What one reviewer at amazon said about Cranford:
Orginally published in Charles Dickens' magazine Household Words, _Cranford_is in fact a collection of stories about the people (mostly women)'s lives in a city called Cranford in the 19th century. It is said to be Mrs. Gaskell's most popular book, and the only book that Mrs. Gaskell herself would want to re-read again. This book is indeed full of funny, ridiculous and heartwarming stories about some old-fashioned but really friendly and kind-hearted women (mostly old maids or widows) living in this little town called Cranford. I think Mrs. Gaskell did a good job in bring up themes like the confrontation of the old and new world, the comparsion between the life in an industrial city like Drumble (believed to be based on Manchester) and the little tranquil town Cranford. If you are interested in Victorian Literature, this is one of the few relaxing novels belonging to that period that is definitely worth a reading!
Download Cranford from Project Gutenberg
or find a hard copy