Elizabeth Gaskell? Great topic!

1) How were you first introduced to Gaskell? BBC!
2) What books/adaptations have you read/seen? I haven't read any of Gaskell's work. But I've seen the recent BBC versions of Cranford, North and South, and Wives and Daughters.
3) Which are your favourites? I liked North and South the best. The plot was interesting. The acting was excellent. And the music and cinematography? Wow! I want to read this book the most, whenever I find the time.

Hurray!

Mrs. Gaskell is one of my favourite authors in general- I love her writing. I was first introduced to her through Cranford when it first aired on PBS in May '08. Shortly after that, and after warm recommendations from NarniaWebbers here, I read North and South and Wives and Daughters. I received the mini-series adaptation of North and South for my birthday that year, and watched it and loved it, although I still like the book better. My folks had bought the three film set of Mrs. Gaskell's work which included Wives and Daughters and Cranford, which I'm very glad to own, since I liked all of them so much. This past year I read Mary Barton My Lady Ludlow, Dr. Harrison's Confessions, and also several of her short stories including Cousin Phillis, which I liked the best of them with Dr. Harrison's Confessions. The others were alright, but not my favourites.

I believe my favourites of all that I've read of her work are Mary Barton and North and South. I was introduced to the more industrial parts of Northern England through these stories, and I personally find them, and the stories of the people who worked in the factories and lived in poor conditions fascinating, while still being somewhat sad. I like how each of these two novels that I mentioned above deal with the poor, how they lived, what struggles they faced, and etc. To me it's really interesting.

So! I'm really looking forwards to Cranford 2 that will be playing in a few weeks, it ought to be quite good.

Not read any of her books,
but I did see the mini series of North and South and thought it was great.
It was recommended to me and I gotta say, definitely worth the watching.

Am I allowed to be a little fan-girl crazy about the movies based on Elizabeth Gaskell books??

Please?

Thanks!

I SIMPLY ADORE ALL THE MOVIES MADE FROM HER BOOKS! THEY ARE DEFINITELY ALL TIME FAVORITES!!!! THE BEST!!!

There I'm done

I really can't pick a favorite out of W&D N&S and Cranford. I guess I could say that my favorite couple are Roger and Molly (Roger is sort of stupid for a while there, but it's impossible not to love him) my favorite supporting characters are Cranford (how can you not love "I have spinster carved on my bones!"?) and my favorite story line is North & South.

I've heard a lot of people compare North & South to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, I can see some slight similarities, but people have gone as far as to call it a rip off! What do you think?

1) How were you first introduced to Gaskell? A friend got a copy of the movie "Wives & Daughters" and lent it to my family after she saw it...it was my first taste of Gaskell...we loved it, so my sister got the book, and that was my first taste of her books. Kinda branched off from there.

2) What books/adaptations have you read/seen? Books: Wives & Daughters, North & South, Cranford, Dr. Harrison's Confessions, Mary Barton, My Lady Ludlow, and a couple of her short stories...can't remember the titles to those. Movies: Wives & Daughters, North & South, and Cranford.

3) Which are your favourites? My favorites...hmm...for books, "North & South", "Wives & Daughters", and "Cranford. For movies: probably "North & South".

I've heard a lot of people compare North & South to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, I can see some slight similarities, but people have gone as far as to call it a rip off! What do you think?

I personally agree with you- there are some things that look the same or sound the same when one reads a simple, pretty detail-bare synopsis or plot outline, but when one actually reads the book there's enough differences to the book, characters and storyline itself that I think called it a rip off is just a little too far. And besides- aren't there only 8 general plot lines in the world anyways? Or something like that. Pride and Prejudice and North and South each have much merit of their own, and are different enough to be entertaining and good without causing one to always think of the other book.

I noticed the similarities between Pride and Prejudice and North and South myself when I first saw the latter. But they are very different in tone and emphasis. Austen is intent on humor while still making social commentary. Gaskell's book isn't funny in the least, and is much more concerned with the plight of the poor and the rising industrialization of England, with all its implications for the working class. When you strip down both stories to their bare bones, yes, they're similar: woman meets man, both misjudge the other, yet they are attracted to one another, crisis ensues, woman and man get over their misunderstanding, learn to respect each other, and realize they are in love. On that level, yes, they are the same. But the way the plot is dressed and the differing emphases of the authors make them feel very different indeed.

I first came to know of Gaskell through someone here (Marrim? Ivy? HelloCentral? one of them) highly recommending the miniseries Wives and Daughters. I borrowed it from the library and watched it by myself one lazy Sunday afternoon. My husband (who was not yet fully converted to the joys of BBC period miniseries at that point) wandered in when I had about a half-hour to go, got interested, and wanted me to start it all over. As if! I finished it, and then we ended up watching it again over the next two nights. I watched it twice in three days, and thoroughly enjoyed every minute

Later, when I read the book, I loved that as well. In a way I'm glad I saw the miniseries first, because Gaskell died before she could finish the book and it ends so abruptly. And the miniseries is so well done, just about perfect in every detail, that it is a fitting representation of the work. This is rare praise coming from a purist like myself!

I have also enjoyed the miniseries of North and South. It really does have the loveliest score, and is so well put together and acted. The book is great as well.

I enjoyed the Cranford miniseries, but I have not yet read the book. And I didn't know until recently that they made a second one! I'm going to have to look that up.

I've also read her Gothic Tales (reviewed here).

Mary Barton is probably the next Gaskell I will read. I'm always sorry to near the end of a good author's works...

Just when I was talking to my mom about reading more classics especially Gaskell, I come into the SpareOom to see a special feature staring who? Elizabeth Gaskell.

1) How were you first introduced to Gaskell? I believe the first time I was ever able to watch/read her works was North and South mini series (though I might have watched Wives and Daughters before this). To my recollection, North and South was the only acceptable movie in the Walmart shelves at the time, and we despretely needed to buy a movie for family movie night. I actually thought at first that it was a movie dealing with the Civil War (due to the title) and was much surprised when the actors began speaking with English accents. After getting over this shock, I fell in love with the movie and, like always, I wanted to read the book from which it had been adapted. Mom just happened to have it sitting on a bookshelf, never been read. I fell in love with the book instantly.

2) What books/adaptations have you read/seen? I've seen and read North and South, and watched Wives and Daughters. I didn't exactly enjoy the later, I found it rather slow. But that was several years ago, and I might enjoy it better now that I'm used to the BBC slow miniseries type of movies.

3) Which are your favourites? It's a hard choice between the book and movie North and South. I love the changes they made for the movie; it works really well on screen. But they also cut out some really great bits of the book.

North and South's main male character (Mr. Thorton), is introduced in a bad light. Yet, deeper into the story, he becomes better and better in Margaret's eyes. What do you think of the movie adaptation of this progression, versus the book? In the book, Margaret takes a disliking to Thorton for no reason, but in the movie she finds him beating up a man. Which is better for telling the story? and which is easier to recompense?

I swear, these author Special Features must be chosen with the sole purpose of shaming me. Unfortunately, I've yet to read any of Mrs. Gaskell's novels, but I certainly plan on doing so. Wives and Daughter is quite high on my to-read list, and I also picked up the most beautiful hardbound copy of Cranford and Mary Barton this past summer, which I believe dates from 1900. The miniseries based on Wives and Daughters, North and Sorth, and Cranford all look amazing. I'm the opposite from wisewoman ... I'm just beginning, and am relishing the prospect of the journey before me.

One last item:

I enjoyed the Cranford miniseries, but I have not yet read the book.

Then how in the world were you able to review it?

Just because an author is dead or a book can be labeled as a 'classic' does not mean that everyone knows how it goes!

So true! At least, with some classics in particular I didn't want to "know how it goes" before I'd read them, but alas...since the plots and characters are treated like common knowledge I am nearly always spoilered.

Anyway, I was first introduced to Gaskell thanks to this forum...I read Wives and Daughters first and then watched the miniseries and loved both. Over the summer I read North and South...I liked that one rather less (I think it was all the dingy, miserable settings and all the tragic events one after another in it) but one of my favorite parts of the book was the relationship between John Thornton and his mother. Gaskell is so deft at weaving realistic relationships, I thought.

I'm not familiar with others written by Gaskell, any recommendations?

Grrrr! What I meant was, I have not yet finished that volume (which also includes Cousin Phillis), and the other books that were adapted to create the the Cranford miniseries, My Lady Ludlow and Mr Harrison's Confessions.

Woohoo, kotwcs is back!

Please note that this SF will be closed this Wednesday evening, after which you may continue to discuss Gaskell in the Books thread.