Brit Lit Book Club

Starting a Classics Book Club: Tips, Traditions & Literary Travel with Keri & Liz 
Have you ever dreamed of starting a classics book club but didn't know where to begin? In this episode, I sit down with two friends who started my personal book club, Keri & Liz, to talk all things classic literature and the magic that happens when readers gather around great books.
Keri and Liz share how their classics book club got started, how they recruit and retain members, and what a typical meeting actually looks like — from how they choose their reads to what happens when someone hasn't finished the book (we've all been there!). We dig into why classic literature still matters in today's world, which books sparked the most passionate debates in her group, and how timeless stories connect to our modern lives in ways we never expected.
We also tackle the harder conversations — navigating uncomfortable themes in classic texts, managing group dynamics, and keeping a book club thriving year after year.
And then we get to the really exciting part: Keri and Liz have actually traveled to England with The Book Club Tour, and they share how experiencing the real landscapes, homes, and villages behind beloved books completely transformed the way they read. If you've ever wondered whether a literary travel experience is worth it, this episode will answer that question.
Whether you're a seasoned book club host or dreaming of starting one from scratch, this episode is packed with practical advice, genuine inspiration, and a healthy dose of literary wanderlust.
Interested in combining your love of classic literature with travel? Visit thebookclubtour.com to learn more about our immersive literary tours to England.
In this episode we cover:
How to start and grow a classics book club
Why classic literature is more relevant than ever
Book club meeting formats, discussion tips & member dynamics
Navigating difficult themes in classic texts
How literary travel deepens your connection to the books you love
The Book Club Tour experience in England
Love this podcast? Imagine walking the Yorkshire moors where the Brontës found inspiration, visiting Jane Austen's writing desk at Chawton, and exploring Shakespeare's birthplace with fellow book lovers. We do all this and more on The Book Club Tour!
Follow along with our adventures, or join us!
🌐 Explore our tours: thebookclubtour.com
📸 Instagram: @thebookclubtour
👥 Facebook: @thebookclubtour

Emerald Fennell's Wuthering Heights (2026) has arrived and the internet has opinions. So do I.
In this episode of The Brit Lit Book Club, we're stepping away from the page and into the cinema to review the most talked-about British literary adaptation of the year. Starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, Fennell's film was never meant to be a faithful retelling, by her own admission, it's her response to Emily Brontë's novel, built from memory and feeling rather than faithful reconstruction. 
But does artistic freedom have limits? And what happens when the details an adaptation chooses to leave out aren't details at all, but the story's entire moral foundation?
We cover it all: what the film gets genuinely right, what it loses by erasing and the novel's second generation, why Isabella's arc matters more than audiences may realize, and why the whitewashing of Heathcliff (however common in other adaptations) is not something we can brush past in 2026.
We also sit with the bigger question the novel has always been asking: why do we romanticize love that hurts? And what does it mean that Wuthering Heights was exploring toxic love long before we had language for it?
Whether you've seen the film, read the book, or just found your way to Emily Brontë through the movie buzz, this one's for you.
Love this podcast? Imagine walking the Yorkshire moors where the Brontës found inspiration, visiting Jane Austen's writing desk at Chawton, and exploring Shakespeare's birthplace with fellow book lovers. We do all this and more on The Book Club Tour!
Follow along with our adventures, or join us!
🌐 Explore our tours: thebookclubtour.com
📸 Instagram: @thebookclubtour
👥 Facebook: @thebookclubtour

Wuthering Heights: Everything You Need to Know Before the New Movie Comes Out This Week
The new Wuthering Heights movie starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi is coming soon, and whether you've read Emily Brontë's classic or not, this episode will prepare you for what you're about to see on screen.
In this episode:
Complete plot summary for first-time readers (or if you're not going to read the book)
Emily Brontë's fascinating, tragic life—from her isolation at Haworth Parsonage to her death at 30
Major themes: class, revenge, toxic relationships, nature vs. civilization
Why Wuthering Heights is NOT a romance (and why Heathcliff is not a romantic hero)
The shocking Victorian reception to this "coarse" and "brutal" novel
Why the book is so difficult to adapt to film
Past adaptations worth knowing 
What we know about Emerald Fennell's version and what to expect
How to prepare for the movie and what to take away
Why this 1847 novel still matters today
Visiting the Yorkshire moors and Haworth Parsonage where Emily wrote
This is Gothic psychological drama, not a love story—come prepared for intensity, obsession, and the wild beauty of the moors.
Book Recommendations:
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
Emily Brontë: A Life by Claire Harman
The Madwoman in the Attic by Sandra Gilbert and Susan Gubar
The Complete Poems by Emily Brontë
The Brontës: Wild Genius on the Moors by Juliet Barker
Want to walk the moors where Emily wrote? Visit thebookclubtour.com for literary tours of Haworth, the Yorkshire moors, and other British literary locations.
Love this podcast? Imagine walking the Yorkshire moors where the Brontës found inspiration, visiting Jane Austen's writing desk at Chawton, and exploring Shakespeare's birthplace with fellow book lovers. We do all this and more on The Book Club Tour!
Follow along with our adventures, or join us!
🌐 Explore our tours: thebookclubtour.com
📸 Instagram: @thebookclubtour
👥 Facebook: @thebookclubtour

Join author Essie Fox for a haunting conversation about Catherine: A Retelling of Wuthering Heights, a Gothic reimagining of Emily Brontë's masterpiece told from Catherine Earnshaw's ghostly perspective.
In this special episode of The Brit Lit Book Club, Sunday Times bestselling author Essie Fox discusses her bold new retelling of Wuthering Heights, one of British literature's most beloved Gothic novels. Catherine gives voice to the original's most enigmatic character, allowing readers to experience the Yorkshire moors, Heathcliff's obsessive love, and the dark halls of the Heights through Cathy's eyes—from beyond the grave.
We explore why Essie chose Catherine's supernatural perspective, how she balanced Victorian authenticity with modern accessibility, and her deep knowledge of the Brontë sisters and Haworth Parsonage. Essie shares insights into navigating the challenges of retelling a classic, her approach to the Gothic tradition that runs through all her historical novels, and what drew her to give Catherine the voice Nelly Dean's narration couldn't provide.
Whether you're a Brontë devotee, a Gothic fiction enthusiast, or curious about literary retellings, this conversation offers fresh perspectives on Wuthering Heights and the timeless appeal of Emily Brontë's dark romance.
Catherine: A Retelling of Wuthering Heights publishes February 12th in the UK and April 14th in the US. You can find it on Amazon and at Barnes & Noble in the US. 
Perfect for fans of: Wuthering Heights, Emily Brontë, Victorian Gothic fiction, literary retellings, British classics, Yorkshire literary tourism
Love this podcast? Imagine walking the Yorkshire moors where the Brontës found inspiration, visiting Jane Austen's writing desk at Chawton, and exploring Shakespeare's birthplace with fellow book lovers. We do all this and more on The Book Club Tour!
Follow along with our adventures, or join us!
🌐 Explore our tours: thebookclubtour.com
📸 Instagram: @thebookclubtour
👥 Facebook: @thebookclubtour

Beatrix Potter - Author, Illustrator, Farmer, Conservationist, Scientist 
Discover the untold story of Beatrix Potter—far more than just the beloved author of Peter Rabbit. In this episode, host Vanessa reveals how Potter was a pioneering scientist, savvy entrepreneur, Lake District conservationist, and one of Victorian England's most rebellious women—all while maintaining the appearance of a proper lady.
Learn how Potter's scientific illustrations of fungi were dismissed by the all-male Linnean Society, leading her to redirect her genius toward children's literature. Explore how she became one of the first authors to control merchandising rights, turned The Tale of Peter Rabbit into a publishing phenomenon after initial rejection, and achieved financial independence through her creative work.
We'll journey to the Lake District where Potter bought over 4,000 acres of farmland, became an expert Herdwick sheep breeder, and partnered with the National Trust to preserve England's countryside for future generations. Her working conservation model—maintaining productive farms while protecting natural beauty—continues to influence environmental policy today.
From her anatomically precise watercolor illustrations to her business acumen decades ahead of her time, Beatrix Potter's legacy extends far beyond children's literature. This episode explores her scientific work, entrepreneurial spirit, conservation achievements, and the enduring appeal of her perfectly crafted books.
Perfect for fans of British literature, children's book history, women's history, conservation stories, and Lake District travel. Whether you're a longtime Peter Rabbit lover or discovering Potter for the first time, you'll never see her the same way again.
Recommended Books:
BIOGRAPHIES & LIFE STUDIES:
Beatrix Potter: A Life in Nature by Linda Lear - The definitive biography covering Potter's scientific work and conservation legacy
Beatrix Potter: Artist, Storyteller and Countrywoman by Judy Taylor - Focuses on her artistic development and farming career
SCIENTIFIC WORK:
Beatrix Potter's Art: Paintings and Drawings by Anne Stevenson Hobbs - Analyzes her illustration techniques and artistic development
CONSERVATION & LAKE DISTRICT:
Beatrix Potter at Home in the Lake District by Susan Denyer - Explores her relationship with the landscape and National Trust work
LITERARY ANALYSIS:
Beatrix Potter: Writing in Code by M. Daphne Kutzer - Explores hidden complexities and adult themes in her children's stories
HER CLASSIC TALES:
The Complete Tales of Beatrix Potter - All 23 original Peter Rabbit books in one volume
Episode Topics: Beatrix Potter biography, Peter Rabbit history, Victorian women scientists, Lake District conservation, National Trust history, children's literature classics, women entrepreneurs, Herdwick sheep farming, Hill Top Farm, British natural history illustration
Love this podcast? Imagine walking the Yorkshire moors where the Brontës found inspiration, visiting Jane Austen's writing desk at Chawton, and exploring Shakespeare's birthplace with fellow book lovers. We do all this and more on The Book Club Tour!
Follow along with our adventures, or join us!
🌐 Explore our tours: thebookclubtour.com
📸 Instagram: @thebookclubtour
👥 Facebook: @thebookclubtour