Product Description
With an Introduction and Notes by Professor Emeritus John Chapple, University of Hull The sheer variety and accomplishment of Elizabeth Gaskell s shorter fiction is amazing. This new volume contains six of her finest stories that have been selected specifically to demonstrate this, and to trace the development of her art. As diverse in setting as in subject matter, these tales move from the gentle comedy of life in a small English country town in Dr Harrison s Confessions, to atmospheric horror in far north-west Wales with The Doom of the Griffiths. The story of Cousin Phillis, her masterly tale of love and loss, is a subtle, complex and perceptive analysis of changes in English national life during an industrial age, while the gripping Lois the Witch recreates the terrors of the Salem witchcraft trials in seventeenth-century New England, as Gaskell shrewdly shows the numerous roots of this furious outbreak of delusion. Whimsically modified fairy tales are set in a French chateau, while an engaging love story poetically evokes peasant life in wine-growing Germany. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Lovely stories but not for everyone
There are two reasons for reading Elizabeth Gaskell's novels(Mary
Barton, North and South, Wives and Daughters, etc). The first is that you enjoy the type of story that she tells. Her works are about ordinary people living in rural areas of England during the early part of the 19th century. Other writers, such as Thomas Hardy, Anthony Trollope and George Eliot write similarly, but with varying emphases.By contrast, Charles Dickens wrote about urban people, Jane Austen covered a higher class of society.If you like highly charged adventure stories about heroes, then Sir Walter Scott's work would be more interesting.

The second reason is that Gaskell is a "second tier" writer, important but not in the same class as Dickens, Austen, the Bronte Sisters, etc. To be well rounded and knowledgeable it is important to read at least some authors such as Caskell and Trollope, but I would say that the first priority is to read the best authors first.

Having read these "first tier" authors (in some cases all of their works) I decided to sample Mrs. Gaskell's work and selected Cranford and Other Stories because I thought reading shorter works would give me a better sampling of her art. I wasn't disappointed. This book includes the novella, Cranford and six widely varying short stories.

Essentially Gaskell's theme is the superiority of rural over urban places, but country life is being threatened by the inroads of modernity and urban values.As she herself is quoted as saying in the Introduction to the short stories, referring to rural places, "Oh! that Life would make a stand-still in this happy place."This theme is especially pronounced in Cranford which is a small community largely populated by elderly women.The story is told by a young woman whose name (Mary Smith) we do not know until later in the novella. The main characters are Miss Mattie Jenkyns and Miss Pole. They are characterized by an excessive attachment to outmoded forms of living and a strict sense of propriety. The story begins when Captain Brown, a retired representative of urban living, arrives in their community. Immediately he gets into an argument with Miss Deborah Jenkyns over which author is best. Brown prefers Dickens while Miss Jenkyns favors Samuel Johnson.It is significant that Captain Brown dies shortly thereafter when an oncoming train--a symbol of "progress" that is intruding into country life--strikes him.The other Cranford ladies soon appear, each with her own idiosyncrasies:Mrs. Jamison, Mrs. Forrester and Mrs. Fitz-Adam.

The novella is somewhat boring but has humorous incidents. One is chapter 9 when the ladies learn that a magician, Signor Brunoni is coming to Cranford to give a performance. Miss Pole goes to the auditorium a day early and meets Brunoni while he is practicing. The next night when the ladies come to the theatre they sit in the front row.Brunoni is dressed in his performance outfit and looks different from the day before. Miss Pole refuses to believe that the performer is in fact Signor Brunoni and loudly says that he is an imposter, thereby unsettling him.Later, we learn that Brunoni has a twin brother and it was he that Miss Pole saw on the previous day.

The best part is toward the end when Miss Mattie's loses her life investments. Everyone in the community rallies around her and tries to help. When she tries to dismiss her maid, Martha, the young girl refuses to go and even makes an expensive desert, buying the ingredients with her own meager savings. Martha then persuades her boyfriend, Jem, to marry her sooner than he expected so that she can take Miss Mattie in to live with them. Jem is willing, but still protests to Martha, "It's not that (an unwillingness to get married), it's that you've taken me all on a sudden, and I didn't think for to get married so soon. It's not that I'm against it--marriage nails a man, as one may say. I dare say I shan't mind it after it's once over."

Needless to say he doesn't mind it and all the Cranford residents find happiness in the end.

The value of the country over the city and the harmful effects the latter have on the former are also clear in the short story, Cousin Phillis.A young man, Paul Manning, who begins his working career helping to build a railroad, tells the story. The work takes him close to some relatives, Rev. and Mrs. Holman and their daughter Phillis. Phillis is young and naïve, kept so by her father. The first thing Paul notices about her is that she is still wearing clothing worn by children. Manning becomes acquainted with the family through repeated visits, but realizes that Phillis is not a person he can marry. Paul recounts his experiences with the family to his boss, Edward Holdworth, who then comes to visit the family as well. Holdworth is more sophisticated and Phillis comes to love him and he shows some affection for her as well. But then Holdworth gets a job offer in Canada and leaves with disastrous consequences.

The other short stories show the variety of Gaskell's art. Mr. Harrison's Confessions describe a young doctor's first job in a country town in a warm and mostly humorous fashion. The Doom of the Griffiths is a horror tale, Lois the Witch describes what happens to a young English woman who moves to Salem, MA during the paranoia there over witches. Curious If True is a fantasy dream sequence and Six Weeks at Heppenheim tells of a man's visit to an inn in Germany and the romantic intrigues that ensue.

All in all, it is worth reading these stories and they can give you an idea as to whether or not to read more of Gaskell's work. I have given the book 4 stars because I think it is worth reading, but again it may not be for you.


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This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

plot spoiler...
The novel begins in the 1790s in the coastal town of Monkshaven. Sylvia Robson lives with her parents on a farm, and is loved by her rather dull Quaker cousin Philip. She, however, meets and falls in love with Charlie Kinraid, a sailor on a whaling vessel, and they become engaged, although few people know of the engagement. When Kinraid goes back to his ship, he is press-ganged--forcibly enlisted in the Royal Navy, a scene witnessed by Philip. Philip does not tell Sylvia of the incident and, believing her lover is dead, Sylvia eventually marries her cousin and they have a daughter. Inevitably, Kinraid returns to claim Sylvia and she discovers that Philip knew he was still alive. Philip leaves her in despair at her rage and rejection, but she refuses to leave with Kinraid.

Philip joins the army, and ends up fighting in the Napoleonic wars where he saves Kinraid's life. Kinraid goes back to Britain, and his wife, who knows nothing of their history together, goes to Sylvia to tell her that her husband is a hero. Sylvia then realizes she is actually in love with Philip, and Kinraid's marriage suggests to her that he was not as faithful to her as she had believed. Philip meanwhile was horribly disfigured by a shipboard explosion, and returns to the small Northumbrian village to try to see his child. He ends up staying with Sylvia's parents' servant's sister and rescues his child when she nearly drowns. In saving his daughter he is fatally injured, but is reconciled with his wife as he dies.
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This title is part of an inexpensive range of classics in the "Penguin Popular Classics" series. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (39)

Cranford
This was a birthday gift for my younger granddaughter. I was very pleased with the item and the shipping. She was delighted to receive the book. I will shop first at Amazon for everything I am wanting to purchase.

After several hours of research...
...I came to the conclusion that this printing of Cranford has the CUTEST cover (i.e. a pretty teacup and a great font), therefore I bought it.

My wife agreed.

Mission accomplished hubbie.Mission accomplished.

But seriously, if you or your wife are into Jane Austen(ish) stuff like my wife, Cranford is a MUST have.And of all the printed versions, this one is by far the cutest looking, which apparently is somewhat important to wives who like Jane Austen and her crowd of Victorian/Regency era authors.If you're a husband looking for a gift for your wife, this is a great one.

And definitely buy her the DVD bundle of Cranfod and return to Cranford.

And definitely buy her the DVD first few seasons of "Lark Rise to Candleford".

Believe me...it's worth the money.

She'll feel like you understand her a little bit...and she'll have some of her friends over for a "girl night" where they watch their DVDs and drink tea and dream about living in mid nineteenth century Britain, and you'll be able to work on the car/the yard/whatever without feeling like you're neglecting your wife because she'll be having way more fun than you.

That's worth any price.

Cranford
delivery time and price of book where great, I just wish the deliveries to Australia werent so high!

Mrs. Gaskell's Mini Hit
A lovely book about a lovely village of lovely people. The inspiration for BBC/Masterpiece Classic's Cranford and Return to Cranford. I read this book in only a few nights and enjoyed it thoroughly. The glossary/notes regarding material culture (clothing, terminology, expressions) are not always correct (based on my own research and experience as an historic interpreter), but most of the information was new to me and referred to books and events of which I was unaware. I'm glad I watched the tv series first, including "The Making of Cranford," before reading the book; it made clear how and why the series was created as it was. That being said, the book is charming and should be read by all high school students, especially female students, to understand that they are not so very different after all.

A Classic in Cranford
Inspired to grab a copy of the book after seeing the PBS series, I am very pleased with this version of Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell.With several options to choose from, I am very happy with the aesthetics of this book. In particular I truly enjoy the "tea cup" cover and the simplistic and easy to read layout of the interior. And it's always good to have a nice book to look at on the shelf when you're done with reading it.

After being impressed with this book I also checked out the other books tagged with cricket house and their other offerings are as equally impressive.

This version of Cranford is definitely worth it's price. ... Read more

Product Description
North and South is a novel that exposed Victorian inequalities. Margaret Hale a woman from the South of England moves to the industrialized North of England where she is shocked by the huge inequalities between the rich and the working class. This serves as a backdrop for a conflicted love story. Margaret finds herself falling in love with John Thornton, the owner of the local mill. But her concern for the Mill's striking workers complicates the relationship. A classic tale of class and love. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Class awareness emerging
Formulaic love story, with class issues and subtle hints of subversive thinking. For me, much richer and full of substance than others I've read in that genre.

Unlike Austen's characters, protagonist Margaret is less interested in manipulating through her social world, but through circumstances and her strong commitment to her family, Margaret is more interested, first by repulsion and then by attraction, in the lives of the owners and workers she encounters when moving from agrarian south to newly industrialized market/merchant town in the north. It is a newly emerging market society, repulsive to the aristocracy for its blatant quest for money.

Beginning of looking at the symbiotic relationship between the "masters" (factory owners) and the workers who, in response to extreme exploitation for their labor, fall into organizing and resulting dominance from labor unions. Rogue strikers not following carefully engineered plans cause chaos, disrupting a well organized strike. Owners resort to importing Irish workers resulting in lost contracts from substandard products made by this new unskilled labor.Characters find awakening awareness to a need for the masters and laborers to actually hear one other. Also, the instability of markets and the vulnerability not only of workers, but owners, becomes apparent.

Other themes: the love story; the lives of the aristocracy, masters, agrarian poor; family relationships and mothers; health and environmental awareness; operation of a biased legal system in face of brother's mutiny; racial issues in relation to attitudes towards Irish; attitudes towards the Catholic country of Spain; slice of history at start of industrialization; crisis of religious conscience by Margaret's father in Anglican church, whichmoves the plot. Margaret is from the aristocracy of her mother, lives on the fringes of aristocracy through her father's modest career as a country preacher. Margaret is a strong woman thinking for herself and not angling for a good marriage. Mr. Thornton, the Mr. Darcy of this story, is a self-made man, an emerging captain of industry with more cares of the world and business than Darcy. Men's emotions are more fleshed out here than Austen.In that smokey northern town there is an excitement and energy that attracts, a repulsive market awakening of a flat and static aristocratic society dependent on agrarian roots.

Need to adjust to the English, written for its time. Great local dialogue by Higgens, key worker and union member. Some humor and lovely sense evoking descriptions. Loved Margaret.

Great novel; poor edition
This is just a warning about this specific edition, published by Wilder Publishing. I purchased this edition over others that were slightly more expensive but ended up regretting it. It is rife with spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors. The errors were so egregious it didn't appear to have been proofread at all. I loved the novel, but the experience would have been vastly better had I chosen a book by a reputable publisher. ... Read more

Product Description
Cranford depicts the lives and preoccupations of the inhabitants of a small village – their petty snobberies and appetite for gossip, and their loyal support for each other in times of need. The village is dominated by women, from the kindly spinster Miss Matty, living in genteel poverty with her redoubtable sister, to Lady Glenmire, who shocks everyone by marrying the doctor. When men do appear, such as ‘modern’ Captain Brown or Matty’s suitor from the past, they bring disruption and excitement to the everyday life of Cranford. This volume includes the novella Cousin Phillis, which depicts a fleeting love affair in a rural community at a time when old values are being supplanted by the new. Both works are exquisitely observed tragicomedies of human nature, told with great delicacy and affection. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Cranford paperback
I received the book quickly, which I was grateful for as I needed it for a literature course.However, yellowing pages on paperbacks always make it less than a pleasure to read because it feels like the book is disintegrating in one's hands.The fact that there was 'slight' yellowing was mentioned, but it was more than expected and I think when a person is willingness to purchase a book with any yellowing, this should be reflected in the seller's price, i.e. cheaper, which it was not.

Meet the Cranford Ladies, and Enjoy the Tragicomedy of Human Nature
(This is a book review about `Cranford' and `Cousin Phillis' of the Penguin Classics edition, edited by Peter Keating.)

[CRANFORD] Elizabeth Gaskell's `Cranford' is very different from her more serious `Mary Barton' and `North and South,' both written with socially conscious messages. In fact, its basic tone is comedy (or tragicomedy) set against the background of the changing local community of Cranford, or `Our Society' which is, as the narrator says, "in possession of the Amazons."

The main characters are all elderly ladies. You meet kind-hearted and timid Miss Matty with her domineering sister Deborah, the most memorable characters in this town. Narrated by one Mary Smith, we are introduced to the small world of Cranford, where smallest things can be pleasure or trouble such as `conjuror' Signor Brunoni amazing the ladies in the town's Assembly Room, or some rumor about `robbery' and even `ghosts' that scare them in `Darkness-Lane.' There is Lady Glenmire, who comes to Cranford, and shocks the community by marrying a doctor (and becoming `Mrs. Hoggins'). With these episodes, Elizabeth Gaskell deftly describes the sisterhood among the gossipy ladies with deep sense of sympathy, and the events are described with her sure-handed touch, which provides funny moments and occasional pathos.

Some part may not be interesting today. Captain Brown and Miss Jenkyns have an argument about the merit of novel reading, and while Captain praises Dickens' `Pickwick Papers,' Miss Jenkyns insists on the superiority of Samuel Johnson This is not only an in-joke (`Cranford' first appeared as eight-part serial in Dickens' Household Words first in 1851), it also reflects that these ladies in Cranford stick to their strict social codes that are clearly getting too old outside the community. The scene itself is humorous, and behind the humor you can find the author's keen eye for details.

But the book can be enjoyed without such historical knowledge, and there are many touching scenes concerning Miss Matty's life. As `Cranford' is written without concrete planning, the entire work looks very episodic. Actually it is episodic (and that's why one major character suddenly disappear at Chapter 2), and it should be read as such, like a series of sketches or short stories.

[COUSIN PHILLIS] `Cousin Phillis' is first published as four-part serial in 1863, and is about a fleeting love affair in a rural community, where the titular daughter of a `minister' (and self-help type of farmer) lives quietly. This is what we call a `novella' and its tone is sadder than `Cranford' but still is written with well-observed descriptions of the characters and the community that we know would undergo drastic change sooner or later.

THE PENGUIN edition by PETER KEATING contains Appendix A: `The Last Generation in England' and Appendix B: `The Cage at Cranford' both by Gaskell. The first one would throw light on the background of Cranford, and the second one (a sequel written about 10 years after the original) is an enjoyable (if not outstanding) short story.

`Cranford' is a delightful book that reminded me of E.F. Benson's equally delightful Mapp and Lucia books. Teachers may not use these books as text in the English literature courses in university, but the fact remains that these books are as priceless as any other Victorian novels.

The last sentence should be " to be continued"
One of the books in which every thing seems to be so perfect and good ,but in the end everything is ruined.It is one of the book, which I never wanted toend.It justs need a little sentence in the end and that is "to be continued" .

Cousin 90 days you might still be reading
It took me several months to finish this rather short book. The plot isfairly simple with nary a twist, the characters admirable but somewhatone-dimensionable.It seems to be an ode to conservatism--a longing forthe "peace of the old days."As a fan of 19th century Englishlit, this left me wondering why Elizabeth Gaskell is considered a classicwriter; admittedly I haven't read some of her better known works such as"North and South." ... Read more

Product Description
It was curious how the presence of Mr. Thornton had power over Mr. Hale to make him unlock the secret thoughts which he kept shut up even from Margaret. Whether it was that her sympathy would be so keen, and show itself in so lively a manner, that he was afraid of the reaction upon himself, or whether it was that to his speculative mind all kinds of doubts presented themselves at such a time, pleading and crying aloud to be resolved into certainties, and that he knew she would have shrunk from the expression of any such doubts-nay, from him himself as capable of conceiving them-whatever was the reason, he could unburden himself better to Mr. Thornton than to her of all the thoughts and fancies and fears that had been frost-bound in his brain till now.-from Chapter XXXV: "Expiation"As interest in 19th-century English literature by women has been reinvigorated by a resurgence in popularity of the works of Jane Austen, readers are rediscovering a writer whose fiction, once widely beloved, fell by the wayside. British novelist ELIZABETH CLEGHORN GASKELL (1810-1865)-whose books were sometimes initially credited to, simply, "Mrs. Gaskell"-is now recognized as having created some of the most complex and broadminded depictions of women in the literature of the age, and is today justly celebrated for her precocious use of the regional dialect and slang of England's industrial North.North and South-Gaskell's fourth novel, which was originally serialized in 1854 and 1855 in the periodical Household Words, edited by Gaskell's friend Charles Dickens-draws on Gaskell's own life as the wife of a progressive preacher in Manchester for its tale of the tumultuous romance between a minister's daughter and a wealthy mill owner. The plight of the poor as well as the class divisions of the era come to the fore here, and helped establish the author's reputation as a champion of the working class. Adapted as an acclaimed 2004 BBC miniseries, this is perhaps Gaskell's most beloved work.Friend and literary companion to such figures as Charlotte Brontë-of whom Gaskell wrote an applauded 1857 biography-Gaskell is today being restored to her rightful place alongside her. This delightful new edition is an excellent opportunity for 21st-century fans of British literature to embrace one of its most unjustly forgotten authors. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

a new favorite
I decided to read this book after completing my Jane Austen marathon.I received the movie with Richard Armitage as a holiday gift and was inspired to look to Elizabeth Gaskell for future reading.I thoroughly enjoyed this book.Because I haven't read other editions I cannot speak for this particular version comparing to other prints but as for the story itself....Elizabeth Gaskell does not disappoint.Her content dares to delve deep into issues of the working class and barriers between social circles of the time.This book is right next to Pride and Prejudice in my heart....and had I discovered it sooner...Austen would not have been my favorite for so long! ... Read more

Product Description
An Accursed Race
Cousin Phillis
Cranford
Curious, if True Strange Tales
A Dark Night's Work
The Doom of the Griffiths
The Grey Woman and other Tales
Half a Life-Time Ago
The Half-Brothers
The Life of Charlotte Bronte - Volume 1
The Life of Charlotte Bronte - Volume 2
Lizzie Leigh
Mary Barton
The Moorland Cottage
My Lady Ludlow
North and South
The Poor Clare
Ruth
Sylvia's Lovers
Wives and Daughters
... Read more

Product Description
Elizabeth Gaskell uses her novel Mary Barton to compare and contrast the rich and the working class. She links the plight of the working class to that of the plight of Victorian women at the hands of the men in their lives. A classic novel about love and redemption. ... Read more

Product Description
A moving account of poverty set in 1840s Manchester, Gaskell's first novel follows the young and beautiful Mary Barton, daughter of a factory worker, who is eventually caught up in the class struggle of her time. She attracts the attention of a wealthy mill-owner's son, Henry Carson, although she soon discovers her love for the poor, hard-working Jem Wilson. When a brutal shooting leaves a man dead, Mary must decide if she wishes to help in Jem's defense, for he is accused of the murder, and she knows who the real culprit is with certainty. Gaskell weaves Mary's story amidst a moving account of the hardships and grinding poverty of England's working class. A clear call for increased communication, greater equality between the rich and the poor, and redemption is made by Gaskell, who is often called Great Britain's social conscience of the Industrial Revolution. ... Read more

Product Description
Curious, if True - Strange Tales is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

Product Description
Elizabeth Gaskell won fame and notoriety as the author of "Mary Barton Ruth". This biography looks at Elizabeth's life and work, looking at how Elizabeth observed, from her Manchester home, the brutal but transforming impact of industry and writing down the truth of what she observed. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Excellent!
As the other reviewers have said, this is an excellent biography of a fascinating Victorian woman. I read the book while working on my master's thesis on Elizabeth Gaskell and social class. The biography was obviously an invaluable resource on Gaskell's life, but it was also a pleasure to read. Uglow has captured all the contradictions that Gaskell embodied in her life and in her fiction. Furthermore, the biography is very readable and will appeal to those beyond academia, especially as Gaskell is enjoying renewed popularity thanks to recent BBC/Masterpiece theater adaptations of her works.

Now that my thesis is finished, I'm excited to read Uglow's biography on another Victorian woman novelist--George Eliot!

Superb bio of a superb author
Elizabeth Gaskell is a wonderful subject for a biography--a prolific author, a wife and mother, activist, traveller, friend, letter writer, gossip, dancer, and intellectual--and Jenny Uglow does right by her.This bio is imminently readable, chock full of anecdotes, throughly researched with the notes and citations to prove it, and hard to put down.Interspersed with Uglow's of the details of Gaskell's busy life are chapters devoted to literary analysis of Gaskells novels, novellas, and major stories.

With Gaskell's fame as an author again on the rise, thanks to the recent excellent adaptations of Wives and Daughters, North and South, and Cranford (which also included Lady Ludlow and Mr. Harrison's Confession), this bio provides much needed insight into the life and works of one of Manchester's favorite daughters.

I especially enjoyed the section that dealt with Gaskell's interesting relationship with Charlotte Bronte.She befriended Bronte and counseled her with regards to her relationship with the man who would become her husband, and she also wrote the first bio of Bronte, which is itself fascinating to read.

Absolutely one of the finest biographies I've read
I read this book with absolute relish. It's one of the most informative and lively literary biographies I've ever read and it's one I refer to often as I explore the works of Gaskell and the other Victorians in her literary circle. I've not read a better bio of Gaskell and I've read few better bios on any subject.Very highly recommended! ... Read more

Product Description
This literary biographical study examines the life and works of the mid-Victorian woman novelist, Elizabeth Gaskell, whose popularity is now well established. It places her writing in the context of her attitudes towards creative production, her relationship with publishers, and her literary friendships, as well as examining those events of her life which fed into her work. It pays particular attention to the ways in which she sought to reconcile the conflicting demands made upon her, as woman and as artist.
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Product Description
Elizabeth Gaskell's sudden death in November 1865, at the height of her career, prompted the Athenaeum to lament the passing of 'if not the most popular, with small question, the most powerful and finished female novelist of an epoch singularly rich in female novelists' (18 November 1865). Few of Gaskell's contemporaries were willing to consign her exclusively to the ranks of 'lady novelists', and late Victorian memoirists and critics measured her achievements against those of Charlotte Bronte and George Eliot. The Pickering & Chatto edition of "The Works of Elizabeth Gaskell" is the first comprehensive critical edition of Gaskell's work to be published. It brings together, for the first time, her journalism, some of which has never been republished, her extensive shorter fiction, which was published in various collections during her lifetime, her early personal writing, including a diary written between 1835 and 1838 when she was a young mother, her five full-length novels and "The Life of Charlotte Bronte". The edition is fully reset. Copy texts have been carefully chosen, according to the publishing history of individual works.Textual variants are noted at the end of each volume and individual works are accompanied by a headnote detailing the circumstances of publication, together with full explanatory notes. A general introduction to the edition traces Gaskell's reputation from lifetime reviews of individual works through to late Victorian assessments of her achievement, the waning of her popularity at the end of the nineteenth century and its revival in the middle of last century. Throughout this process the role played by biographies and by the publication of her letters will be emphasised. The introduction also discusses the history of the earlier editions and collections of Gaskell's works and offers a rationale for the organisation of this definitive edition. In addition each volume contains a critical introduction to the text(s) included in the volume. ... Read more

Product Description
Elizabeth Gaskell has long been one of the most popular of Victorian novelists, yet in her lifetime her shorter fictions were equally well loved, and they are among the most accomplished examples of the genre.The heart of this collection is Gaskell's novella Cousin Phillis, a lyrical masterpiece that depicts a vanishing way of life and a girl's disappointment in love: deceptively simple, its undercurrent of feeling leaves an indelible impression.The other five stories in this selection range from a quietly original tale of urban poverty and a fallen woman to an historical tale in which echoes of the French Revolution, the bleakness of winter in Westmorland, and a tragic secret are brought vividly to life. Heather Glen's illuminating introduction is the first to offer extended consideration of Gaskell as a writer of short stories, discussing Gaskell's pre-eminent role in developing the genre and setting each story in the context of their original periodical publication. The volume includes a chronology, bibliography, and invaluable notes. ... Read more