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Take Courage

Anne Bronte and the Art of Life

Samantha Ellis author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Vintage Publishing

Published:4th Jan '18

Should be back in stock very soon

Take Courage cover

In Take Courage, Samantha Ellis uncovers the life of Anne Brontë, revealing her as a significant yet overlooked literary figure with much to offer today's readers.

In Take Courage, Samantha Ellis embarks on a personal and poignant journey to revive the legacy of Anne Brontë, often overshadowed by her more famous siblings, Charlotte and Emily. The narrative explores Anne's life, revealing her as a complex figure who embodies both tragedy and strength. Despite being perceived as the 'less talented' sister, Anne's contributions to literature reflect a profound understanding of human emotions and societal constraints, highlighting her unique voice in a male-dominated literary world.

Ellis delves into Anne's works, illustrating how her feminist perspectives were ahead of her time. Through a blend of biography and literary analysis, the author uncovers the layers of Anne's character, portraying her not merely as a wallflower but as a radical heroine who challenged the norms of her era. The book invites readers to reconsider Anne's place in literary history, emphasizing her relevance in contemporary discussions about women's rights and self-identity.

As Ellis stomps off to Haworth, the home of the Brontë sisters, she reflects on her own experiences and the lessons Anne Brontë can impart to modern readers. Take Courage is a celebration of a woman whose voice deserves to be heard, offering insights into resilience, creativity, and the quest for personal truth.

I thought that everything had already been said about the Brontës. But Samantha Ellis has looked at the family from a new angle, and in doing so brought Anne out of the shadows and placed her front and centre amongst her splashier siblings. I was wowed and moved -- Tracy Chevalier
A lively, intelligent tribute to the forgotten Bronte sister, Anne… Her indignation is salutary -- Lucy Hughes-Hallet * Observer *
A fascinating and compelling read... what Ellis does extraordinarily well is to convey the emotion of her own deeply personal voyage of discovery about Anne and herself... [makes] you long to rush off and reread Anne's novels and poetry: what more could you ask for? -- Juliet Barker * Mail on Sunday *
This is a very personal book about what the short life of Anne Bronte can tell us about wringing every drop out of existence… A great pleasure to read and a more fitting tribute to Anne than her gravestone in Scarborough. -- Daisy Goodwin * The Times *
A lovely and imaginative investigation into a serious and searching woman whose last words were "take courage". It's inspiring stuff -- Eithne Farry * Sunday Express *

ISBN: 9781784701116

Dimensions: 198mm x 129mm x 21mm

Weight: 245g

352 pages