Wuthering Heights Audiobook By Emily Brontë, Ann Dinsdale - introduction cover art

Wuthering Heights

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Winner of Audible UK’s 2017 Narrator of the Year Award

In an Audible Exclusive production, Golden Globe winner Joanne Froggatt gives a powerhouse performance of Wuthering Heights, Emily Brontë's only published novel. This edition features an exclusive introduction written by Ann Dinsdale, Chief Curator of the Brontë Museum.

About the book

The unapologetic intensity with which Emily Brontë wrote this story ensures that it will forever be considered one of the greatest works of English literature. A passionate tale of a chaotic and often violent love, Wuthering Heights transcends your average romance and, with its Gothic undertones, takes the listener on a journey through one man's lustful hunt for revenge.

Believing he has been spurned by Cathy Earnshaw, the only woman he has ever loved, Heathcliff abandons the wild moors of Wuthering Heights, fervently wishing to reestablish himself as the wealthy gentleman he believes Cathy seeks. Having been successful in his ventures, he later returns to the adoptive family who raised him and hungrily seeks to punish those who once rejected him.

In an exclusive introduction written for this edition by Ann Dinsdale, Chief Curator of the Bronte Museum, discover how critical and public opinion of Wuthering Heights has changed over time.

About the author

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Emily is said to have had the most unusual character of all the Brontë sisters. A reserved character with few close acquaintances outside her family circle, Emily's dark and passionate nature is clearly reflected in her tale. Having been the consummate lover of animals and nature, in this book she also set out to paint an unforgettable picture of the stark and imposing moors that she so enjoyed walking along.

Having developed a highly intelligent writing style, Emily ensures that the listener is emotionally involved throughout and often even a little horrified at the events that take place. A true work of art, Wuthering Heights surpasses expectation with its Gothic love scenes and desolate landscapes. Emily Brontë's only published work, it stands alone and will forever imprint itself upon the listener's memory.

About the narrator

Joanne Froggatt is an English stage, film and television actress who shot to fame after her engaging portrayal of Downton Abbey's Anna Bates. Also celebrated for her roles in Dinnerladies, A Street Cat Named Bob, Murder in the Outback and Liar, Joanne has now been acting for over 20 years and brings a wealth of expertise to her narratives. Having voiced an Alice in Wonderland series as well as Audible's 2017 Thriller of the Year, Silent Child, Joanne succeeds once more in delivering an incredibly engaging performance in this unique and exquisite adaptation of Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights.

Public Domain (P)2017 Audible Ltd Classics Women's Voices Feel-Good

Editorial review


By Mysia Haight, Audible Editor

WUTHERING HEIGHTS WILL HAUNT US FOREVER—AND HERE'S WHY

As a feminist with a passion for novels about complicated women written by brilliant women, I have always been fascinated by the Brontë sisters. Now universally acknowledged as literary geniuses, Charlotte, Emily, and Anne grew up in poverty and isolation in a parsonage in rural England, suffered the tragic early losses of their mother and two older sisters, struggled with their volatile alcoholic (and possibly opium-addicted) brother, and, sadly, died of illness young (Anne at 29, Emily at 30, and Charlotte at 38). What’s more, to get their writing taken seriously in the mid-1800s, these gifted women had to publish their novels under pseudonyms—Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell—so that critics and readers would assume they were the work of men.

Ever since my first encounter in high school, I have been a fan of Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre. But I only recently read Emily Brontë’s masterwork, and only published novel, Wuthering Heights. From a young age, I knew the story (or, at least, part of it) from seeing the 1939 film. As a 'tween way back in the pre-streaming days, I often scoured late-night TV listings for classic movies, and once stumbled upon Wuthering Heights. This acclaimed adaptation stars Merle Oberon—a rare beauty and remarkable actress—as Catherine Earnshaw, and she’s wonderful in the role. What kept me enthralled, however, is the character of Heathcliff, played by a young, hunky, and brooding Laurence Olivier. (Yes, the same actor who, decades later, played the sadistic Nazi torturer in Marathon Man.)

A few years ago, I revisited my beloved Jane Eyre through an audiobook, impeccably performed by Thandiwe Newton, and discovered deeper layers and strikingly relevant themes. Afterwards, I started thinking it was time to finally dive into Wuthering Heights. The audiobook is narrated by Joanne Froggatt, widely known as Downtown Abbey’s Anna Bates, which made reading with my ears the most appealing option.

While people tend to think of Wuthering Heights as a romance, it defies the genre’s defining expectation—a happily-ever-after ending. Yes, it features a thrilling love story between Heathcliff and Catherine, but that’s only the first half of the book (which many film adaptations, including the 1939 classic, present as the whole story). The second half of the book is about what happens after (spoiler alert!) Catherine’s death. In terms of its intense mood, its atmospheric setting (two grand estates, both situated on the wild, desolate moors of Yorkshire), and its supernatural elements, Wuthering Heights is pure gothic. And its primary focus isn’t forbidden passion or unrequited love—it’s Heathcliff’s quest for revenge.

Continue reading Mysia's review >

Featured Article: The top 100 classics of all time


Before we whipped out our old high school syllabi and dug deep into our libraries to start selecting contenders for this list, we first had to answer the question, "How do we define a classic?" The answer isn’t as straightforward as you might guess, though there’s a lot to be said for the old adage, "You know it when you see it" (or, in this case, hear it). Of course, most critically, each of our picks had to be fabulous in audio. So dust off your aspirational listening list—we have some amazing additions you don’t want to miss.

Featured Article The top 100 classics of all time
Gothic Masterpiece • Complex Characters • Haunting Tale • Timeless Classic • Passionate Romance • Masterful Voice Acting

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Amazing reader and her voice, I feel inlove with all her characters - Joanne you’re great! You definitely got me through that intense story. Which I am still processing ( I hate heathcliff that’s all I know )

Review on the reader

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Throughout this audible book, which I selected because it is narrated by Joanna Froggatt, I found myself questioning the following: is this book so revered because it’s author is one of the famous Brontë’s and because she died shortly after writing it? I get that she writes beautiful prose and excellent character descriptions, BUT those characters seemed totally unbelievable. This book and how he characters treat each other and react to that treatment seemed ridiculous and stressful.

I stuck with this book out of desperation that it would get better, that SOMEBODY who was downtrodden or abused would figure out a way to fight back in response to their circumstances. Ugh; this was painful for me.

I agree that it’s hard to imagine this book was written by a pastor’s daughter but at the same time, the manner in with which Heathcliff torments himself and everyone else in this tale Defies logic and DID convince me it was penned by a naive young woman.

Famous, revered, but depressing and characters unbelievable.

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Indeed a classic must read,enticing and wonderful Bronte's work. Human nature through a life a time.

Brilliant

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This book was good. I will have to listen to other books that were written by Emily Bronte. This story was dark and cruel. But it had a way of capturing your attention.

One of a kind read

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I'm trying to decide why I loved this book so much. It was dark, brooding, violent, oppressive, full of characters with irredeemable qualities and seemingly without moral commentary. Yet there was something so real about it: the characterization seemed so accurate, the prose so captivating. One character is so thoroughly hurt that he becomes truly malicious, and so enraged by the injustice of the world, he does his utmost to cause as much misery as he can to all around him. The sympathetic characters are ruined and children are caught, twisted and corrupted by his malice. I read along with horror at the depravity of the human condition investigated and the true tragedy of the events described.

But isn't that how life plays out sometimes? Long ago, the Preacher declared, "I have seen everything in my days of vanity: There is a just man who perishes in his righteousness, And there is a wicked man who prolongs life in his wickedness." (Ecclesiastes 7:15, NKJV) Sometimes the wicked prospers and the righteous are crushed. Can goodness and innocence survive amid the storms of spite and malice or will its candle be snuffed out and all be left in the darkness of hatred and resentment? Bronte's conclusion seems to be that good can, indeed, survive, if evil is faced with truth and courage. That is why I loved Wuthering Heights.

Dark but brilliant

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