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Product Description
A milestone in the history of the English novel, "Tom Jones" draws readers into a world teeming with memorable characters. This epic of everyday life chronicles the adventures of Tom Jones, who was abandoned as an infant and grows into a lusty, imprudent young man. Promising to mend his ways, Tom competes with his abusive rival for the affections of a wealthy squire's daughter, and learns the truth about his identity, in this discerning comedy of human foibles and self-discovery.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Tom Jones, published in the mid-18th century, is one of the undisputed classics of English literature, a bawdy, picaresque tale of our young hero's progress in the world following his expulsion from his adopted father's home. For all the spirited, and occasionally puerile, humour, this book is also heavily moralistic, as was the fashion of the time, as well as fiercely satirical of cant and hypocrisy, which Fielding sees as hidden presences in religious and philosophical dogmatism. True good nature is found embodied in the unlearned and naive title character, a young man of action, not thought.
A notable feature of this novel is the narrative voice. The narrator is not a character in the story he tells, but he is a character, who, mostly with tongue-in-cheek, passes comment on the action or purports to misunderstand what he sees for comic effect. The sly wit of said narrator gives the book much of its charm. For this narrator, Fielding is undoubtedly somewhat indebted to Cervantes' Don Quijote and Quijote's relationship with Sancho Panza is also a clear model for that between the idealistic Jones and the self-serving Partridge. However, Jones is, unlike Don Quijote, a one-dimensional character, and Fielding overdoes the eulogising of his honesty, generosity and good humour.
Though this book is often very witty, and the narrative tone is beautifully judged (and the chapter headings are enjoyable to read in themselves), the overt moralising is unlikely to be to modern tastes and the central characters of Jones and his beloved Sophia are improbable in their possession of so many perfections of mind and body and thus not particularly engaging.
Though some may think it impertinent for an unqualified person to pass judgement on a classic of this magnitude, and think that a failure to enjoy it is a fault of the reader, yet I must say that Tom Jones is rather poor fare for the modern reader, if I may consider myself a representative of such, and though I appreciate its great merits, I felt somewhat alienated by its trite moralising and ultimately rather bored.
This Norton edition, which is in very small print, also contains 150-ish pages of judiciously selected comment and criticism of the novel, including opinions of Coleridge, Samuel Richardson, etc., as well as footnotes to the text.
A notable feature of this novel is the narrative voice. The narrator is not a character in the story he tells, but he is a character, who, mostly with tongue-in-cheek, passes comment on the action or purports to misunderstand what he sees for comic effect. The sly wit of said narrator gives the book much of its charm. For this narrator, Fielding is undoubtedly somewhat indebted to Cervantes' Don Quijote and Quijote's relationship with Sancho Panza is also a clear model for that between the idealistic Jones and the self-serving Partridge. However, Jones is, unlike Don Quijote, a one-dimensional character, and Fielding overdoes the eulogising of his honesty, generosity and good humour.
Though this book is often very witty, and the narrative tone is beautifully judged (and the chapter headings are enjoyable to read in themselves), the overt moralising is unlikely to be to modern tastes and the central characters of Jones and his beloved Sophia are improbable in their possession of so many perfections of mind and body and thus not particularly engaging.
Though some may think it impertinent for an unqualified person to pass judgement on a classic of this magnitude, and think that a failure to enjoy it is a fault of the reader, yet I must say that Tom Jones is rather poor fare for the modern reader, if I may consider myself a representative of such, and though I appreciate its great merits, I felt somewhat alienated by its trite moralising and ultimately rather bored.
This Norton edition, which is in very small print, also contains 150-ish pages of judiciously selected comment and criticism of the novel, including opinions of Coleridge, Samuel Richardson, etc., as well as footnotes to the text.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4 reviews
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Greatest work of English Literature after Shakespeare
16 April 2008
Format:Paperback
I love Jane Austen, but like most English novelists she was only writing about a very small slice of English society. The same can be said for most other great English novelists. Fielding's acheivement stands in utter contrast- In Tom Jones we see full blooded characters from across the entire spectrum of English society- in all of their full blooded vanity, goodness, ugliness, courage, cowardice wisdom and foolishness mixed together. This is England before the Victorians spoiled it. And the wonderful story told with such humor, irony and wit. The observations range from dry wit to bawdy burlesque - the product of a man who had lived the fullest possible life and is now determined to share all of it with his reader. This is absolutely one of my favorite books. You will love it too.
7 of 10 people found the following review helpful
The Earliest Is Still the Best
25 Aug 2007
Format:Paperback
Although Tom Jones is one of the first English novels, it remains my all time favorite, which is saying a lot since I majored in English and have read too many pieces of fiction to count.It is the only novel I have read more than 2 times. The plot is quite inventive, the characters vivid and the romp through 18th Century England engaging. The style of writing may take awhile to get used to for a modern reader, but perserverence will pay off. Enjoy!!
15 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Best Novel ever written?
3 Nov 2001
Format:Paperback
How do you write a review on what may be the best novel ever written. Charming and wonderfuly written and still hold up almost 300 years later. Funny, thought provoking as Fielding shines light on morale hypocrisy. I did not want this book to end, can there be a better commentary on a book then that?
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