Welcome to Litsy!

Published posthumously as it was Charlotte‘s first and not well received work. After reading The Professor, I am baffled that it was not published straight away. I find this one of the better books out of the three sisters, having now read them all. I would rate this right up with Jane Eyre, but only more condensed. I enjoyed the narrators character and the many principles that were instilled in the novel. Highly underrated and undervalued. ❤️

Today on Bookstagram (IG), I posted a list of books about the Brontë family. One of the lesser known Brontë books is The Professor, a novel that Charlotte attempted to publish. However, it was rejected, and it was eventually published posthumously. There are several good research pieces about the siblings and family www.instagram.com/p/CZfL4WRvJyq

Hello friends - I‘m in a bit of a reading slump again unfortunately so I‘ve been a bit absent. Lockdown just drags on and on and oooooon and my mental health isn‘t very good at heading into the eleventh month of this. I‘m lucky to be working, and to be in a flat with my boyfriend and flatmate, and all I seem to be up for is getting lost in long Victorian novels very slowly.

It's Monday noon and I am setting my stopwatch.
Goal - 30 hours of reading by Friday midnight
#24B4Extend brought to you by @SumisBooks and @Andrew65
Continuing with #theProfessor on audio while I cook lunch

I have mixed feelings for the book, essentially an unusual love story from a male‘s perspective. I haven‘t read Villette, so can‘t see any connections. The sometimes moralising narrative of William was tiresome, & the partial dialogues in French with no translations was inconvenient. In spite of these, & also the prejudices against Catholics & non-English nationals, 👇

#theprofessor

It‘s clear this is Charlotte‘s first effort at writing a novel, but you can see the seeds of her talent in the way she crafts sentences. I do think the story of a teacher in Brussels is stronger when she reworks it from the female point of view in Villette.

The main character is a bit insufferable and annoying. The romance fell flat for me as I never understood what Frances saw in him. Regardless, it‘s Brontë, so it‘s worth reading. #theprofessor

A fuzzy image of Edward Dulac's illustration for #TheProfessor. Frances at her aunt's grave.
This book is not my (or anyone's) favourite Charlotte Bronte novel. The story is stunted by our narrator, the not-very-likable William (who never feels quite real.) Even he knows Frances is the star but we are stuck with his perspective. We only get to see her through him. The story is much better as Villette! That said, the ending surprised me. ⬇️

A lovers' meetup in a graveyard. Just one of the reasons I love Charlotte Bronte! 🖤👻
I tried to find pictures of the Protestant cemetery in Brussels. Apparently it's gone. But I did find this interesting post about Charlotte's connection to it. #theprofessor
Http://BrusselsBronte.blogspot.com/2008/12/ongoing-brussels-research.html?m=1

Charlotte Bronte's first novel, published posthumously, is both imperfect & intriguing. The themes that begin to crystallise her later work, Villette (& to some degree Jane Eyre) are evident here. She uses a male protagonist & the representation is heartfelt but also a bit of a caricature; her writing is beautiful & the obsession with freedom, meaningful work, & love as a meeting of minds, bodies, & souls is one that I've always loved in her work.

I feel like it‘s obvious that this was her first effort. There‘s hints of her coming style, but also some overwriting - using “ten dollar” words when a simpler one would do. As for the characters, it drove me crazy the way William treated Frances, and yet unrealistic that she stood up to him and insisted on working. He wasn‘t very believable as a character, and some of the changes happened too fast to seem natural.

Finally taking this off my shelf to start the casual read along with #theprofessor buddy readers. Mine‘s a rather boring cover.

"... nor could he, keen-sighted as he was, penetrate into my heart, search my brain, and read my peculiar sympathies and antipathies; he had not known me long enough, or well enough, to perceive how low my feelings would ebb under some influences, powerful over most minds... "

Charlotte Brontë is writing a male character in this one but I'm getting strong Lucy Snowe/Jane Eyre vibes. Can see the template being sketched out here! #theprofessor

“I have observed you . . . looking frigidly shy at the commencement of a party, confusingly vigilant about the middle, and insultingly weary towards the end.” So, William is an introvert? #theprofessor

My daughter is volunteering at the zine library which means I'm at a coffee shop in the hip part of town. Look at the cute teapot!
William continues to judge me but Im judging him right back. 😛
#theprofessor

It‘s better to live with a clever woman than a pretty one...I‘m sure my partner is well aware of this when I‘m banging on about Shakespeare while he‘s trying to watch TV #the professor

Finally starting #theprofessor

Hmmm...observing female character while hidden from view. Not a good look William! Annoying AND a creeper. 🕵️ 😒 (Also, starting to see connections to Villette.) #theprofessor

“THE other day, in looking over my papers, I found in my desk the following copy of a letter, sent by me a year since to an old school acquaintance:” firstlinefriday
@ShyBookOwl

William, the protagonist of #theprofessor may be a pill, but there's no denying the power of Charlotte Bronte's prose! 🙌

I haven‘t been posting, but I have been reading #theprofessor. Does anyone else find William is not very believable as a man? I have to keep reminding myself he isn‘t a she. Especially in passages like this one. @merelybookish

#QuotsyMar20 Education #theProfessor

Completed 2 chapters on the #ebook #theProfessor

I couldn't stop myself from proceeding after the introductory letter.
I found it strange William referred to his brother as Mr C until I realised how detached they were. The age difference and being separated almost all their lives definitely did not allow for any family affection.

Curious to find out the role of the couple, Mr and Mrs C as the story unfolds.

#weekendReads
1) quite a few, so tagging the last book I closed. Planning to complete the first chapter today for #theProfessor

2) The Storied Life of A J Fikry - try to read it every birthday month. Not sure why but it's heartwarming to revisit the bookseller.

Have begun #rereadingRamotswe20 and it's so wonderful going down the memory lane with Mma Ramotswe 💗😍💕😍💗

3) twas mostly resting and reading!

Thanks for the tag, @kspenmoll !

1. Sometimes. I‘ve picked up a book because I think the cover is so pretty.
2. The Professor, for #TheProfessor #buddyread in March
3. News alerts through Apple News...usually headlines from CNN and the New York Times
4. Snooze 1 time
5. If you haven‘t played yet, consider yourself tagged!

@merelybookish Well I said it wasn‘t judgmental, but the couple behind the bride look like they could be judging pretty hard, especially the man. 😀 #theprofessor

Anyone else feel judged by their copy? 😄
Just a reminder that our buddy read of Charlotte Bronte's The Professor kicks off on March 1st. Please use #theprofessor (not super original, sorry) for your posts. No schedule. Just read and post at your own pace. And no need to tag me or others! Just use the hashtag so we can find your posts and comment.
I'm tagging everyone who expressed interest. If you'd like to join us, please do!

Anyone up to read another Charlotte Bronte? Maybe in March? I have a copy of The Professor sitting on my shelf and it's calling my name. 🙂 @LeahBergen @batsy @saresmoore @Blaire @andrew61 @mklong

I enjoyed the book, although it could be hard to get through at times. The story follows the life of The Professor, and his search for happiness in a professional capacity as well as in love. He finds both and settles into a life. That pretty much sums up the book.

This book was an early attempt by Charlotte Brontë, and it shows. I think it represented a learning curve or practice novel for her. After a strong start the book fizzles.

I can see much of the thinking that prepared her to write the far superior Villette.

The left handed bride on the cover is cool.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

I‘m not sure how I feel about this book. Being her first written novel (although last published), a bit of leeway can be given. You can see the talent that Bronte eventually perfects for Jane Eyre, but The Professor feels like a novel without a point. Her main character is unlikeable, but that may be because it was her only male main character. His opinions are just so hard to stomach, but again, that might because of the age and the POV. ⭐️⭐️

Agreed. Not the most likeable of main characters... #currentlyreading #classics

Since @erzascarletbookgasm chose Villette, I will go to this slighter volume of Brontë‘s, also set in #Belgium. #AugustisaTrip @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @vkois88

It‘s vacay time for me!! Enjoying the sun, wine and books! #currentlyreading #outdoors

#quotsymay18 #restless

#QuotsyFeb18 Day 24: I honestly don‘t know what he means by Oriental here (Oriental rug, carpet, hmm). Well, at least, there‘s #Spark.

#TBRtemptation post 3! I love this cover! This was Charlotte's first novel. William Crimsworth forgoes certainties in England for a life in Brussels. His first-person narration provides us with his attraction for the dominating directress of the girls' school where he teaches. Mastery and submission also play out in his relationship with pupil Fraces Henri. #blameLitsy #blameMrBook 😎

Even though I know she‘ll never see this, I want to send a HUGE thank you out to one of my favorite English professors, Dr. Shurbutt. Thanks to her intense classes, I was able to feel quite smug about knowing this word‘s definition. 😂

Ich weiß nicht, ob es der beste letzte Satz ist, aber er verrät am wenigsten. 😂

Don't know if it's really one of the #bestlastsentences, but it doesn't give a clue. 😂

@RealLifeReading #marchintoreading

Happy #internationalwomensday! I'm participating in the strike (in that I'm home and not spending money) though mostly because I have a public facing job and don't want people assuming that I and my company support his Orangeness ?. But also the point that "Hey, if you don't draw attention to stuff it goes away." #Adaywithoutwomen

I assume that this will be my least favorite Bronte novel, but there's still a lot to recommend it. Charlotte probes issues of wealth and class and education. Her anti-papal attitude's also on full display; and there's a little bit of an ethnic bias against native Belgians, but her character contests that more. The novel is a bit short for all it tries to accomplish, but it's an intriguing look into the Victorian middle class. Decent characters.

After watching the BBC's 'To Walk Invisible', described as a "bleak and brilliant portrayal of the Bronte family" (it really was brilliant) I was inspired to add to my poor collection of Bronte works. All of these were £, brand new! ?