Mrs Gaskell : Haunts, Homes, and Stories

Published in 1913, Esther Alice Chadwick's engaging biography of Elizabeth Gaskell was the first of its kind and hugely popular. Drawing on a wealth of painstaking research, this illustrated revised edition paints a fascinating portrait of a novelist balancing the often conflicting roles of high intellectual and maternal housekeeper.

Elizabeth Gaskell (1810–65) lost her mother at an early age and was sent to live with her aunt in Knutsford, a country town outside Manchester which is often thought to bear a notable resemblance to the fictional Cranford. In this engaging biography, Esther Alice Chadwick (1862–1929) shows how many historical facts of Gaskell's life influenced her novels and stories - from the character of her home town to the sudden disappearance of her brother in India. Originally published in 1910, this was the first full biography of the author; the revised edition of 1913 is reissued here. It includes additional research, illustrations, and excerpts from Gaskell's letters, which provide a touching glimpse into the life of a writer who often felt herself torn between her intellectual and domestic duties. Still a major source for modern biographies, Chadwick's book remains an authoritative source for scholars and students of English literature.