'We pretended we had each a large island inhabited by people 6 miles high.' In their collaborative early writings the Brontes created and peopled the most extraordinary fantasy worlds, whose geography and history they elaborated in numerous stories, poems, and plays. Together they invented characters based on heroes and writers such as Wellington, Napoleon, Scott, and Byron, whose feuds, alliances, and love affairs weave an intricate web of social and political intrigue in imaginary colonial lands in Africa and the Pacific Ocean. The writings of Glass Town, Angria, and Gondal are youthful experiments in imitation and parody, wild romance and realistic recording; they demonstrate the playful literary world that provided a 'myth kitty' for their early - and later - work. In this generous selection the writings of Charlotte, Emily, Anne, and Branwell are presented together for the first time. The Introduction explores the rich imaginative lives of the Brontes, and the tension between their maturing authorship and creative freedom. The edition also includes Charlotte Bronte's Roe Head Journal, and Emily and Anne's Diary Papers, important autobiographical sources. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

About the Author
Christine Alexander is co-author (with Margaret Smith) of The Oxford Companion to the Brontes (2003). Her critical study on The Early Writings of Charlotte Bronte (1983) won the British Academy Rose Mary Crawshay Prize and she has edited a multi-volume Edition of the Early Writings of Charlotte Bronte (1987, 1991, vol. 3 forthcoming).

Reviews
In short, no student of the Bronte s and indeed Victorian literature should be without Christine Alexanders edition. * William Baker, Years Work in English Studies *
Extraordinary... Christine Alexander's imaginative and meticulous editing makes the juvenilia accessible for the first time. * Samantha Ellis, Times Literary Supplement *
A fascinating piece of juvenilia. * Colin Waters, Sunday Herald *



Book Information
ISBN 9780192827630
Author The Brontes
Format Paperback
Page Count 688
Imprint Oxford University Press
Publisher Oxford University Press
Weight(grams) 469g
Dimensions(mm) 194mm * 129mm * 31mm