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The Mayor of Casterbridge
 
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The Mayor of Casterbridge [Kindle Edition]

Thomas Hardy
4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)

Kindle Price: £0.00 includes free wireless delivery via Amazon Whispernet

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Product Description

Product Description

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

From the Back Cover

Under the powerful influence of the rum furmity, Michael Henchard, a hay-trusser by trade, sells his wife susan and their child Elizabeth-Jane to Newson, a sailor, for five guineaus.

Years later, Susan, now a widow, arrives in Casterbridge to seek her legal husband. To their surprise, Henchard is now the Mayor of Casterbridge and following the sale of his wife, took a twenty-one-year vow not to drink, out of shame. Henchard remarries Susan and as Elizabeth-Jane believes herself to be Newson's daughter, he adopts her as his own. But he cannot evade his destiny by such measures, for his past refuses to be buried. Fate contrives for him to be punished for the recklessness of his younger days.

In this powerful depiction of a man who overreaches himself, Hardy once again show his acute psycological grasp and his deep-seated knowledge of mid-nineteenth century Dorset.


Product details

  • Format: Kindle Edition
  • File Size: 416 KB
  • Print Length: 400 pages
  • Publisher: Public Domain Books (1 Jun 1994)
  • Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.ą r.l.
  • Language English
  • ASIN: B000JMLKCG
  • Text-to-Speech: Enabled
  • Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #396 Free in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Free in Kindle Store)
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Thomas Hardy
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
From the atmospheric opening "One evening of late summer", this novel captivates the reader with its tale of the tragedy of Henchard. As is typical of Hardy's writing, a minor character is responsible for a major part of the plot. In this case, it is the furmity woman who puts grog in Henchard's broth; eventually resulting in him selling his wife and daughter to a sailor. After initial success in his life, Henchard fails in business and is overtaken by his young apprentice, Farfrae.

Although the novel is chiefly about the failure of Henchard's life, it could also be seen as an allegory for modern life, suggesting that success will only come to those who keep up to date with developments.

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
love it 26 Feb 2011
By catpaws
Format:Kindle Edition
i read this book years ago after my mum suggested Hardy. I was hooked from the start and went on to read many other Hardy books. I shall be re-reading this again as my hard copy is somewhere in the loft and I can't wait. As in all is books, Hardy makes me feel glad to be a woman now and not then.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Loved this book - what a great story showing all the various elements of the human character - greed, love, hate, struggles for power..... I could go on.

It is also a human tragedy, explained at its best by the inimitable Hardy and although it was written many years ago, it does show that human nature remains very much the same as it always was and you could almost put it into a modern setting and alter the scenery a little and it would be up-to-date, so to speak.

All of Hardy's books are great (I was first introduced to them whilst studing for 'O' Levels in the 1950's and have continued to read them again and again since)and although the grammar and syntax are quite dissimilar to that of today they are easy to read and the stories are great.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
From a diehard Thomas Hardy fan.
When Michael Henchard a Hay Trusser, gets drunk as a skunk he decides in a moment of madness to auction off his wife and child for 5 guineas. Read more
Published 1 day ago by Neferra
the mayor of casterbridge not bought on the 01.12.2012
After being bought a Kindle for Christmas I have decided to read some classics that I missed in my youth. It is a good service you provide, keep it up.
Published 2 months ago by mikkithfish
Trash
This is by far the worst book that I have ever read.

A guy gets trolleyed on 'Fermity' in a 19th century (? Read more
Published 10 months ago by I. H. Roblin
Downbeat and pessimistic tragedy
This never seems to garner the same loving affection that the other Hardy novels do, perhaps because Michael Henchard is such a difficult man to empathise with. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Roman Clodia
a ripping story
lots of unexpected twists to this pacy story. worth reading for the historical portrait of the time.
Published 19 months ago by barbaranewbury
Fickle fortune..
Beginning a Hardy novel is always something of a bittersweet experience. The characters are slowly and carefully introduced, the scene beautifully and evocatively set and quickly... Read more
Published on 29 Sep 2009 by Alexis Paladin
Addicted
I bought this book reluctantly, not being a fan of fictional books, as it was required as part of the humanities course I am currently studying. Read more
Published on 9 Nov 2008 by Electrikitten
Enjoyable read
I think that Hardy is to English Literature what Dostoyevski was to Russian literature. He excels in his characterisations of people having deep internal struggles that eventually... Read more
Published on 8 Feb 2008 by Censuwine
To review or not to reveiw
It is unfotunate that Hardy must be judged by reviewers brought up on the pulp fiction of our age - but this is an open forum so ... Read more
Published on 20 July 2005 by "ccthompson2"
Accessible Victorian Soap Opera
When it comes to "classics" of Victorian literature, this is certainly much more readable than most, and while it presents some memorable characters, and plenty of themes worthy of... Read more
Published on 24 Jan 2005 by A. Ross
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Popular Highlights

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&quote;
The ruin of good men by bad wives, and, more particularly, the frustration of many a promising youth's high aims and hopes and the extinction of his energies by an early imprudent marriage, was the theme. &quote;
Highlighted by 104 Kindle users
&quote;
"But it is not by what is, in this life, but by what appears, that you are judged; &quote;
Highlighted by 94 Kindle users
&quote;
Character is Fate, said Novalis, and Farfrae's character was just the reverse of Henchard's, who might not inaptly be described as Faust has been described--as a vehement gloomy being who had quitted the ways of vulgar men without light to guide him on a better way. &quote;
Highlighted by 93 Kindle users

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