The Classics Club: Cranford
Cranford Originally published: 1851; 1853 (originally serialized in Charles Dickens' magazine, Household Words, then published as a novel) Author: Elizabeth Gaskell Format used: audiobook published by Tantor Media (2010) and physical book: Penguin (2005) Length: 6.5 hours; 187 pages
Summary The charming adventures of the residents of the rural English town called Cranford. The narrator, Miss Mary Smith, has moved to a town near Cranford, but visits her friends often, specifically the sweet Miss Matty Jenkyns. A quiet country town dominated by women and governed by old-fashioned habits and rules, this is a slow-paced, dialogue-heavy classic. Don't get me wrong: there are plenty of exciting things that stir up the Cranford gossip mill, including a mysterious magician coming to town, possible burglaries, long-lost relatives, and tragic accidents. But it is not as plot-heavy as other Victorian classics. Instead, it is a collection of vignettes, originally published separately in C…
Summary The charming adventures of the residents of the rural English town called Cranford. The narrator, Miss Mary Smith, has moved to a town near Cranford, but visits her friends often, specifically the sweet Miss Matty Jenkyns. A quiet country town dominated by women and governed by old-fashioned habits and rules, this is a slow-paced, dialogue-heavy classic. Don't get me wrong: there are plenty of exciting things that stir up the Cranford gossip mill, including a mysterious magician coming to town, possible burglaries, long-lost relatives, and tragic accidents. But it is not as plot-heavy as other Victorian classics. Instead, it is a collection of vignettes, originally published separately in C…
