1913; "With Illustrations in Colour by H.M. Brock, R.I."; J.B. Lippincott Company publishers, London; "Printed by Ballantyne, Hanson & Co. At the Ballantyne Press, Edinburgh"; hardbound in blue boards; very good condition with unmarked pages and minimal page ageing; spine has minor wear/tear (pic); no dust jacket.
 
description -
'It is very pleasant dining with a bachelor...I only hope it is not improper; so many pleasant things are!'

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.