The Rest Is History

The Book Club: Wuthering Heights

February 20, 2026

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  • The Book Club is a new weekly podcast from Goalhanger, hosted by Dominic Sandbrook and Tabitha Syrett, alternating between classic and contemporary literature, starting with *Wuthering Heights*. 
  • The initial discussion of *Wuthering Heights* highlights its canonical status as a romantic novel, contrasting the passionate relationship between Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff with the more civilized Lintons, and noting the novel's structure involving two generations. 
  • Emily Brontë is portrayed as an enigmatic figure, the "Sphinx of the Moors," whose difficult childhood, isolation, and potentially violent temperament (evidenced by an incident with her dog) contrast with modern interpretations of her as a feminist icon. 

Segments

Introducing The Book Club Podcast
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(00:00:04)
  • Key Takeaway: The Book Club podcast releases new episodes every Tuesday, alternating weekly between classical works like Wuthering Heights and contemporary books such as The Secret History.
  • Summary: Dominic Sandbrook introduces The Book Club, a new Goalhanger show co-hosted with Tabitha Syrett, releasing every Tuesday. Each episode analyzes a book, covering its hidden stories, author context, and history. The format alternates between older classics and newer contemporary titles.
Origin and Future Book List
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(00:00:55)
  • Key Takeaway: The Book Club evolved from a successful bonus series for The Rest Is History club members, featuring titles like The Hobbit and In Cold Blood.
  • Summary: The podcast grew from a popular bonus series for The Rest Is History club members, which prompted the creation of a full series. The upcoming schedule includes Wuthering Heights, Never Let Me Go, The Great Gatsby, Hamlet, 1984, and A Court of Thorns and Roses.
Book Club Format and Tone
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(00:02:08)
  • Key Takeaway: The show blends historical and social context analysis with personal reactions, including arguments over character preferences, creating a dynamic tension between the hosts’ reading levels.
  • Summary: The format involves discussing the author’s life and the book’s social context, but also incorporates personal reactions and arguments about characters. Dominic humorously characterizes Tabitha as simultaneously well-read and having bad judgment, creating ‘dynamite’ tension.
Wuthering Heights Opening Clip
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(00:03:38)
  • Key Takeaway: Wuthering Heights, published in 1847, is famous for its depiction of wild moors, simmering tensions, and the love story between Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff.
  • Summary: The clip establishes Wuthering Heights as a canonical romantic novel, famously advertised as the greatest love story of any time. The setting involves the Earnshaw and Linton families across the Yorkshire Moors, driven by Heathcliff’s crusade of vengeance after being taken in as a foundling.
Plot Outline and Narration
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(00:05:21)
  • Key Takeaway: The novel is structured in two halves: the first focusing on Cathy and Heathcliff’s tortured relationship, and the second on their children, with the entire story framed by the narration of Mr. Lockwood.
  • Summary: The plot centers on the tangled relationships between the Earnshaws and Lintons, driven by Heathcliff’s vengeance against his stepbrother and his love for Catherine. Lockwood, a civilized Londoner renting Thrush Cross Grange, encounters the grotesque inhabitants of Wuthering Heights and triggers the main narrative by reading Catherine’s diary.
Heathcliff’s Appeal and Generational Cycles
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(00:10:49)
  • Key Takeaway: Heathcliff’s initial appeal to characters like Isabella Linton stems from the ‘Byronic, heroic idea’ of him, masking the underlying violence and cycles of revenge passed down through the generations.
  • Summary: Heathcliff drives Isabella Linton to elope with him, who initially views him as glamorous, unaware of his true nature. The story features confusing name repetition (Cathy/Catherine) which deliberately emphasizes the compulsive repetition of hatred and obligation across generations, akin to a Greek tragedy.
Emily Brontë’s Biography and Character
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(00:12:45)
  • Key Takeaway: Emily Brontë, known as the ‘Sphinx of the Moors,’ experienced significant early tragedy, including the death of her mother and two sisters before age seven, and was known for being socially awkward and resistant to convention.
  • Summary: Emily Brontë was born in 1818 and moved to Haworth where her father was curate; she lost her mother and two sisters early in life. The Brontë children were highly literary but isolated socially, refusing to participate in forced games. Emily later failed as a teacher, reportedly telling students she preferred her dog to them.
Brontë Family Environment and Politics
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(00:14:40)
  • Key Takeaway: The Brontë household, despite being isolated, was highly literary, influenced by their clever but eccentric father, Patrick Brontë, who enforced unusual rules like banning meat consumption.
  • Summary: The siblings created fantasy worlds like Glass Town and Angria, which were set globally, showing they were not entirely cut off from the world. Their father, Patrick, was an intelligent but cold man known for walking around with a loaded gun and enforcing strict dietary rules. Emily was also noted for having high Tory politics, contrasting with modern feminist readings of her work.