Join author Graham Watson to delve into the primary sources - the manuscripts and letters -  that informed his book The Invention of Charlotte Brontë: A New Life. Join us as Graham discusses Charlotte's life - the myths vs. reality - as well as his own research and writing of this fantastic book! This is actually Graham's second time speaking with our partners at the Ashland Public Library. You don't need to have seen his first program to attend this time, but you can watch it online if you want.

This is a virtual event. Click here to register for this program!

About the book: Charlotte Brontë had a life as seemingly dramatic as her heroine Jane Eyre. Turning her back on her tragic past, Charlotte reinvented herself as an acclaimed author, a mysterious celebrity, and a passionate lover. Doing so meant burning many bridges, but her sudden death left her friends and admirers with more questions than answers.

Tasked with telling the truth about Brontë’s life, her friend, the novelist Elizabeth Gaskell, uncovered secrets of illicit love, family discord, and professional rivalries more incredible than any fiction. The result, a tell-all biography, was so scandalous it was banned and rewritten twice in six months—but not before it had given birth to the legend of the Brontës.

Through evaluating key events as well as introducing new archival material into the story, The Invention of Charlotte Brontë presents a different, darker take on one of the most famous women writers of the nineteenth century, showing Charlotte to be a strong but flawed individual.

About Graham: Graham Watson is a specialist in the Brontës and Elizabeth Gaskell, and he is currently researching Victorian literary identities at the University of Glasgow. He has published a number of papers in Brontë Studies and has recently joined the journal’s peer-review board. This is his first book. Graham lives in Glasgow.

This program is sponsored by the Ashland Public Library. This program will be recorded and a link will be sent to all registrants soon after the program.