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...