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  <title><![CDATA[The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë]]></title>
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  <description><![CDATA[<blockquote> <p> &quot;I have written about the joys of love. I have, in my secret heart, long dreamt of an intimate connection with a man; every Jane, I believe, deserves her Rochester.&quot; </p> </blockquote> <p> Though poor, plain, and unconnected, Charlotte Bronte possesses a deeply passionate side which she reveals only in her writings—creating <em>Jane Eyre</em> and other novels that stand among literature's most beloved works. Living a secluded life in the wilds of Yorkshire with her sisters Emily and Anne, their drug-addicted brother, and an eccentric father who is going blind, Charlotte Bronte dreams of a real love story as fiery as the ones she creates. </p> <p> But it is in the pages of her diary where Charlotte exposes her deepest feelings and desires—and the truth about her life, its triumphs and shattering disappointments, her family, the inspiration behind her work, her scandalous secret passion for the man she can never have . . . and her intense, dramatic relationship with the man she comes to love, the enigmatic Arthur Bell Nicholls. </p> <blockquote> <p> &quot;Who is this man who has dared to ask for my hand? Why is my father so dead set against him? Why are half the residents of Haworth determined to lynch him—or shoot him?&quot; </p> </blockquote> <p> From Syrie James, the acclaimed, bestselling author of <em>The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen</em>, comes a powerfully compelling, intensely researched literary feat that blends historical fact and fiction to explore the passionate heart and unquiet soul of Charlotte Bronte. It is Charlotte's story, just as she might have written it herself. </p>]]></description>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë]]>
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    <![CDATA[<blockquote> <p> &quot;I have written about the joys of love. I have, in my secret heart, long dreamt of an intimate connection with a man; every Jane, I believe, deserves her Rochester.&quot; </p> </blockquote> <p> Though poor, plain, and unconnected, Charlotte Bronte possesses a deeply passionate side which she reveals only in her writings—creating <em>Jane Eyre</em> and other novels that stand among literature's most beloved works. Living a secluded life in the wilds of Yorkshire with her sisters Emily and Anne, their drug-addicted brother, and an eccentric father who is going blind, Charlotte Bronte dreams of a real love story as fiery as the ones she creates. </p> <p> But it is in the pages of her diary where Charlotte exposes her deepest feelings and desires—and the truth about her life, its triumphs and shattering disappointments, her family, the inspiration behind her work, her scandalous secret passion for the man she can never have . . . and her intense, dramatic relationship with the man she comes to love, the enigmatic Arthur Bell Nicholls. </p> <blockquote> <p> &quot;Who is this man who has dared to ask for my hand? Why is my father so dead set against him? Why are half the residents of Haworth determined to lynch him—or shoot him?&quot; </p> </blockquote> <p> From Syrie James, the acclaimed, bestselling author of <em>The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen</em>, comes a powerfully compelling, intensely researched literary feat that blends historical fact and fiction to explore the passionate heart and unquiet soul of Charlotte Bronte. It is Charlotte's story, just as she might have written it herself. </p>]]>
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  <read_at>Tue Dec 01 00:00:00 -0800 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Sun Dec 06 14:22:20 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sun Dec 06 14:58:58 -0800 2009</date_updated>
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    <body><![CDATA[Maybe one day I'll stop reading every Brontë-related work of fiction that I hear about, since I usually hate them. Unfortunately, I haven't learned yet, and this book was embarrassingly bad.<br/><br/>There's a flimsy romance novel set-up: when Arthur Bell Nicholls meets Charlotte Brontë, they get ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/80095323">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
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    <![CDATA[The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë]]>
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    <![CDATA[<blockquote> <p> &quot;I have written about the joys of love. I have, in my secret heart, long dreamt of an intimate connection with a man; every Jane, I believe, deserves her Rochester.&quot; </p> </blockquote> <p> Though poor, plain, and unconnected, Charlotte Bronte possesses a deeply passionate side which she reveals only in her writings—creating <em>Jane Eyre</em> and other novels that stand among literature's most beloved works. Living a secluded life in the wilds of Yorkshire with her sisters Emily and Anne, their drug-addicted brother, and an eccentric father who is going blind, Charlotte Bronte dreams of a real love story as fiery as the ones she creates. </p> <p> But it is in the pages of her diary where Charlotte exposes her deepest feelings and desires—and the truth about her life, its triumphs and shattering disappointments, her family, the inspiration behind her work, her scandalous secret passion for the man she can never have . . . and her intense, dramatic relationship with the man she comes to love, the enigmatic Arthur Bell Nicholls. </p> <blockquote> <p> &quot;Who is this man who has dared to ask for my hand? Why is my father so dead set against him? Why are half the residents of Haworth determined to lynch him—or shoot him?&quot; </p> </blockquote> <p> From Syrie James, the acclaimed, bestselling author of <em>The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen</em>, comes a powerfully compelling, intensely researched literary feat that blends historical fact and fiction to explore the passionate heart and unquiet soul of Charlotte Bronte. It is Charlotte's story, just as she might have written it herself. </p>]]>
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    <rating>4</rating>
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  <read_at>Thu Sep 10 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Sun Oct 11 21:13:29 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sun Oct 11 21:28:09 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I saw this book displayed at our library and picked it up. I wasn’t sure I would like the book (I didn’t really like the whole “secret diary” ploy), but I was very pleasantly surprised. I think the author did a good job of staying true to Charlotte’s “voice” and of creating or recreati...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/74235075">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
  <id>73478417</id>
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    <name><![CDATA[Melanie]]></name>
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    <![CDATA[The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë]]>
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    <![CDATA[<blockquote> <p> &quot;I have written about the joys of love. I have, in my secret heart, long dreamt of an intimate connection with a man; every Jane, I believe, deserves her Rochester.&quot; </p> </blockquote> <p> Though poor, plain, and unconnected, Charlotte Bronte possesses a deeply passionate side which she reveals only in her writings—creating <em>Jane Eyre</em> and other novels that stand among literature's most beloved works. Living a secluded life in the wilds of Yorkshire with her sisters Emily and Anne, their drug-addicted brother, and an eccentric father who is going blind, Charlotte Bronte dreams of a real love story as fiery as the ones she creates. </p> <p> But it is in the pages of her diary where Charlotte exposes her deepest feelings and desires—and the truth about her life, its triumphs and shattering disappointments, her family, the inspiration behind her work, her scandalous secret passion for the man she can never have . . . and her intense, dramatic relationship with the man she comes to love, the enigmatic Arthur Bell Nicholls. </p> <blockquote> <p> &quot;Who is this man who has dared to ask for my hand? Why is my father so dead set against him? Why are half the residents of Haworth determined to lynch him—or shoot him?&quot; </p> </blockquote> <p> From Syrie James, the acclaimed, bestselling author of <em>The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen</em>, comes a powerfully compelling, intensely researched literary feat that blends historical fact and fiction to explore the passionate heart and unquiet soul of Charlotte Bronte. It is Charlotte's story, just as she might have written it herself. </p>]]>
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  <read_at>Sun Oct 04 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Sun Oct 04 22:22:40 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sun Oct 04 22:33:51 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Maybe I had low expectations of this book as the title just seems so cheesey.  I expected a sweet syrupy book.  Instead, it was well written in a voice that seemed so much like Charlotte's voice.  Her story read as a novel she might have written herself.  I already knew the basics of her life and fa...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/73478417">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
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    <![CDATA[The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë]]>
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  <average_rating>4.05</average_rating>
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    <![CDATA[<blockquote> <p> &quot;I have written about the joys of love. I have, in my secret heart, long dreamt of an intimate connection with a man; every Jane, I believe, deserves her Rochester.&quot; </p> </blockquote> <p> Though poor, plain, and unconnected, Charlotte Bronte possesses a deeply passionate side which she reveals only in her writings—creating <em>Jane Eyre</em> and other novels that stand among literature's most beloved works. Living a secluded life in the wilds of Yorkshire with her sisters Emily and Anne, their drug-addicted brother, and an eccentric father who is going blind, Charlotte Bronte dreams of a real love story as fiery as the ones she creates. </p> <p> But it is in the pages of her diary where Charlotte exposes her deepest feelings and desires—and the truth about her life, its triumphs and shattering disappointments, her family, the inspiration behind her work, her scandalous secret passion for the man she can never have . . . and her intense, dramatic relationship with the man she comes to love, the enigmatic Arthur Bell Nicholls. </p> <blockquote> <p> &quot;Who is this man who has dared to ask for my hand? Why is my father so dead set against him? Why are half the residents of Haworth determined to lynch him—or shoot him?&quot; </p> </blockquote> <p> From Syrie James, the acclaimed, bestselling author of <em>The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen</em>, comes a powerfully compelling, intensely researched literary feat that blends historical fact and fiction to explore the passionate heart and unquiet soul of Charlotte Bronte. It is Charlotte's story, just as she might have written it herself. </p>]]>
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    <rating>5</rating>
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  <read_at>Wed Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Wed Jul 22 14:01:14 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu Jul 23 08:55:36 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[While we know that Charlotte Bronte did not leave behind a secret diary, Syrie James’ book offers a delightful portrait of this groundbreaking nineteenth century author. The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte offers a compelling story that focuses on the lives of the Bronte sisters as told by Char...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/64559385">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
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    <![CDATA[The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë]]>
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  <average_rating>4.50</average_rating>
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    <![CDATA[&quot;I have written about the joys of love. I have, in my secret heart, long dreamt of an intimate connection with a man; every Jane, I believe, deserves her Rochester.&quot; Though poor, plain, and unconnected, Charlotte Bronte possesses a deeply passionate side which she reveals only in her writings-creating Jane Eyre and other novels that stand among literature's most beloved works. Living a secluded life in the wilds of Yorkshire with her sisters Emily and Anne, their drug-addicted brother, and an eccentric father who is going blind, Charlotte Bronte dreams of a real love story as fiery as the ones she creates. But it is in the pages of her diary where Charlotte exposes her deepest feelings and desires-and the truth about her life, its triumphs and shattering disappointments, her family, the inspiration behind her work, her scandalous secret passion for the man she can never have . . . and her intense, dramatic relationship with the man she comes to love, the enigmatic Arthur Bell Nicholls. &quot;Who is this man who has dared to ask for my hand? Why is my father so dead set against him? Why are half the residents of Haworth determined to lynch him-or shoot him?&quot; From Syrie James, the acclaimed, bestselling author of The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen, comes a powerfully compelling, intensely researched literary feat that blends historical fact and fiction to explore the passionate heart and unquiet soul of Charlotte Bronte. It is Charlotte's story, just as she might have written it herself.]]>
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    <rating>4</rating>
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  <date_updated>Wed Jul 29 21:27:16 -0700 2009</date_updated>
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    <body><![CDATA[I admit that I was a little reluctant to pick up <em>The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte</em>, mainly because of the title, because with the exception of Sandra Gulland's Josephine Bonaparte trilogy, I haven't been terribly impressed by most novels that take the form of diaries, secret or otherwise. But p...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/64966635">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/64966635]]></url>
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    <![CDATA[The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë]]>
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    <![CDATA[<blockquote> <p> &quot;I have written about the joys of love. I have, in my secret heart, long dreamt of an intimate connection with a man; every Jane, I believe, deserves her Rochester.&quot; </p> </blockquote> <p> Though poor, plain, and unconnected, Charlotte Bronte possesses a deeply passionate side which she reveals only in her writings—creating <em>Jane Eyre</em> and other novels that stand among literature's most beloved works. Living a secluded life in the wilds of Yorkshire with her sisters Emily and Anne, their drug-addicted brother, and an eccentric father who is going blind, Charlotte Bronte dreams of a real love story as fiery as the ones she creates. </p> <p> But it is in the pages of her diary where Charlotte exposes her deepest feelings and desires—and the truth about her life, its triumphs and shattering disappointments, her family, the inspiration behind her work, her scandalous secret passion for the man she can never have . . . and her intense, dramatic relationship with the man she comes to love, the enigmatic Arthur Bell Nicholls. </p> <blockquote> <p> &quot;Who is this man who has dared to ask for my hand? Why is my father so dead set against him? Why are half the residents of Haworth determined to lynch him—or shoot him?&quot; </p> </blockquote> <p> From Syrie James, the acclaimed, bestselling author of <em>The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen</em>, comes a powerfully compelling, intensely researched literary feat that blends historical fact and fiction to explore the passionate heart and unquiet soul of Charlotte Bronte. It is Charlotte's story, just as she might have written it herself. </p>]]>
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    <body><![CDATA[Picked this up in the advance copy pile at work, as the title looked interesting, and I felt like I needed to get into more historical literature.<br/><br/><em>The Secret Diaries...</em> covers a good bit of Charlotte Bronte's life- specifically, her relationship with her husband, Arthur Nicholls and how t...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/51444218">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë]]>
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    <![CDATA[<blockquote> <p> &quot;I have written about the joys of love. I have, in my secret heart, long dreamt of an intimate connection with a man; every Jane, I believe, deserves her Rochester.&quot; </p> </blockquote> <p> Though poor, plain, and unconnected, Charlotte Bronte possesses a deeply passionate side which she reveals only in her writings—creating <em>Jane Eyre</em> and other novels that stand among literature's most beloved works. Living a secluded life in the wilds of Yorkshire with her sisters Emily and Anne, their drug-addicted brother, and an eccentric father who is going blind, Charlotte Bronte dreams of a real love story as fiery as the ones she creates. </p> <p> But it is in the pages of her diary where Charlotte exposes her deepest feelings and desires—and the truth about her life, its triumphs and shattering disappointments, her family, the inspiration behind her work, her scandalous secret passion for the man she can never have . . . and her intense, dramatic relationship with the man she comes to love, the enigmatic Arthur Bell Nicholls. </p> <blockquote> <p> &quot;Who is this man who has dared to ask for my hand? Why is my father so dead set against him? Why are half the residents of Haworth determined to lynch him—or shoot him?&quot; </p> </blockquote> <p> From Syrie James, the acclaimed, bestselling author of <em>The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen</em>, comes a powerfully compelling, intensely researched literary feat that blends historical fact and fiction to explore the passionate heart and unquiet soul of Charlotte Bronte. It is Charlotte's story, just as she might have written it herself. </p>]]>
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    <body><![CDATA[     &quot;Every Jane, I believe, deserves her Rochester-does she not?&quot;<br/><br/>The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte is a book that the deeper you get into it, the more you cherish it. It was an emotional and powerful work of fiction that captured the Bronte spirit and gave it such life, i...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/69594820">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë]]>
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    <![CDATA[<blockquote> <p> &quot;I have written about the joys of love. I have, in my secret heart, long dreamt of an intimate connection with a man; every Jane, I believe, deserves her Rochester.&quot; </p> </blockquote> <p> Though poor, plain, and unconnected, Charlotte Bronte possesses a deeply passionate side which she reveals only in her writings—creating <em>Jane Eyre</em> and other novels that stand among literature's most beloved works. Living a secluded life in the wilds of Yorkshire with her sisters Emily and Anne, their drug-addicted brother, and an eccentric father who is going blind, Charlotte Bronte dreams of a real love story as fiery as the ones she creates. </p> <p> But it is in the pages of her diary where Charlotte exposes her deepest feelings and desires—and the truth about her life, its triumphs and shattering disappointments, her family, the inspiration behind her work, her scandalous secret passion for the man she can never have . . . and her intense, dramatic relationship with the man she comes to love, the enigmatic Arthur Bell Nicholls. </p> <blockquote> <p> &quot;Who is this man who has dared to ask for my hand? Why is my father so dead set against him? Why are half the residents of Haworth determined to lynch him—or shoot him?&quot; </p> </blockquote> <p> From Syrie James, the acclaimed, bestselling author of <em>The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen</em>, comes a powerfully compelling, intensely researched literary feat that blends historical fact and fiction to explore the passionate heart and unquiet soul of Charlotte Bronte. It is Charlotte's story, just as she might have written it herself. </p>]]>
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    <body><![CDATA[<em>Jane Eyre</em> is a favorite novel of mine, so it was with some degree of trepidation that I approached James’ <em>The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte</em>.  I feared the novel would lean heavily on speculation and cause me to crave Bronte’s actual words even more.  But I was quite wrong.  Through meticulo...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/76544489">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë]]>
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    <![CDATA[<blockquote> <p> &quot;I have written about the joys of love. I have, in my secret heart, long dreamt of an intimate connection with a man; every Jane, I believe, deserves her Rochester.&quot; </p> </blockquote> <p> Though poor, plain, and unconnected, Charlotte Bronte possesses a deeply passionate side which she reveals only in her writings—creating <em>Jane Eyre</em> and other novels that stand among literature's most beloved works. Living a secluded life in the wilds of Yorkshire with her sisters Emily and Anne, their drug-addicted brother, and an eccentric father who is going blind, Charlotte Bronte dreams of a real love story as fiery as the ones she creates. </p> <p> But it is in the pages of her diary where Charlotte exposes her deepest feelings and desires—and the truth about her life, its triumphs and shattering disappointments, her family, the inspiration behind her work, her scandalous secret passion for the man she can never have . . . and her intense, dramatic relationship with the man she comes to love, the enigmatic Arthur Bell Nicholls. </p> <blockquote> <p> &quot;Who is this man who has dared to ask for my hand? Why is my father so dead set against him? Why are half the residents of Haworth determined to lynch him—or shoot him?&quot; </p> </blockquote> <p> From Syrie James, the acclaimed, bestselling author of <em>The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen</em>, comes a powerfully compelling, intensely researched literary feat that blends historical fact and fiction to explore the passionate heart and unquiet soul of Charlotte Bronte. It is Charlotte's story, just as she might have written it herself. </p>]]>
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    <body><![CDATA[The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte is top-notch biographical fiction. Syrie James has clearly researched and studied primary source materials of Charlotte and those who knew her in order to create this fictionalized retelling of Charlotte's innermost thoughts and outward actions. <br/><br/>Not o...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/75684564">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë]]>
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    <![CDATA[<blockquote> <p> &quot;I have written about the joys of love. I have, in my secret heart, long dreamt of an intimate connection with a man; every Jane, I believe, deserves her Rochester.&quot; </p> </blockquote> <p> Though poor, plain, and unconnected, Charlotte Bronte possesses a deeply passionate side which she reveals only in her writings—creating <em>Jane Eyre</em> and other novels that stand among literature's most beloved works. Living a secluded life in the wilds of Yorkshire with her sisters Emily and Anne, their drug-addicted brother, and an eccentric father who is going blind, Charlotte Bronte dreams of a real love story as fiery as the ones she creates. </p> <p> But it is in the pages of her diary where Charlotte exposes her deepest feelings and desires—and the truth about her life, its triumphs and shattering disappointments, her family, the inspiration behind her work, her scandalous secret passion for the man she can never have . . . and her intense, dramatic relationship with the man she comes to love, the enigmatic Arthur Bell Nicholls. </p> <blockquote> <p> &quot;Who is this man who has dared to ask for my hand? Why is my father so dead set against him? Why are half the residents of Haworth determined to lynch him—or shoot him?&quot; </p> </blockquote> <p> From Syrie James, the acclaimed, bestselling author of <em>The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen</em>, comes a powerfully compelling, intensely researched literary feat that blends historical fact and fiction to explore the passionate heart and unquiet soul of Charlotte Bronte. It is Charlotte's story, just as she might have written it herself. </p>]]>
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    <body><![CDATA[This is the second book I have read by Syrie James (The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen) and she has done another amazing job in introducing me to another literary giant.  As in her previous book, she wrote as if Charlotte Bronte herself were talking about her life through her diary entries.  Syrie Jame...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/78178105">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë]]>
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    <![CDATA[<blockquote> <p> &quot;I have written about the joys of love. I have, in my secret heart, long dreamt of an intimate connection with a man; every Jane, I believe, deserves her Rochester.&quot; </p> </blockquote> <p> Though poor, plain, and unconnected, Charlotte Bronte possesses a deeply passionate side which she reveals only in her writings—creating <em>Jane Eyre</em> and other novels that stand among literature's most beloved works. Living a secluded life in the wilds of Yorkshire with her sisters Emily and Anne, their drug-addicted brother, and an eccentric father who is going blind, Charlotte Bronte dreams of a real love story as fiery as the ones she creates. </p> <p> But it is in the pages of her diary where Charlotte exposes her deepest feelings and desires—and the truth about her life, its triumphs and shattering disappointments, her family, the inspiration behind her work, her scandalous secret passion for the man she can never have . . . and her intense, dramatic relationship with the man she comes to love, the enigmatic Arthur Bell Nicholls. </p> <blockquote> <p> &quot;Who is this man who has dared to ask for my hand? Why is my father so dead set against him? Why are half the residents of Haworth determined to lynch him—or shoot him?&quot; </p> </blockquote> <p> From Syrie James, the acclaimed, bestselling author of <em>The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen</em>, comes a powerfully compelling, intensely researched literary feat that blends historical fact and fiction to explore the passionate heart and unquiet soul of Charlotte Bronte. It is Charlotte's story, just as she might have written it herself. </p>]]>
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  <read_at>Mon Jul 27 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
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    <body><![CDATA[The days when I can read a book cover to cover in one or two sittings are gone, but if I’d been able to free up such a large block of time, I would have finished Syrie James’s new book, <em>The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë</em>, a month ago. As it was, the book became a constant companion in my br...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/60852658">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[<blockquote> <p> &quot;I have written about the joys of love. I have, in my secret heart, long dreamt of an intimate connection with a man; every Jane, I believe, deserves her Rochester.&quot; </p> </blockquote> <p> Though poor, plain, and unconnected, Charlotte Bronte possesses a deeply passionate side which she reveals only in her writings—creating <em>Jane Eyre</em> and other novels that stand among literature's most beloved works. Living a secluded life in the wilds of Yorkshire with her sisters Emily and Anne, their drug-addicted brother, and an eccentric father who is going blind, Charlotte Bronte dreams of a real love story as fiery as the ones she creates. </p> <p> But it is in the pages of her diary where Charlotte exposes her deepest feelings and desires—and the truth about her life, its triumphs and shattering disappointments, her family, the inspiration behind her work, her scandalous secret passion for the man she can never have . . . and her intense, dramatic relationship with the man she comes to love, the enigmatic Arthur Bell Nicholls. </p> <blockquote> <p> &quot;Who is this man who has dared to ask for my hand? Why is my father so dead set against him? Why are half the residents of Haworth determined to lynch him—or shoot him?&quot; </p> </blockquote> <p> From Syrie James, the acclaimed, bestselling author of <em>The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen</em>, comes a powerfully compelling, intensely researched literary feat that blends historical fact and fiction to explore the passionate heart and unquiet soul of Charlotte Bronte. It is Charlotte's story, just as she might have written it herself. </p>]]>
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  <date_added>Mon Nov 09 10:12:40 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon Nov 09 10:16:39 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I loved this book!!!  I loved reading about Charlotte and the incredible lives that she and her sisters led.  Such a life of sorrow; her father buried his wife and all of his children.  I enjoy reading historical fiction.  The Bronte sisters were so intelligent, complex, and passionate people.  I la...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/77213189">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/77213189]]></url>
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      <review>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë]]>
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    <![CDATA[<blockquote> <p> &quot;I have written about the joys of love. I have, in my secret heart, long dreamt of an intimate connection with a man; every Jane, I believe, deserves her Rochester.&quot; </p> </blockquote> <p> Though poor, plain, and unconnected, Charlotte Bronte possesses a deeply passionate side which she reveals only in her writings—creating <em>Jane Eyre</em> and other novels that stand among literature's most beloved works. Living a secluded life in the wilds of Yorkshire with her sisters Emily and Anne, their drug-addicted brother, and an eccentric father who is going blind, Charlotte Bronte dreams of a real love story as fiery as the ones she creates. </p> <p> But it is in the pages of her diary where Charlotte exposes her deepest feelings and desires—and the truth about her life, its triumphs and shattering disappointments, her family, the inspiration behind her work, her scandalous secret passion for the man she can never have . . . and her intense, dramatic relationship with the man she comes to love, the enigmatic Arthur Bell Nicholls. </p> <blockquote> <p> &quot;Who is this man who has dared to ask for my hand? Why is my father so dead set against him? Why are half the residents of Haworth determined to lynch him—or shoot him?&quot; </p> </blockquote> <p> From Syrie James, the acclaimed, bestselling author of <em>The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen</em>, comes a powerfully compelling, intensely researched literary feat that blends historical fact and fiction to explore the passionate heart and unquiet soul of Charlotte Bronte. It is Charlotte's story, just as she might have written it herself. </p>]]>
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  <published>2008</published>
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  <read_at>Tue Nov 24 00:00:00 -0800 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Thu Nov 12 07:59:42 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Nov 24 18:05:33 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I LOVED this book so much. Jane Eyre (which I already loved) has taken on a whole new meaning. I thought the author did an exceptional job at capturing the voice of Charlotte Bronte. All fans of the Bronte sisters should read this, I can't say enough good things about it. <br/><br/>Favorite quote:...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/77542439">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
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    <name><![CDATA[Melissa]]></name>
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    <![CDATA[The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë]]>
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    <![CDATA[<blockquote> <p> &quot;I have written about the joys of love. I have, in my secret heart, long dreamt of an intimate connection with a man; every Jane, I believe, deserves her Rochester.&quot; </p> </blockquote> <p> Though poor, plain, and unconnected, Charlotte Bronte possesses a deeply passionate side which she reveals only in her writings—creating <em>Jane Eyre</em> and other novels that stand among literature's most beloved works. Living a secluded life in the wilds of Yorkshire with her sisters Emily and Anne, their drug-addicted brother, and an eccentric father who is going blind, Charlotte Bronte dreams of a real love story as fiery as the ones she creates. </p> <p> But it is in the pages of her diary where Charlotte exposes her deepest feelings and desires—and the truth about her life, its triumphs and shattering disappointments, her family, the inspiration behind her work, her scandalous secret passion for the man she can never have . . . and her intense, dramatic relationship with the man she comes to love, the enigmatic Arthur Bell Nicholls. </p> <blockquote> <p> &quot;Who is this man who has dared to ask for my hand? Why is my father so dead set against him? Why are half the residents of Haworth determined to lynch him—or shoot him?&quot; </p> </blockquote> <p> From Syrie James, the acclaimed, bestselling author of <em>The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen</em>, comes a powerfully compelling, intensely researched literary feat that blends historical fact and fiction to explore the passionate heart and unquiet soul of Charlotte Bronte. It is Charlotte's story, just as she might have written it herself. </p>]]>
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  <read_at>Tue Nov 03 00:00:00 -0800 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Mon Jul 13 10:31:30 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Nov 03 18:35:30 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://gerberadaisydiaries.blogspot.com/2009/11/book-review-secret-diaries-of-charlotte.html" title="http://gerberadaisydiaries.blogspot.com/2009/11/book-review-secret-diaries-of-charlotte.html">http://gerberadaisydiaries.blogspot.com/...</a><br/><br/>Charlotte Bronte wrote prolifically – poetry, juvenilia, fantasy stories, letters, novels – some published, some not, some not finished – but we don’t have her diaries.  Whether she kept a diary or not we will never know.  But thanks to a...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/63291451">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/63291451]]></url>
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      <review>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë]]>
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  <average_rating>4.05</average_rating>
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    <![CDATA[<blockquote> <p> &quot;I have written about the joys of love. I have, in my secret heart, long dreamt of an intimate connection with a man; every Jane, I believe, deserves her Rochester.&quot; </p> </blockquote> <p> Though poor, plain, and unconnected, Charlotte Bronte possesses a deeply passionate side which she reveals only in her writings—creating <em>Jane Eyre</em> and other novels that stand among literature's most beloved works. Living a secluded life in the wilds of Yorkshire with her sisters Emily and Anne, their drug-addicted brother, and an eccentric father who is going blind, Charlotte Bronte dreams of a real love story as fiery as the ones she creates. </p> <p> But it is in the pages of her diary where Charlotte exposes her deepest feelings and desires—and the truth about her life, its triumphs and shattering disappointments, her family, the inspiration behind her work, her scandalous secret passion for the man she can never have . . . and her intense, dramatic relationship with the man she comes to love, the enigmatic Arthur Bell Nicholls. </p> <blockquote> <p> &quot;Who is this man who has dared to ask for my hand? Why is my father so dead set against him? Why are half the residents of Haworth determined to lynch him—or shoot him?&quot; </p> </blockquote> <p> From Syrie James, the acclaimed, bestselling author of <em>The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen</em>, comes a powerfully compelling, intensely researched literary feat that blends historical fact and fiction to explore the passionate heart and unquiet soul of Charlotte Bronte. It is Charlotte's story, just as she might have written it herself. </p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2008</published>
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    <rating>3</rating>
  <votes>2</votes>
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  <read_at></read_at>
  <date_added>Thu Jul 09 22:33:52 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sun Sep 20 08:01:24 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[<em>“Would you love me?” asked Jane Eyre at one point in her famous novel. “I am poor and little and plain.”</em> <br/><br/>I quote that line a lot, but it’s not hard to imagine Charlotte Bronte saying the same thing about herself. She was never considered very attractive, and until <em>Jane Eyre</em> was...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/62874128">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/62874128]]></url>
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      <review>
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    <name><![CDATA[Lulu]]></name>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë]]>
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  <average_rating>4.05</average_rating>
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    <![CDATA[<blockquote> <p> &quot;I have written about the joys of love. I have, in my secret heart, long dreamt of an intimate connection with a man; every Jane, I believe, deserves her Rochester.&quot; </p> </blockquote> <p> Though poor, plain, and unconnected, Charlotte Bronte possesses a deeply passionate side which she reveals only in her writings—creating <em>Jane Eyre</em> and other novels that stand among literature's most beloved works. Living a secluded life in the wilds of Yorkshire with her sisters Emily and Anne, their drug-addicted brother, and an eccentric father who is going blind, Charlotte Bronte dreams of a real love story as fiery as the ones she creates. </p> <p> But it is in the pages of her diary where Charlotte exposes her deepest feelings and desires—and the truth about her life, its triumphs and shattering disappointments, her family, the inspiration behind her work, her scandalous secret passion for the man she can never have . . . and her intense, dramatic relationship with the man she comes to love, the enigmatic Arthur Bell Nicholls. </p> <blockquote> <p> &quot;Who is this man who has dared to ask for my hand? Why is my father so dead set against him? Why are half the residents of Haworth determined to lynch him—or shoot him?&quot; </p> </blockquote> <p> From Syrie James, the acclaimed, bestselling author of <em>The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen</em>, comes a powerfully compelling, intensely researched literary feat that blends historical fact and fiction to explore the passionate heart and unquiet soul of Charlotte Bronte. It is Charlotte's story, just as she might have written it herself. </p>]]>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[ages 14+]]></recommended_for>
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  <read_at>Sun Aug 02 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Sun Aug 09 12:54:57 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sun Aug 09 12:55:19 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count>1</read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[This is such an incredible story!! Charlotte Bronte's life was more exciting than any book she could have written. <br/>Syrie James writes exactly as I would imagine Charlotte would in her diary. She also tells of Anne and Emily Bronte, and the Bronte family's many tragedies. <br/>I highly reccomm...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/66761236">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë]]>
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  <average_rating>4.05</average_rating>
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    <![CDATA[<blockquote> <p> &quot;I have written about the joys of love. I have, in my secret heart, long dreamt of an intimate connection with a man; every Jane, I believe, deserves her Rochester.&quot; </p> </blockquote> <p> Though poor, plain, and unconnected, Charlotte Bronte possesses a deeply passionate side which she reveals only in her writings—creating <em>Jane Eyre</em> and other novels that stand among literature's most beloved works. Living a secluded life in the wilds of Yorkshire with her sisters Emily and Anne, their drug-addicted brother, and an eccentric father who is going blind, Charlotte Bronte dreams of a real love story as fiery as the ones she creates. </p> <p> But it is in the pages of her diary where Charlotte exposes her deepest feelings and desires—and the truth about her life, its triumphs and shattering disappointments, her family, the inspiration behind her work, her scandalous secret passion for the man she can never have . . . and her intense, dramatic relationship with the man she comes to love, the enigmatic Arthur Bell Nicholls. </p> <blockquote> <p> &quot;Who is this man who has dared to ask for my hand? Why is my father so dead set against him? Why are half the residents of Haworth determined to lynch him—or shoot him?&quot; </p> </blockquote> <p> From Syrie James, the acclaimed, bestselling author of <em>The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen</em>, comes a powerfully compelling, intensely researched literary feat that blends historical fact and fiction to explore the passionate heart and unquiet soul of Charlotte Bronte. It is Charlotte's story, just as she might have written it herself. </p>]]>
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    <rating>4</rating>
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  <read_at>Tue Aug 18 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Thu Jul 30 23:40:00 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Aug 18 23:09:21 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[This is a novel about the life of Charlotte Bronte. The author does admit she does some &quot;conjecturing&quot;,  but states she stays true to actual events based on Bronte's letters and biographies.  I consider Jane Eyre to be one of the best books ever written, and it was interesting to see how B...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/65624037">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/65624037]]></url>
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</review>
      <review>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë]]>
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  <average_rating>4.05</average_rating>
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  <description>
    <![CDATA[<blockquote> <p> &quot;I have written about the joys of love. I have, in my secret heart, long dreamt of an intimate connection with a man; every Jane, I believe, deserves her Rochester.&quot; </p> </blockquote> <p> Though poor, plain, and unconnected, Charlotte Bronte possesses a deeply passionate side which she reveals only in her writings—creating <em>Jane Eyre</em> and other novels that stand among literature's most beloved works. Living a secluded life in the wilds of Yorkshire with her sisters Emily and Anne, their drug-addicted brother, and an eccentric father who is going blind, Charlotte Bronte dreams of a real love story as fiery as the ones she creates. </p> <p> But it is in the pages of her diary where Charlotte exposes her deepest feelings and desires—and the truth about her life, its triumphs and shattering disappointments, her family, the inspiration behind her work, her scandalous secret passion for the man she can never have . . . and her intense, dramatic relationship with the man she comes to love, the enigmatic Arthur Bell Nicholls. </p> <blockquote> <p> &quot;Who is this man who has dared to ask for my hand? Why is my father so dead set against him? Why are half the residents of Haworth determined to lynch him—or shoot him?&quot; </p> </blockquote> <p> From Syrie James, the acclaimed, bestselling author of <em>The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen</em>, comes a powerfully compelling, intensely researched literary feat that blends historical fact and fiction to explore the passionate heart and unquiet soul of Charlotte Bronte. It is Charlotte's story, just as she might have written it herself. </p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2008</published>
</book>

    <rating>4</rating>
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  <read_at>Sun Nov 22 00:00:00 -0800 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Wed Nov 18 11:04:08 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon Nov 23 04:45:06 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I enjoyed Charlotte Bronte writings, especially Jane Eyre and to read a book that talks about her life and her love was wonderful. It was well written and let you see into the heart and soul of Charlotte and her sisters. You see Emily's disappointment at the way critics received her book Wuthering H...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/78209208">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/78209208]]></url>
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</review>
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    <![CDATA[The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë]]>
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  <average_rating>4.05</average_rating>
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    <![CDATA[<blockquote> <p> &quot;I have written about the joys of love. I have, in my secret heart, long dreamt of an intimate connection with a man; every Jane, I believe, deserves her Rochester.&quot; </p> </blockquote> <p> Though poor, plain, and unconnected, Charlotte Bronte possesses a deeply passionate side which she reveals only in her writings—creating <em>Jane Eyre</em> and other novels that stand among literature's most beloved works. Living a secluded life in the wilds of Yorkshire with her sisters Emily and Anne, their drug-addicted brother, and an eccentric father who is going blind, Charlotte Bronte dreams of a real love story as fiery as the ones she creates. </p> <p> But it is in the pages of her diary where Charlotte exposes her deepest feelings and desires—and the truth about her life, its triumphs and shattering disappointments, her family, the inspiration behind her work, her scandalous secret passion for the man she can never have . . . and her intense, dramatic relationship with the man she comes to love, the enigmatic Arthur Bell Nicholls. </p> <blockquote> <p> &quot;Who is this man who has dared to ask for my hand? Why is my father so dead set against him? Why are half the residents of Haworth determined to lynch him—or shoot him?&quot; </p> </blockquote> <p> From Syrie James, the acclaimed, bestselling author of <em>The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen</em>, comes a powerfully compelling, intensely researched literary feat that blends historical fact and fiction to explore the passionate heart and unquiet soul of Charlotte Bronte. It is Charlotte's story, just as she might have written it herself. </p>]]>
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  <published>2008</published>
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    <rating>2</rating>
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  <read_at>Wed Aug 19 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Thu Sep 17 04:18:25 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu Sep 17 04:25:14 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Since I bought this at the same time as <u>The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen</u>, I hadn't the foresight to be warned off this book.  It was the same twaddle as the first.  The life of the author embellished by means of interweaving of plot devices from her books.  I'd bought it and I read it.  I needed dive...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/71523102">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
  <id>65790570</id>
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    <name><![CDATA[Tiffany]]></name>
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  <id type="integer">2342881</id>
  <isbn>006164837X</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780061648373</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">45</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>4.05</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>129</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[<blockquote> <p> &quot;I have written about the joys of love. I have, in my secret heart, long dreamt of an intimate connection with a man; every Jane, I believe, deserves her Rochester.&quot; </p> </blockquote> <p> Though poor, plain, and unconnected, Charlotte Bronte possesses a deeply passionate side which she reveals only in her writings—creating <em>Jane Eyre</em> and other novels that stand among literature's most beloved works. Living a secluded life in the wilds of Yorkshire with her sisters Emily and Anne, their drug-addicted brother, and an eccentric father who is going blind, Charlotte Bronte dreams of a real love story as fiery as the ones she creates. </p> <p> But it is in the pages of her diary where Charlotte exposes her deepest feelings and desires—and the truth about her life, its triumphs and shattering disappointments, her family, the inspiration behind her work, her scandalous secret passion for the man she can never have . . . and her intense, dramatic relationship with the man she comes to love, the enigmatic Arthur Bell Nicholls. </p> <blockquote> <p> &quot;Who is this man who has dared to ask for my hand? Why is my father so dead set against him? Why are half the residents of Haworth determined to lynch him—or shoot him?&quot; </p> </blockquote> <p> From Syrie James, the acclaimed, bestselling author of <em>The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen</em>, comes a powerfully compelling, intensely researched literary feat that blends historical fact and fiction to explore the passionate heart and unquiet soul of Charlotte Bronte. It is Charlotte's story, just as she might have written it herself. </p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2008</published>
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  <date_added>Sat Aug 01 14:10:09 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sat Aug 01 14:13:51 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I enjoyed this book! I was worried after the first few pages that I wouldn't...I think some of her dialogue is a bit clunky. But, all in all, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I was glad to learn that it is a fairly accurate depiction of her life, even though dramatic elements were added. I have to say, Char...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/65790570">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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