Yes, though I dislike their undeserved hatred of Jane Austen, I am reading or re-reading the Brontes - the above two novels at least. I re-read WH (which I know I read on my own while in college because I remember leaving it to entertain a friend of mine who was going to spend the afternoon in my room recovering from a visit to the dentist while I was in class and not because it made any impression on me. All I remembered was that there was a bed or a wall or something that had "Catherine Heathcliff" scratched all over it). JE, however, though I am familiar with numerous faithful film and television adaptations, I haven't read until now. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I do think that it would have been much more interesting if I hadn't already known what was going to happen. If you have any interest in the tale of an orphaned girl-turned-governess, I suggest you read the book before seeing any of the movie versions.
WH, though a good book, almost works better for me as a film. I can't say that for most movies adapted from novels, but WH lends itself to film. The tragic love story of Catherine, Heathcliff, and their offspring is told in the novel through the eyes of a servant and an annoying man trying to get some peace and solitude away from what must be a very trying existence as a landed gentleman in the 1800's who is rich off of not having to do anything. Movie versions are not likely to show an old lady sitting by a fire telling a story to a man with a cold, and so they often seem a bit more exciting.
Next up on my reading list, Anne Bronte gets her chance to out-do her sisters if she can with The Tennant of Wildfell Hall and Agnes Grey.
UPDATE (7/18/09): I finished Agnes Grey and it was not good at all. It's probably the most boring version of a governess tale I can imagine and is filled with far too much churchy stuff to boot. The only reason you might want to read it is so that you can truly appreciate how great Jane Eyre is in comparison.
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