards.Harborne is one of three Staffordshire suburbs of Birmingham, the other two being Handsworth and Perry Barr. This first comprehensive history of Harborne begins well before its entries in Domesday Book and traces early relations between Harborne and its exuberant daughter Smethwick. It reveals how the early dominance of Lichfield was gradually replaced by the increasing wealth of Birmingham, so that by the early 19th century city manufacturers and bankers were making their home here.The author's entertaining and informative text is based on original research much of which has never previously appeared in print. Similarly his splendid selection of illustrations is drawn from a wealth of sources, many unpublished, and adds great visual impact to the narrative. The book will be warmly welcomed throughout the area and it makes a significant contribution to the literature of the West Midlands conurbation.