An interesting epistolatory novel from Jane Austen. However, I must say that I do not like it as much as her other works.
A lovely and sentimental account of C. Bronte by a contemporary. It is of great historical interest as well, to see one of the foremost women novelists of that era write about another.
North and South represents quintessential Gaskell in many ways. There is strong realism in her characters and the depiction of the conditions of England. Along with Dickens, Ms. Gaskell remains one of the most potent critics and observers of Victorian England.
Almost alone among all major Victorian novelists, Ms. Gaskell deals with the lives of the poor and downtrodden - their lives, hopes, etc. While there have been better writers, few depict rural England in a more realistic manner than Elizabeth Gaskell.