Cranford
Cranford is a small town in the north of England "in possession of the Amazons," where the genteel ladies of limited income keep up appearances, regulate visiting hours and regard men as something to be tolerated. The narrator, Mary Smith, visits from the industrial city nearby and reports on the household of the Jenkyns sisters: Miss Deborah, who models her letters on Dr. Johnson, and the timid, kind Miss Matty. A retired captain who reads Dickens in public, a traveling conjuror, a bank failure and a brother lost long ago in India supply what plot there is. Gaskell published the sketches in Dickens's Household Words from 1851 and as a book in 1853, drawing on Knutsford, where she grew up. Read it online in your browser on Vinteuil; the first chapter is free.
Start reading right away, without signing up. The complete text is included in Vinteuil Reading, or yours forever with a one-time purchase.
Frequently asked questions about Cranford
Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell can be read online on Vinteuil, directly in your browser. The first chapter is free for everyone; the complete book is included in Vinteuil Reading ($4.99/month or $39.99/year) or yours forever for $2.99.
Can I read Cranford online?
Yes. Cranford opens right on this page, in a reader designed for long reading: adjustable text size, light, sepia and dark themes, a clickable table of contents and your place saved when you are signed in. No download or app is needed.
Is Cranford free to read on Vinteuil?
The first chapter of Cranford is free, without an account. To read the whole book, either buy its online reading for $2.99 (£2.99 in the UK) and keep it forever, or subscribe to Vinteuil Reading for $4.99/month (£4.99/month in the UK) or $39.99/year, with 1 month free for new subscribers. The subscription opens every book in the library and can be cancelled at any time.
Is Cranford in the public domain?
Yes. Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell is a public-domain work. Vinteuil offers a carefully prepared digital edition made for comfortable reading on screen.
How long does it take to read Cranford?
About 4 h 44 min of reading, at an average reading pace. Your place is saved automatically when you are signed in, so you can read in several sittings and on several devices.
What kind of book is Cranford?
Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell is filed under "Fiction" in the Vinteuil library.
