North and South

A beautiful Penguin Clothbound Classics edition of Elizabeth Gaskell's most famous novel'How am I to dress up in my finery, and go off and away to smart parties, after the sorrow I have seen today?'Elizabeth Gaskell's compassionate, richly dramatic novel features one of the most original and fully-rounded female characters in Victorian fiction, Margaret Hale. It shows how, forced to move from the country to an industrial northern town, she develops a passionate sense of social justice, and a turbulent relationship with mill-owner John Thornton. North and South depicts a young woman discovering herself, in a nuanced portrayal of what divides people, and what brings them together. This is a stunning new Clothbound Classics edition of Gaskell's famous novel, designed by the award-winning Coralie Bickford-Smith. These delectable and collectible Penguin editions are bound in colourful, tactile cloth with foil stamped into the design.

Penguin Clothbound Classics are bound in cloth and not paper. The design is stamped on in foil, and each cover repeats one small icon taken from the story. The series was designed by Coralie Bickford-Smith, who took her inspiration from Victorian bookbinding. Each book has coloured endpapers and a ribbon bookmark. They make beautiful presents.

The foil can rub off if the books are stacked tightly, so give them a little room on the shelf.

Author: Elizabeth Gaskell

Classic fiction (pre c 1945)

Published on 6 Aug 2026 by Penguin Books Ltd.