Elizabeth Gaskell Premium Collection: 10 Novels & 40+ Short Stories (ePub)

Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell, née Stevenson (1810-1865), was an esteemed English novelist and short story writer during the Victorian era. Her astute observations and writings often provided insightful commentary on societal norms and constructs, particularly those pertaining to the lives of women and the working class. Gaskell's narrative craft often balanced a keen sense of social realism with elements of the gothic and romantic, distinguishing her within Victorian literature. Among her notable full-length works, 'Mary Barton' (1848) interrogated industrial Manchester's class disparities, while 'North and South' (1855) contrasted the cultural differences between rural southern England and the industrial north. 'Cranford' (1851-53), a series of linked stories, has been celebrated for its detailed portrayal of small-town customs and female friendships. Her biography of her friend Charlotte Brontë remains a seminal work in the field of literary biography. Gaskell's extensive oeuvre, cleverly encapsulated within the 'Elizabeth Gaskell Premium Collection' encompasses 10 novels and over 40 short stories, demonstrating her diverse literary capacities and her adaptability in narrating different genres and themes. Her writing additionally punctuates concerns with empathy and moral responsiveness to the challenges faced by individuals in changing times, rendering her works as timeless commentaries on human nature and society.