Catherine Cookson Country: On the Borders of Legitimacy

In the first essay collection devoted to Catherine Cookson, the contributors examine what Cooksons memoirs and historical fiction mean to readers, including how her fans contribute to her position in the cultural imaginary; constructions of gender, class and English and Irish identity in her work; the importance of place in her novels; Cooksons place in the heritage industry; and television adaptations of Cooksons works.