North and South

Designed to appeal to the book lover, the Macmillan Collector's Library is a series of beautifully bound pocket-sized gift editions of much loved classic titles. Bound in real cloth, printed on high quality paper, and featuring ribbon markers and gilt edges, Macmillan Collector's Library are books to love and treasure.
North and South is a wonderful blend of social comment on the dramatic changes in society brought about by the industrial revolution and a compelling love story. Written from the author's first-hand experience, the novel follows the story of Margaret Hope, the young heroine, in her move from the tranquil setting in rural southern England to the raw and turbulent northern town of Milton. Margaret takes an instant dislike to her new home and its people. She hates the dirt, noise and lack of civilisation. Her distaste extends to handsome and charismatic cotton mill owner John Thornton whom she believes epitomises everything unpleasant about the North. However, as Margaret gradually begins to settle in Milton, she learns about the poverty and workplace struggles. As events conspire to throw Margaret and Thornton together, the two spirited characters have to overcome their repressed physical attraction for one another and conquer prejudices of class and circumstance. The passion and the history embedded in this narrative is as appealing and engrossing today as when it was first published.BUY THE BOOK
Community Reviews
Again... the reason a classic cannot hold my attention: too many words. One paragraph can be sooo long. It confuses me the longer the author rambles on each time.
Like nearly all classic literature, North and South features timeless conflicts and issues. This novel features a wonderful heroine, Margaret Hale, who must move (reluctantly) with her family to a gritty industrial town in the north of England after her father steps down from a comfortable position as a rector in a more socially desirable southern town.
Margaret, like almost everyone of her social station in England at that time, has prejudices about people involved in "trade," yet finds herself in an environment where everyone is either a tradesman or a worker. When she discovers the suffering of the oppressed workers in her town of Milton, she develops a passionate sense of social justice, while also learning to understand the struggles of the businesses owners. Margaret's new-found social conscience is tried by a love interest, a local business owner. It's a wonderful story, told intelligently and wryly by the wonderful Gaskell.
Margaret, like almost everyone of her social station in England at that time, has prejudices about people involved in "trade," yet finds herself in an environment where everyone is either a tradesman or a worker. When she discovers the suffering of the oppressed workers in her town of Milton, she develops a passionate sense of social justice, while also learning to understand the struggles of the businesses owners. Margaret's new-found social conscience is tried by a love interest, a local business owner. It's a wonderful story, told intelligently and wryly by the wonderful Gaskell.
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