Emily Brontë by Paola Tonussi is an Italian biography full of poetry. 
Published by Salerno Editrice, the book is centered around the figure of Emily but it also provides valuable insights into her social and family background. Tonussi tells us about Emily’s life by masterfully linking together people, events, and authors, that inspired Emily’s own writing. Some of the strongest literary influeces, as Tonussi writes, came from Byron and the effects of this inspirational
source were somehow hidden but enduring- in fact, she took from Byron the expressive resources related to nature and pictorial landscapes that are typical of both her prose and poetry. This aspect of Emily’s writing is perhaps the key to understanding her soul, this is why Tonussi paints with words those landscapes so dear to Emily – like the moors or Haworth– and reveals the endless thread that existed between Yorkshire’s barren nature and the complex personality of Wuthering Heights‘ author.
In this biography, alongside the events in Emily’s life, we can also read fragments of letters, poems, written accounts, that gently guide us to the discovery of the most mysterious Brontë sister. From the arrival of the family in Haworth, to the publishing of their novels, there is so much to find out, and Tonussi’s prose is so delicate and enthusiastic that it seems to transform Emily’s life into another beautiful novel.
Paola Tonussi is a professor, a writer, and a Brontë Society member. She knows Brontë Country very well, and that makes her biography even more authentic and heartfelt. It is definitely a must-read book for all Italian Brontë enthusiasts.
Selene
Are you looking for more posts about Emily? Emily’s artist’s box – Treasures from the Brontë Parsonage Museum, Diary Paper- Treasures from the Brontë Parsonage Museum, Two objects for Emily Brontë’s bicentenary- July 30th 2018.
