Elizabeth Gaskell was an English author, one of the most beloved and critically acclaimed novelists of Victorian literature, whose works offer a detailed portrait of the lives of many strata of contemporary society. Her literary legacy includes six novels, several short stories and non-fictional pieces, as well as the first biography of Charlotte Bronte. 
Published in 1857, this book is the posthumous biography of Charlotte Brontë. Gaskell was Charlotte's close friend in the last years of her life; after her death, she investigated Charlotte's childhood, family and writing. Her aim was to let Charlotte speak for herself through her letters, but she had a further goal: to defend her against the charge of "coarseness" leveled at her work. The result is one of the most atmospheric and perceptive biographies ever written, and a powerful tribute from one writer to another. Enjoy the reading.