Walking The Invisible: A literary guide through the walks and nature of the Brontë sisters, authors of Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights, and their beloved Yorkshire

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Walking the Invisible: Following in the Brontës’ Footsteps by Michael Stewart is published by HarperCollins, I want you to walk with me but to see through their eyes as I compare the times they lived in with the times we live in now. I walked recently through the North York Moors national park and along the Yorkshire coast, reaching Scarborough, and climbed towards its castle high on a clifftop, and to the grave of Anne Brontë, who died aged 29 and is buried in a churchyard beneath the castle. By the sea she so loved, it was easy to see and feel how the landscape of the north so powerfully shaped the literature and lives of the Brontës. This evocative book encourages people to engage with the places that proved so inspirational. As I walk, Anne’s haunting last words to her sister Charlotte echo through my mind: “Take courage.” The book makes you want to walk in Stewart’s (and the Brontës’!) footsteps and I can’t wait to visit Yorkshire again with the volume in hand. I especially loved reading about the genesis of the Brontë Stones project—a group of stones with poems honoring the sisters, which walkers can visit in the Thornton/Haworth area—and about the wide range of personalities whom Stewart has encountered due to their voracious love of the Brontës. He doesn’t offer a definitive answer as to why so many of us continue to be fascinated by one of literature’s most famous families, but his book will be a valuable artifact speaking to the early twenty-first-century version of the Brontë Myth (one which owes more to Kate Bush than to academia). I honestly cannot find anything bad to say about this brilliantly written, heartfelt tour of Brontë Country.

But one must approach this with a keen understanding that this saga is not as much about the titular Bronte Sisters as it is heavily devoted to the story of their troubled brother Bramwell, and the devastation he often imposed upon the family, the sacrifices they had to make on his behalf and the struggles they endured dealing with his addictions.Audio review: Great choice of narrator however the audio in this ARC is far too quiet! It was almost impossible to listen while driving, even with the volume on both my phone and the car radio maxed out. It wasn't much better with headphones. I'm assuming that the audio will be cleaned up before release but it ruined an other wise great audio book. Robinson, Andrew (31 March 2016). "Brontë Parsonage film set takes shape on moors above Haworth". Telegraph and Argus . Retrieved 19 November 2016.

However, as well as being about the Brontes, this is also very much about Stewart’s experiences and thoughts too. He proves to be an interesting guide as he walks the routes with various Bronte experts and his dog, Wolfie. There’s a heavy-duty commitment to the project evident in the fact he braves some terrible weather and shows a willingness to camp out en route (something I’d see as way beyond the call of duty!) In the United States, it aired on 26 March 2017 on PBS as part of Masterpiece Theater, under the title To Walk Invisible: The Brontë Sisters. [3] Title [ edit ] Walking the Invisible is a must read for every book/literary enthusiast with a love of the great outdoors. It may help if you are familiar with the Brontës’ work but it can still be appreciated without this knowledge. The content is fascinating along with some very thought-provoking theories. It is accompanied by some interesting notes, poems, sketches and walking routes. The author clearly shows his depth of knowledge and has researched the subject in considerable depth. It may even tempt you to revisit the work of the Brontës and perhaps look upon it in a slightly different light. A fabulous book and I learnt so much. I believe this is an impartial book (for the most part). However, Stewart does not like or agree with the book written about Charlotte Brontë by Elizabeth Gaskell.

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At the end of the book Stewart includes several walks inspired by each of the siblings. Ranging from an easy 4-mile loop around Thornton to a bracingly strenuous 14.5 mile romp across the moors, there’s something for everyone and come complete with well-illustrated maps and clear step-by-step instructions. The majority of the walks take in at least one of the Brontë Stones, as well as many of the other places said to have inspired the family’s writings. If I’m being honest, I wasn’t sure about Walking the Invisible when it first landed on the doormat. Whilst I have a passing interest in literary lives, I wasn’t sure how much a part-memoir, part-biography, part-walking guide of the live of the Brontë family would resonate with someone who can only claim to have set foot in Yorkshire a handful of times and generally prefers my walking to be by way of a good tea room. Cast revealed for Sally Wainwright's new BBC One drama, To Walk Invisible". bbc.co.uk. BBC Media Centre. 21 April 2016 . Retrieved 19 November 2016. I became totally immersed in this wonderful book for several days. I enjoyed the richly descriptive and humorous writing style, which draws you into the book. It was a delight accompanying the author on his walks through some beautiful, wild and rugged countryside and all the places that had connections with the Brontë family. The descriptions of the countryside are vivid with attention to the minutest of detail. The author entertains us with snippets of information, amusing stories and the characters he meets along the way. I was fascinated with the lives of the Brontës and learning about the areas of their lives I knew nothing about.