Status
Available
Genres
Publication
Dover Publications (2003), 144 pages
Description
Classic Literature. Fiction. HTML: The novel Cranford grew out of a short story (now the first two chapters) and it reads like a series of episodes in the fictional town of Cranford. The central characters are Mary Smith and her friends, the spinster sisters Miss Matty and Miss Deborah. It is a quaint, comedic ode to small town life, and remains Gaskell's most famous work..
Similar in this library
User reviews
LibraryThing member bell7
A young visitor recounts her adventures with some of the older ladies - primarily spinsters and widows - of Cranford as they live their lives in a charming small town.
My idea of Elizabeth Gaskell's writings was completely different from reality. I had read a couple of short stories as an English
My idea of Elizabeth Gaskell's writings was completely different from reality. I had read a couple of short stories as an English
Show More
major, confused them, and had this image of Gaskell as the John Steinbeck of the Victorian Era. I overcame some reluctance to even add Cranford to my TBR list. And am I glad I did! This book is a delightful, episodic tale of a small town and its inhabitants. The narrator often stays with Miss Matty while visiting the town, so many of the events involve this lady in some way or another. As I think about the book, I'm realizing that very little actually happens by way of plot, but the characters are by turns sweet, funny, and quirky. The story gives a picture of small town life in general as well as the class distinctions of its time period in an amusing, rather than depressing, way. Cranford has definitely convinced me to try more by this author. Show Less
LibraryThing member booksandwine
I suppose you probably want to know what exactly Cranford is about, eh? Well, there isn't really an overarching plot, rather, this is a series of connected, gentle vignettes about spinster ladies. I am pretty sure Cranford is to the 19th Century what Golden Girls are to my generation. It's
Show More
geriatric girl power. The only real difference is Cranford's Blanche is a whole lot more chaste, her name is Miss Matilda, Mattie for short. She doesn't actually hook up with anyone, but has a run-in with an old suitor, therefore she gets to be Blanche.The ladies of Cranford are all genteel, and super fab friends. They respect economy and look down on people who are flashy with their wealth. They socialize, deal with deaths, gossip, and write letters. Oh and hang out at tea. I thought the cast of characters I have met so far all seem to be interesting and well-developed. You get to know certain quirks, which makes them feel like people I may know in real life. For example, there is one scene where the lady feeds her dog, Carlos cream in his tea instead of milk, because he can tell the difference, yet she gives her guests milk in their tea instead of precious cream. I definitely know people who treat their dogs like that.And I guess, I will conclude my impressions of the first half of this book saying I enjoy reading about elderly, sassy ladies. Gaskell has a very easy going style in Cranford that makes it wonderful, before bed sort of read. Show Less
LibraryThing member knittingfreak
"In the first place, Cranford is in possession of the Amazons; all the holders of houses above a certain rent are women.
I love the first line of this book. The reader knows from the beginning that this is going to be a fun book. Elizabeth Gaskell doesn't disappoint. There are some men in the story,
The women all abide by a very strict code of propriety. For example, visiting hours are strictly kept to after twelve noon. It would be unheard of to come to a neighbor's home before this time. The women also practice what is called "elegant economy." They feel it vulgar to discuss money, and everyone pretends that they have more than they do. For instance, they pretend that they walk instead of getting a buggy because it's a beautiful night -- not because it's expensive. They want to keep at bay any appearance of impropriety, which also extends to their household help. The maids are forbidden to have "followers" or boyfriends. One exception to this is later in the book when Miss Matty is older and her sister has died. She allows her maid Martha to have a follower, although it still bothers her. It's as if these women are holding out against the changing times. But, eventually they begin to see that change comes to all of us no matter how hard we try to hold it at bay. This is a delightful little book. The women are eccentric, kind, funny, strong and yet vulnerable. I highly recommend this one.
I love the first line of this book. The reader knows from the beginning that this is going to be a fun book. Elizabeth Gaskell doesn't disappoint. There are some men in the story,
Show More
but they remain on the sidelines. They are not essential to the story. In fact, that's quite the premise of the book -- men aren't necessary. Considering that Gaskell wrote this book in the early 1850s, this is quite shocking. During her day, women were expected to be dependent upon men for everything. So, Gaskell does something quite out of character within the Victorian period by fleshing out these eccentric women who are quite independent. The book was first written and published in installments in Charles Dickens' Household Words beginning in December 1851. The book is written as a series of vignettes as we follow the women throughout their lives. There really is not much of a plot, but rather brief glimpses into the lives of these women.The women all abide by a very strict code of propriety. For example, visiting hours are strictly kept to after twelve noon. It would be unheard of to come to a neighbor's home before this time. The women also practice what is called "elegant economy." They feel it vulgar to discuss money, and everyone pretends that they have more than they do. For instance, they pretend that they walk instead of getting a buggy because it's a beautiful night -- not because it's expensive. They want to keep at bay any appearance of impropriety, which also extends to their household help. The maids are forbidden to have "followers" or boyfriends. One exception to this is later in the book when Miss Matty is older and her sister has died. She allows her maid Martha to have a follower, although it still bothers her. It's as if these women are holding out against the changing times. But, eventually they begin to see that change comes to all of us no matter how hard we try to hold it at bay. This is a delightful little book. The women are eccentric, kind, funny, strong and yet vulnerable. I highly recommend this one.
Show Less
LibraryThing member lit_chick
2009, Blackstone Audiobooks, Read by Nadia May
The charming Victorian town of Cranford is populated by a host of venerable female lovelies. Among them: Mary Smith, the narrator, who stays frequently with Miss Matty Jenkyns, the amiable and good-natured, if rather timid, old spinster – and my
And what the ladies do get up to over tea! Miss Deoborah and Captain Brown engage in a positively pretentious literary disagreement over the merits of Dickens and Dr Johnson. Miss Deborah, who considers “it vulgar, and below the dignity of literature to publish in numbers” (Ch 1), is appalled at the Captain’s regard for the contemporary The Pickwick Papers. And when the ladies have themselves convinced that Cranford’s homes are being “attacked” by robbers, they work themselves up to confessions of greatest fear: ghosts; criminals; and Miss Matty’s hilarious account of the proverbial monster-under-the-bed. But at its heart, Cranford is most importantly a novel about love and friendship. When Miss Matty’s livelihood is erased by the bad investments of her late father, her friends, and indeed all Cranford, rally to ensure she will be able to remain in her home. A plan is mutually agreed upon where she will sell tea from her parlour (very discreetly, of course, lest anyone should think that Miss Matilda Jenkyns stoop to engaging in the baseness of trade). Now, if only Miss Matty would refrain from attempting to promote her own failure:
“I left Miss Matty with a good heart. Her sales of tea during the first two days had surpassed my most sanguine expectations. The whole country round seemed to be all out of tea at once. The only alteration I could have desired in Miss Matty’s way of doing business was, that she should not have so plaintively entreated some of her customers not to buy green tea – running it down as a slow poison, sure to destroy the nerves, and produce all manner of evil. Their pertinacity in taking it, in spite of all her warnings, distressed her so much that I really thought she would relinquish the sale of it, and so lose half her custom; and I was driven to my wits’ end for instances of longevity entirely attributable to a persevering use of green tea.” (Ch 15)
While North and South remains my absolute favourite of Gaskell’s work, I thoroughly enjoyed Cranford. It is positively charming. Highly recommended.
The charming Victorian town of Cranford is populated by a host of venerable female lovelies. Among them: Mary Smith, the narrator, who stays frequently with Miss Matty Jenkyns, the amiable and good-natured, if rather timid, old spinster – and my
Show More
favourite character; Miss Deborah Jenkyns, Miss Matty’s imperious older sister, who dies early on in the novel; Miss Pole, allegedly the most enlightened (though I beg to differ) of the Cranford ladies; Mrs Jamieson, a mostly lethargic widow with aristocratic connections and the owner of the beloved dog, Carlo. Male characters, few but nonetheless entertaining, include the poor Captain Brown, who moves to Cranford with his two daughters; a creepy butler; a surgeon; and a travelling magician.And what the ladies do get up to over tea! Miss Deoborah and Captain Brown engage in a positively pretentious literary disagreement over the merits of Dickens and Dr Johnson. Miss Deborah, who considers “it vulgar, and below the dignity of literature to publish in numbers” (Ch 1), is appalled at the Captain’s regard for the contemporary The Pickwick Papers. And when the ladies have themselves convinced that Cranford’s homes are being “attacked” by robbers, they work themselves up to confessions of greatest fear: ghosts; criminals; and Miss Matty’s hilarious account of the proverbial monster-under-the-bed. But at its heart, Cranford is most importantly a novel about love and friendship. When Miss Matty’s livelihood is erased by the bad investments of her late father, her friends, and indeed all Cranford, rally to ensure she will be able to remain in her home. A plan is mutually agreed upon where she will sell tea from her parlour (very discreetly, of course, lest anyone should think that Miss Matilda Jenkyns stoop to engaging in the baseness of trade). Now, if only Miss Matty would refrain from attempting to promote her own failure:
“I left Miss Matty with a good heart. Her sales of tea during the first two days had surpassed my most sanguine expectations. The whole country round seemed to be all out of tea at once. The only alteration I could have desired in Miss Matty’s way of doing business was, that she should not have so plaintively entreated some of her customers not to buy green tea – running it down as a slow poison, sure to destroy the nerves, and produce all manner of evil. Their pertinacity in taking it, in spite of all her warnings, distressed her so much that I really thought she would relinquish the sale of it, and so lose half her custom; and I was driven to my wits’ end for instances of longevity entirely attributable to a persevering use of green tea.” (Ch 15)
While North and South remains my absolute favourite of Gaskell’s work, I thoroughly enjoyed Cranford. It is positively charming. Highly recommended.
Show Less
LibraryThing member bookworm12
I didn't love Cranford at first. It felt trivial and slow. But half way through the book I realized that I loved these characters, our narrator Miss Smith, the gossipy Miss Pole and most of all, the gentle, trusting Miss Matty.
The book is made up of 16 chapters; each chronicles a small event in
The chapter that finally hooked me was ch. 13 Stopped Payment. When a local bank has unexpected troubles we have a chance to see Miss Matty's goodness shine. She is so selfless in her concern for others that it broke my heart. Her sincere love for her friends and neighbors knows no bounds. When Miss Matty own finances seem dire, the dear ladies of Cranford come together to help her without her knowledge. That's the true heart of this sweet book, friendship that rises to the occasion, silently offering a shoulder to cry on or a hand to hold.
To me, this quote from Miss Pole summed up how the women of Cranford see themselves ...
"We, the ladies of Cranford, in my drawing-room assembled, can resolve upon something. I imagine we are none of us what may be called rich, though we all posses a genteel competency, sufficient for taste that are elegant and refined, and would not, if they could, be vulgarly ostentatious."
The book is made up of 16 chapters; each chronicles a small event in
Show More
the quiet English town of Cranford in the 1840s. The women in the town are a tight-knit group, skeptical of outsiders and protective of each other. There are many humorous sections with mistaken identities, misunderstandings and unneeded panic, but those aren't the sections that will stay with me in years to come. The chapter that finally hooked me was ch. 13 Stopped Payment. When a local bank has unexpected troubles we have a chance to see Miss Matty's goodness shine. She is so selfless in her concern for others that it broke my heart. Her sincere love for her friends and neighbors knows no bounds. When Miss Matty own finances seem dire, the dear ladies of Cranford come together to help her without her knowledge. That's the true heart of this sweet book, friendship that rises to the occasion, silently offering a shoulder to cry on or a hand to hold.
To me, this quote from Miss Pole summed up how the women of Cranford see themselves ...
"We, the ladies of Cranford, in my drawing-room assembled, can resolve upon something. I imagine we are none of us what may be called rich, though we all posses a genteel competency, sufficient for taste that are elegant and refined, and would not, if they could, be vulgarly ostentatious."
Show Less
LibraryThing member emanate28
Absolutely delightful! There's no sweeping plot, but little happenings and the comings and goings of the little village ladies were so humorously and lovingly depicted, that I couldn't put the book down. The characters are so lovable, despite of (or thanks to?) their foibles because at the bottom,
Show More
they care about each other. Funny that a book about elderly spinsters and widows would be so entertaining and engaging! I'm amazed that I'd never heard of Elizabeth Gaskell a long time ago. Show Less
LibraryThing member PensiveCat
A pleasant story that ends with a bank bust. Lots of quirky ladies involved, mostly with good hearts, and what's not to love about Miss Matty. It takes a while to find out the name of the narrator, and then it's done with little fanfare. A friendly counterpoint to all the Dickens I've been reading,
After I finished the book I watched the recent miniseries. It seems a few other Gaskell stories were incorporated into Cranford, and some of the plots were tweaked. Read the book first.
Show More
and well written too. Did I mention the tea business? After I finished the book I watched the recent miniseries. It seems a few other Gaskell stories were incorporated into Cranford, and some of the plots were tweaked. Read the book first.
Show Less
LibraryThing member FionaRobynIngram
Cranford is one of the better-known novels of the 19th century English writer Elizabeth Gaskell. It was first published in 1851 as a serial in the magazine Household Words, which was edited by Charles Dickens. The fictional town of Cranford is closely modelled on Knutsford in Cheshire, which Mrs.
But what is it about Cranford and its deceptively simple tales of country life that makes the work so appealing? It has been aptly described as ‘a piece of exquisite social painting’ … ‘tender’ and ‘delicate.’ Narrated by Mary Smith, a friend of Miss Matty and frequent visitor to Cranford, the lives, loves, tragedies, and triumphs of the inhabitants of Cranford are woven together seamlessly to create a tapestry portraying timeless emotions and choices.
The petty social bickering, cold shouldering and jockeying for importance in the village’s pecking order are outlined in a humorous yet pointed way—the author loves her characters, with all their faults, and is tolerant of their foibles while holding them up to gentle ridicule. In every community there is an arbiter of good taste, a setter of trends, a leader of public opinion, and all the other social whimsies that make up this colourful collection of characters. It is not easy to keep secrets in this closed environment, and as Mary Smith remarks, “It was impossible to live a month at Cranford, and not know the daily habits of each resident ….” Despite the squabbles and occasional ‘no speaks,’ the ladies of Cranford would rather die than see one of their own fall by the wayside. It is the community spirit that inspires Miss Matty’s friends to decide to donate a portion of their annual income to sustain their beloved friend when an investment goes sour.
As a different kind of history book and one that very possibly the author did not set out to write as such, Cranford is actually an analysis of an early Victorian country town. The inhabitants are shaken and disturbed by inevitable changes such as industrialization, the advent of the railway and other events that force an inescapable transition into an increasingly modern world.
The appeal of Cranford cannot be better described than in the popularity of the BBC drama series. The teleplay by Heidi Thomas was adapted from three novellas by Elizabeth Gaskell published between 1849 and 1858: Cranford, My Lady Ludlow, and Mr. Harrison's Confessions. (The Last Generation in England was also used as a source.)
A gentle, charming read, Cranford has much more to offer the discerning reader than a unassuming look at country life.
Show More
Gaskell knew well. The book has little in the way of plot and is more a series of episodes in the lives of Mary Smith and her friends, Miss Matty and Miss Deborah, two spinster sisters. But what is it about Cranford and its deceptively simple tales of country life that makes the work so appealing? It has been aptly described as ‘a piece of exquisite social painting’ … ‘tender’ and ‘delicate.’ Narrated by Mary Smith, a friend of Miss Matty and frequent visitor to Cranford, the lives, loves, tragedies, and triumphs of the inhabitants of Cranford are woven together seamlessly to create a tapestry portraying timeless emotions and choices.
The petty social bickering, cold shouldering and jockeying for importance in the village’s pecking order are outlined in a humorous yet pointed way—the author loves her characters, with all their faults, and is tolerant of their foibles while holding them up to gentle ridicule. In every community there is an arbiter of good taste, a setter of trends, a leader of public opinion, and all the other social whimsies that make up this colourful collection of characters. It is not easy to keep secrets in this closed environment, and as Mary Smith remarks, “It was impossible to live a month at Cranford, and not know the daily habits of each resident ….” Despite the squabbles and occasional ‘no speaks,’ the ladies of Cranford would rather die than see one of their own fall by the wayside. It is the community spirit that inspires Miss Matty’s friends to decide to donate a portion of their annual income to sustain their beloved friend when an investment goes sour.
As a different kind of history book and one that very possibly the author did not set out to write as such, Cranford is actually an analysis of an early Victorian country town. The inhabitants are shaken and disturbed by inevitable changes such as industrialization, the advent of the railway and other events that force an inescapable transition into an increasingly modern world.
The appeal of Cranford cannot be better described than in the popularity of the BBC drama series. The teleplay by Heidi Thomas was adapted from three novellas by Elizabeth Gaskell published between 1849 and 1858: Cranford, My Lady Ludlow, and Mr. Harrison's Confessions. (The Last Generation in England was also used as a source.)
A gentle, charming read, Cranford has much more to offer the discerning reader than a unassuming look at country life.
Show Less
LibraryThing member JBD1
Yet another of those books that, now I've read it, I wonder why on earth I didn't pick it up before. A deeply amusing and poignant look at a certain domestic milieu in mid-nineteenth-century England, told through a series of short vignettes.
LibraryThing member SLamkin
Funny and just plane woderful. This is a classic in its own right. Elizabeth Gaskell was able to capture small town life from her time in a way that transcends time.
LibraryThing member jmchshannon
Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell is one of those novels that really has no plot. There is no mystery. There is no real tension that keeps a reader engaged and absorbed. Rather, it is a series of vignettes about life in this little English village, focusing on a small group of friends and their
Cranford harkens back to a simpler time. Life moved slowly, and the villagers were isolated. Visitors from other towns were exciting. Visitors from other countries were completely exotic and grist for the gossip mill for months. It is a life that is unfathomable to the fast-paced, rapidly-shrinking world of today, which makes Cranford all the more special for its portrayal of this historical era.
Not only does Cranford describe a simpler time, it also describes simpler people, ones who concern themselves with their knitting, their charitable acts, their invitations for tea and polite card games, and their new hats or caps. They also worry about money, albeit in a very polite, very understated manner. In fact, one of Cranford’s main themes is the limitations and lack of options women, especially unmarried women, had at the time. Regardless of a reader’s opinion on the matter, the fact is that single women over a certain age without family money and/or male relatives found themselves with very few socially acceptable options to provide an income upon which they could live.
More than anything, though, Cranford showcases the Golden Rule in action. Miss Matty is the written embodiment of acting towards others as she would like to be treated. Everything about Cranford is old-fashioned, including the seeming lack of a main plot. Yet, the Golden Rule and examples of what it looks like in action never go out of style.
Cranford is a simple story with very little action. It meanders throughout the lives of the women in Cranford with no seeming connections. Modern readers used to fast-paced novels will be uncomfortable at the slow pace and lack of action. Yet, the simplicity of the story is what creates the story’s charm. Miss Matty’s genuine niceness will soften even the most cynical of modern readers. The pacing of the story is perfect for reading it one chapter at a time, allowing for a wonderful break from the breakneck speed of modernity. So, grab your hot beverage of choice and snuggle in for a charming, old-fashioned story that is meant to be enjoyed slowly.
Show More
“adventures” as they meander through life. While it may not be the most exciting of novels, there is something about these glimpses into genteel life that is utterly charming. Therein lies its power.Cranford harkens back to a simpler time. Life moved slowly, and the villagers were isolated. Visitors from other towns were exciting. Visitors from other countries were completely exotic and grist for the gossip mill for months. It is a life that is unfathomable to the fast-paced, rapidly-shrinking world of today, which makes Cranford all the more special for its portrayal of this historical era.
Not only does Cranford describe a simpler time, it also describes simpler people, ones who concern themselves with their knitting, their charitable acts, their invitations for tea and polite card games, and their new hats or caps. They also worry about money, albeit in a very polite, very understated manner. In fact, one of Cranford’s main themes is the limitations and lack of options women, especially unmarried women, had at the time. Regardless of a reader’s opinion on the matter, the fact is that single women over a certain age without family money and/or male relatives found themselves with very few socially acceptable options to provide an income upon which they could live.
More than anything, though, Cranford showcases the Golden Rule in action. Miss Matty is the written embodiment of acting towards others as she would like to be treated. Everything about Cranford is old-fashioned, including the seeming lack of a main plot. Yet, the Golden Rule and examples of what it looks like in action never go out of style.
Cranford is a simple story with very little action. It meanders throughout the lives of the women in Cranford with no seeming connections. Modern readers used to fast-paced novels will be uncomfortable at the slow pace and lack of action. Yet, the simplicity of the story is what creates the story’s charm. Miss Matty’s genuine niceness will soften even the most cynical of modern readers. The pacing of the story is perfect for reading it one chapter at a time, allowing for a wonderful break from the breakneck speed of modernity. So, grab your hot beverage of choice and snuggle in for a charming, old-fashioned story that is meant to be enjoyed slowly.
Show Less
LibraryThing member StoutHearted
Though the subject of the novel is a group of quaint, elderly ladies bent on manners and morality, the wit is sharp, the storytelling endearing, and the humor raucously funny. In fact, the humor took me completely by surprise. From the clueless old woman who take advice given in jest literally and
The town of Cranford is "ruled" by spinster sisters Deborah and Matty Jenkins, Miss Pole, and widows Mrs. Jamieson and Mrs. Forrester. The women live in genteel poverty, valuing their social positions above monetary wealth. Wearing an outdated dress is no matter, but heaven help a woman who marries below her station!
The book moves along in chronological order without a major plot. Instead, we are given 16 chapters of Cranford life: their highs, their lows, their triumphs,and their faults. We are left with a charming portraiture of village life and of characters we would not mind knowing better.
An absolute must-read. I knew before I finished the fist chapter that this book would be a favorite.
Show More
dresses up her cow in grey flannel, to the maid forbidden to take followers who insists she never takes on more than one at a time, every page presents one hilarious comment and eccentricity after another. But the novel doesn't cross the line and mocks its own characters; it balances well sweet, endearing moments with the laughter.The town of Cranford is "ruled" by spinster sisters Deborah and Matty Jenkins, Miss Pole, and widows Mrs. Jamieson and Mrs. Forrester. The women live in genteel poverty, valuing their social positions above monetary wealth. Wearing an outdated dress is no matter, but heaven help a woman who marries below her station!
The book moves along in chronological order without a major plot. Instead, we are given 16 chapters of Cranford life: their highs, their lows, their triumphs,and their faults. We are left with a charming portraiture of village life and of characters we would not mind knowing better.
An absolute must-read. I knew before I finished the fist chapter that this book would be a favorite.
Show Less
LibraryThing member mreed61
This was a fair read and easy for the start of the new year. Now I know, though, why I didn't give Elizabeth Gaskell much of a toss at university. It speaks to the importance of hierarchy in those days, and I daresay it still occurred in small towns for decades to come. Many writers spoke of these
Show More
same things in those days. Some wrote better. I actually grew up in a small town in the U.S. Midwest with these same ideals, though, and in what was considered the "upper crust" in society. I think, in some ways, it just never changes. Show Less
LibraryThing member Lyndatrue
What an astonishing gift this book is! I'd not heard of Elizabeth Gaskell before seeing this book in an estate auction, and she is a remarkably capable author. I may seek out more books by her. This one is especially interesting, since it contains a preface written by William Makepeace Thackeray's
Mrs. Gaskell excelled in portraits of the people of her time, and it's wonderful to have this insightful little volume.
I bought it for the celluloid cover, which is in almost perfect condition (I have another book with this same after market cover, and have seen others). It still retains some of the original detail work, and even faint traces of the gilding.
I am very happy to discover that the inside is just as lovely as the cover.
Show More
daughter, Anne.Mrs. Gaskell excelled in portraits of the people of her time, and it's wonderful to have this insightful little volume.
I bought it for the celluloid cover, which is in almost perfect condition (I have another book with this same after market cover, and have seen others). It still retains some of the original detail work, and even faint traces of the gilding.
I am very happy to discover that the inside is just as lovely as the cover.
Show Less
LibraryThing member charlie68
A heart tugging book about a group of ladies in the early nineteenth century. A fascinating look into this era.
LibraryThing member Prairieblossom
I only started reading Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell as it was the book of the month in my bookgroup and I had a copy sitting on my bookshelf. It had been there for more years than I care to think about and I needed this prompt to start me reading otherwise it would have remained unread and unloved
Cranford showcases the lives of a group of women living in a small country town in Northern England during the mid C1800s. The women are all single, either unmarried or widowed. They belong to a social class that disapproves of women who work for a living, however these women do not have enough income to take life easy and must consider carefully how every penny is spent while keeping up the appearance of not having a care in the world regarding money.
The story centres around Miss Matty and is told in a series of brief episodes that confirm that all life can be observed in a small country town. It is told with obvious affection for Miss Matty and at times it is extremely amusing with a great deal of subtle humour. At other moments it is serious such as when the bank Miss Matty has entrusted with her lifesavings becomes bankrupt. The effect this has on Miss Matty and the way her friends come to her aid is incredibly moving but serves to emphasise the strict rules that governed the behaviour of women of that time.
I very much recommend that you get hold of this book and read it as soon as you can. If all the five star reviews on various book blogs haven’t persuaded you to part with your money this book is available as a free download from most major online book retailers and it is worth the effort to get hold of.
Show More
forever which would have been a great pity.Cranford showcases the lives of a group of women living in a small country town in Northern England during the mid C1800s. The women are all single, either unmarried or widowed. They belong to a social class that disapproves of women who work for a living, however these women do not have enough income to take life easy and must consider carefully how every penny is spent while keeping up the appearance of not having a care in the world regarding money.
The story centres around Miss Matty and is told in a series of brief episodes that confirm that all life can be observed in a small country town. It is told with obvious affection for Miss Matty and at times it is extremely amusing with a great deal of subtle humour. At other moments it is serious such as when the bank Miss Matty has entrusted with her lifesavings becomes bankrupt. The effect this has on Miss Matty and the way her friends come to her aid is incredibly moving but serves to emphasise the strict rules that governed the behaviour of women of that time.
I very much recommend that you get hold of this book and read it as soon as you can. If all the five star reviews on various book blogs haven’t persuaded you to part with your money this book is available as a free download from most major online book retailers and it is worth the effort to get hold of.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Kasthu
Last winter, I rented Cranford, the BBC miniseries (starring Judi Dench), from Netflix—and that got me interested in the book on which that’s based. The book is a series of vignettes about the ladies of the town of Cranford, many of whom are elderly spinsters like Miss Matty Jenkyns and her
This short story differs significantly from the miniseries; the miniseries focuses a lot on the encroachment of the railways on the town of Cranford, and there’s a romantic subplot going on there. The book is much more centered on the middle-aged and elderly ladies of the town, as seen through a semi-outsider, Miss Mary Smith, the daughter of a family friend of the Jenkynses.
As another reviewer said on Librarything, reading about the ladies of Cranford is a lot like reading about the Golden Girls. This is a very lighthearted, funny book in many places, but still very touching. The ladies are very provincial, focused on the mundane details of their lives—but very loyal to one another, as seen when Matty looses her money and her friends conspire to help her out. It took a few pages for me to get into the story, but once I did, I was fully engaged in the lives of the characters in this book.
Show More
sister Deborah, or Miss Pole (much as I tried not to, I kept seeing Judi Dench and Imelda Staunton in the roles of Miss Matty and Miss Pole).This short story differs significantly from the miniseries; the miniseries focuses a lot on the encroachment of the railways on the town of Cranford, and there’s a romantic subplot going on there. The book is much more centered on the middle-aged and elderly ladies of the town, as seen through a semi-outsider, Miss Mary Smith, the daughter of a family friend of the Jenkynses.
As another reviewer said on Librarything, reading about the ladies of Cranford is a lot like reading about the Golden Girls. This is a very lighthearted, funny book in many places, but still very touching. The ladies are very provincial, focused on the mundane details of their lives—but very loyal to one another, as seen when Matty looses her money and her friends conspire to help her out. It took a few pages for me to get into the story, but once I did, I was fully engaged in the lives of the characters in this book.
Show Less
LibraryThing member TrishNYC
Absolutely lovely book!!! I loved every second of it and I was sad to leave Cranford when it was over. The village of Cranford is a place that is oddly overpopulated with middle age women. The women here would not dare think of themselves as equal to men, they believe themselves superior to men!!
Show More
The women for the most part are all "genteel poor", as in they all have a claim to some form of respectability. Their lack of funds is never spoken of and to broach such a subject would be considered vulgar. This book is a delight and I would highly recommend it especially to anyone who liked Gaskell's other work, North and South. This book is much "lighter" than North and South in its subject matter and deals peripherally with the coming industrial revolution. Show Less
LibraryThing member leahmichele
I was inspired to read Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell after watching the PBS/BBC miniseries last year. The town of Cranford is dominated by women. There are relatively few men, at least in the social circle of the characters in this book. The main characters are all single, either spinsters or
The book, originally published serially in 1853 in Charles Dickens' magazine Household Words, is a series of vignettes of the daily life of Miss Mathilda Jenkyns. This book is definitely character driven and starts off slow. Nothing truly exciting ever happens in Cranford and you have to get to know the characters before you understand how small disruptions can make huge waves in their lives. Gaskell manages to convey how important small events are to these characters. You get the sense that if anything big ever happened they'd die from the shock. The narrator, Mary Smith, a frequent (and slightly more worldly) visitor to the town tries to keep molehills from turning into mountains and for the most part is successful. But, sometimes even she gets sucked into the daily drama.
Fans of the miniseries might be disappointed with the book. Many of the funniest storylines from the series are added. But, the loyalty and friendship the characters display towards each other should endear this book to all but the most jaded reader.
Show More
widows, and they fiercely guard their way of life.The book, originally published serially in 1853 in Charles Dickens' magazine Household Words, is a series of vignettes of the daily life of Miss Mathilda Jenkyns. This book is definitely character driven and starts off slow. Nothing truly exciting ever happens in Cranford and you have to get to know the characters before you understand how small disruptions can make huge waves in their lives. Gaskell manages to convey how important small events are to these characters. You get the sense that if anything big ever happened they'd die from the shock. The narrator, Mary Smith, a frequent (and slightly more worldly) visitor to the town tries to keep molehills from turning into mountains and for the most part is successful. But, sometimes even she gets sucked into the daily drama.
Fans of the miniseries might be disappointed with the book. Many of the funniest storylines from the series are added. But, the loyalty and friendship the characters display towards each other should endear this book to all but the most jaded reader.
Show Less
LibraryThing member KimMR
What a gorgeous book. After years of avoiding Victorian literature, in the past twelve months I've fallen in love with Gaskell's writing. This is a short work: more a series of episodes than a linear narrative. It centres on the lives of a group of women who dominate society in the small town of
Show More
Cranford. They are united by being single - widows and spinsters - and by the fact that live in genteel poverty. Cranford is at times laugh-out-loud funny, at times deeply moving. Within five minutes of starting the novel I was laughing at the gentle satire on human foibles and life in a small town. Forty minutes later, I was crying about the death of one of the characters. The pattern of alternating laughter and tears continued until the very end. At least, the tears don't last quite till the end: it's a book which thankfully ends on a happy note. Cranford is sentimental, but not cloyingly so. The humour cuts through the sentiment, while making the sad moments even more poignant.
The novel is a first person narrative in the form of a memoir. Relatively little is revealed about the narrator, although more becomes known about her as the novel progresses. The narrator is herself a lovely character, although the real star of the novel is the wonderful Miss Matty Jenkyns. I love Miss Matty and I loved spending time in Cranford. I'm particularly happy to have listened to the Naxos audiobook version, superbly narrated by Clare Wille. Now I have to watch the BBC television series and see how it measures up to the original. This is a 4-1/2 star read.
Show Less
LibraryThing member cbl_tn
What if Lizzie and Jane hadn't met Darcy and Bingley, or if Elinor and Marianne hadn't met Edward and Colonel Brandon? A few decades later they might have ended up in Elizabeth Gaskell's Cranford, a village whose society consists almost entirely of spinsters and widows. Cranford is a deceptively
Show More
simple novel, yet it has much to say about domestic life in mid-19th century England, and particularly the difficulties unmarried women faced in meeting society's expectations while living on fixed incomes. If you've read Jane Austen and haven't yet discovered Elizabeth Gaskell, I recommend that you give her a try. I don't think you'll be disappointed. Show Less
LibraryThing member missizicks
Cranford is a warm, gently wry look at provincial life in the mid 19th century. On the surface, whimsical and twee, but underneath are knowing winks and nods to the foolish vanity of polite society. Elizabeth Gaskell loves her characters generously, and her ribbing is never other than gentle. Some
The book has a big heart. Miss Matty is the focus of everyone's concern and is the gentlest soul who brings out the good in others.
The structure of society, particularly the hierarchies of social standing, are simultaneously important to Cranford's residents and rules to be broken, with the genteel mixing with their servants quite happily. Intrigues and squabbles between the ladies who think themselves grander than they are, are described with a warm humour. Elizabeth Gaskell seems to be winking at us through the pages.
The book is set in the period I deal with at work, and gives a different view to that of commerce and innovation found in the records I look after. This is a society predominantly made up of women, and retired women at that. The narrator is a young woman who divides her time between Cranford and Drumble, the nearest large town. Drumble is based on the city where I work. As an almost outsider, the narrator is able to view the oddness of Cranford society with a twinkle in her eye, and others who appear in the village having experienced life elsewhere do the same.
Nostalgia can be a strange thing. The book made me nostalgic for something I have never known - the quiet life in a village at a period of great economic and social change, where life continues quietly, and residents are often unaware of the kind of events taking place in cities that would eventually bring in the modern era. It isn't a sentimental nostalgia, either. There are no rose tinted spectacles. It is a snapshot of a particular way of life at a particular time in history.
Show More
characters are innocent of the hardness of life, others choose not to acknowledge it.The book has a big heart. Miss Matty is the focus of everyone's concern and is the gentlest soul who brings out the good in others.
The structure of society, particularly the hierarchies of social standing, are simultaneously important to Cranford's residents and rules to be broken, with the genteel mixing with their servants quite happily. Intrigues and squabbles between the ladies who think themselves grander than they are, are described with a warm humour. Elizabeth Gaskell seems to be winking at us through the pages.
The book is set in the period I deal with at work, and gives a different view to that of commerce and innovation found in the records I look after. This is a society predominantly made up of women, and retired women at that. The narrator is a young woman who divides her time between Cranford and Drumble, the nearest large town. Drumble is based on the city where I work. As an almost outsider, the narrator is able to view the oddness of Cranford society with a twinkle in her eye, and others who appear in the village having experienced life elsewhere do the same.
Nostalgia can be a strange thing. The book made me nostalgic for something I have never known - the quiet life in a village at a period of great economic and social change, where life continues quietly, and residents are often unaware of the kind of events taking place in cities that would eventually bring in the modern era. It isn't a sentimental nostalgia, either. There are no rose tinted spectacles. It is a snapshot of a particular way of life at a particular time in history.
Show Less
LibraryThing member scatterall
This book reads as if the author were a little distracted writing it; there are definite threads and themes, but not a lot of structure, and it ends rather abruptly, otherwise I would rate it higher.
This is one of those books that takes you into the private homes and lives of another time. If you
This is one of those books that takes you into the private homes and lives of another time. If you
Show More
love Jane Austen, this book could be viewed as a portrait of the widows and spinsters so many of her less fortunate characters would be in another 20 years or more. Men are secondary characters, when they appear at all. "Elegant" ladies of limited means, described to us by a visiting younger woman relation, concerned with household economies, reputation, and social status, sparring with each other, supporting each other, showing painful strength of character, as many of them they face all their social constraints, disappointments, poverty, and personal loss. Despite all that it's often a cheerful and funny book. Show Less
LibraryThing member Romonko
These little stories are about life and love in the mid-nineteenth century. This book was first printed as serials as so many books were at that time. By the time Mrs. Gaskell wrote Cranford, she was extremely popular with the English people. This book is essentially a comedy of manners. The people
Show More
in Cranford live genteelly and they are very proud of that fact even if they don't have much money. The book is about four old ladies and the life they lead. Mrs. Gaskell's characterizations are wonderful. Their lives consist of tea, cards and gossip. This is a book about ladies. There are very few men in it, but we certainly get a good description of the male species from the ladies' observations. It's a wonderful world that Mrs. Gaskell has created for us. Come and meet the wonderful ladies of Cranford. Show Less
LibraryThing member littlebookworm
Cranford is a story that is hard to describe. The little town of Cranford is populated mainly by older women, mostly single or widowed. There are a few men about, but they are largely of a lower class, whereas many of the women consider themselves of gentle birth and do their best to act
This was not at all what I’d expected from it, and not in a bad way at all. My previous experiences with Gaskell consisted of North and South and Mary Barton, which are both very concerned with the rise of industrialism in the north. Cranford is much more a picture of genteel life as it might have been during Gaskell’s lifetime, in a small town where women rule all. Each of the women is made distinct by her own actions as they socialize, like Mrs. Jamieson who is a complete snob, the elder Miss Jenkyns whose sternness overrides any other aspects of her personality, and Miss Matty, a sweet woman who is too easily led by everyone around her.
There is no real plot here. The chapters can almost be seen as a series of little stories regarding the inhabitants of Cranford, tied together by Miss Matty’s presence. There is a general movement towards what happens at the end but it isn’t compelling reading; this is a book to live in, to get to know the characters, to begin to care about what happens to them. It’s short, but it accomplishes these goals with ease and opens a window into life as it was. I was reminded mainly of a more sedate Jane Austen, less concerned with irony and overall plot but still depicting a genuine picture of an upper class society and its ills. She does still use humor to depict the ridiculousness of their situations; my favorite is when one of characters is complimented on her lace and launches into a story of how it had a little trip through her cat’s digestive system! I liked the book and I was completely charmed by it, but this isn’t a book for the impatient among us.
Cranford reminded me of how much I adore nineteenth century literature. There is something so inherently appealing in Gaskell’s style, in the modest but earnest ways of her characters, and in the quiet community life that they all share. I can’t say this is a world I’d ever want to live in, but I definitely loved visiting.
Show More
accordingly, especially Mrs. Jamieson, the town’s matriarch. The book revolves around Mary Smith, a frequent visitor to Cranford who often stays with the Jenkyns sisters, two unmarried older women who enjoy some status as children of the late rector. Most of the chapters, however, center in on Miss Matty, the younger of the sisters, whose gentle heart endears her to the entire town.This was not at all what I’d expected from it, and not in a bad way at all. My previous experiences with Gaskell consisted of North and South and Mary Barton, which are both very concerned with the rise of industrialism in the north. Cranford is much more a picture of genteel life as it might have been during Gaskell’s lifetime, in a small town where women rule all. Each of the women is made distinct by her own actions as they socialize, like Mrs. Jamieson who is a complete snob, the elder Miss Jenkyns whose sternness overrides any other aspects of her personality, and Miss Matty, a sweet woman who is too easily led by everyone around her.
There is no real plot here. The chapters can almost be seen as a series of little stories regarding the inhabitants of Cranford, tied together by Miss Matty’s presence. There is a general movement towards what happens at the end but it isn’t compelling reading; this is a book to live in, to get to know the characters, to begin to care about what happens to them. It’s short, but it accomplishes these goals with ease and opens a window into life as it was. I was reminded mainly of a more sedate Jane Austen, less concerned with irony and overall plot but still depicting a genuine picture of an upper class society and its ills. She does still use humor to depict the ridiculousness of their situations; my favorite is when one of characters is complimented on her lace and launches into a story of how it had a little trip through her cat’s digestive system! I liked the book and I was completely charmed by it, but this isn’t a book for the impatient among us.
Cranford reminded me of how much I adore nineteenth century literature. There is something so inherently appealing in Gaskell’s style, in the modest but earnest ways of her characters, and in the quiet community life that they all share. I can’t say this is a world I’d ever want to live in, but I definitely loved visiting.
Show Less
Subjects
Awards
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1851
Physical description
144 p.; 8.5 inches
ISBN
9780486426815
UPC
800759426812