Wuthering Heights

If you've ever come across the word "Wuthering", chances are that either Kate Bush played over the speakers or you were reading the title of this very book, as nobody has used it in any other contexts since 1847. And while you should take that statement with a grain of salt, let there be no doubt that "Wuthering Heights" is a big fictional deal.

After a supernatural encounter in his landlord's farmhouse – the titular "Wuthering Heights", Mr. Lockwood persuades the former housekeeper to relate the story of her old master, Heathcliff. Adopted into the house as a favoured son, Heathcliff draws the ire of his half-brother, who relegates him to servant status after their father's passing. Brotherly tensions continue to rise, an impossible love blooms and Heathcliff ends up fleeing the household in dramatic fashion – only to one day return.

A riveting tale of love, obsession, hate and revenge, "Wuthering Heights" is an absolutely essential read if you have even a passing interest in classic English literature – or simply need proper references for your Kate Bush songs. "Adaptations of Wuthering Heights" is its own Wikipedia page.

Emily Brontë (1818-1848) is the second eldest of the Brontë sisters, who just like her sisters published under a male pseudonym. Her literary career began with writing poetry, which she published in a joint collection with Charlotte and Anne. Her health was always problematic, and she died at the young age of 30 years. Her only novel "Wuthering Heights" is hailed as one of the most influential and popular classics in English literature.