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Our June short story read is Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell. Once again we have a book with editions under 300 pages. Gaskell's work focuses on rural / country life in 1800's England.

From GR's Penguin Classics description:
A portrait of the residents of an English country town in the mid nineteenth century, Cranford relates the adventures of Miss Matty and Miss Deborah, two middle-aged spinster sisters striving to live with dignity in reduced circumstances. Through a series of vignettes, Elizabeth Gaskell portrays a community governed by old-fashioned habits and dominated by friendships between women. Her wry account of rural life is undercut, however, by tragedy in its depiction of such troubling events as Matty's bankruptcy, the violent death of Captain Brown or the unwitting cruelty of Peter Jenkyns. Written with acute observation, Cranford is by turns affectionate, moving and darkly satirical.

Who's up for checking this one out?

I read this a couple of years ago and enjoyed it. Each chapter is like an episode-a very engaging read mainly due to some delightful characters.

I'll be reading this in June. I enjoyed North and South a number of years ago, but for some reason never read any more. I'm looking forward to reading this one.

For some reason I only gave Cranford 3 stars. My review was not enough to get my problem with it other than I couldnt wait to get through it.

I am thinking it was probably because it was a Kindle version and I have a hard time concentrating reading without a book version. I will put this on my wishlist and reread when I find a book copy.

I have The Moorland Cottage which I might bring with me too!

The Moorland Cottage is good too.

Out of all I've read of Elizabeth Gaskell, Cranford is the only book that failed to gain 5 stars. It wasn't uninteresting, but somehow it didn't work for me like her other books. I agree with Rosemarie that every chapter is episodic, and each kind of has a story of its own.

I’ve started this and I’m finding it really enjoyable. I’ve just found myself laughing out loud at the pea incident when the ladies only have two pronged forks, my husband hates peas for this reason and he has standard cutlery!

Cranford seemed to me to be composed of caricatures of women. It wasn't my favorite Gaskell.

A Friend sent this link to me and I told him I would share it:





The websites are very interesting!

I'm glad to see at least a handful of our members enjoyed this read, even if some were not as impressed. Does anyone have anything that would like to add about Gaskell's work?

Cool website, Lesle. I think visiting an author's home would be fun, but I AM a nerd.

Oh no...I totally agree! I loved going on the tour at Hemingways house in Key West.
Love to see and visit more. I think in person is so much more impressive.

I finished The Moorland Cottage by Elizabeth Gaskell


The descriptions are just as lovely as the cover.

Here is my review if interested:
/review/show...

I read Cranford in 2017
/review/show...

I seem to give her 3 stars, but in fairness have not read
North and South or
Wives and Daughters

I've just finished Cranford - delayed by a holiday in June.

I enjoyed it - and gave it four stars. The structure made it easy to pick up and put down, and I felt that she gave a sympathetic and affectionate treatment of her characters.

She reflects the middle-class mores of her own background, but addresses class realistically and gives a supportive account of women in community.

It was definitely worth reading - and I imagine I will read some more of her work now.

I liked it too, John, and have gone on to read more of her works-Mary Barton, Gothic Tales, North and South, The Moorland Cottage and Wives and Daughters. I wasn't disappointed in any of them. The last is my favourite, and the last book she wrote before she died.

I had originally misread the title to this read as: Joan Crawford (June Cranford).