Elizabeth Gaskell: A Connected Life

**Part of the Elizabeth Gaskell Bi-Centenary 2010**

Elizabeth Gaskell was a prolific correspondent and stood at the centre of a wide and varied social network. Her personal connections extended to people in many different walks of life – from some of the most famous figures of the day to the poorest factory workers in her home town of Manchester.

This exhibition, which marks the bicentenary of her birth, draws on the Library’s world-class Gaskell collections to explore her place in these diverse communities. It looks at how her social networks influenced her fiction and the worlds she depicted in her books. It also considers the worldwide community of readers past and present who have found enjoyment in Gaskell’s work.