Round the Sofa

Round the Sofa, published in 1859 by Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell, is a collection of interconnected stories framed by a soirée where characters share tales. Notable for its blend of narrative styles, it includes 'My Lady Ludlow,' which explores aristocratic resistance to change, and 'An Accursed Race,' an essay on the Cagots, a persecuted minority. The work also features gothic elements in 'The Doom of the Griffiths' and poignant themes of brotherly love in 'The Half Brothers.' Gaskell's storytelling prowess earned her the admiration of contemporaries like Charles Dickens.