1840–1928 · Higher Bockhampton, Dorset, England · also known as Hardy
Thomas Hardy, a stonemason’s son trained as an architect, set his novels in “Wessex,” a lightly fictionalised version of rural south-west England. Far from the Madding Crowd (1874), The Mayor of Casterbridge (1886), Tess of the d’Urbervilles (1891) and Jude the Obscure (1895) show ordinary people crushed by chance, class and convention. The storm over Jude made him give up novels; he spent his last thirty years writing poetry.
Begin with Far from the Madding Crowd.
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Thomas Hardy, a stonemason’s son trained as an architect, set his novels in “Wessex,” a lightly fictionalised version of rural south-west England. Far from the Madding Crowd (1874), The Mayor of Casterbridge (1886), Tess of the d’Urbervilles (1891) and Jude the Obscure (1895) show ordinary people crushed by chance, class and convention.
Tess of the d’Urbervilles is usually considered Thomas Hardy’s best-known work, followed by Far from the Madding Crowd, The Mayor of Casterbridge, Jude the Obscure.
Most readers start with Far from the Madding Crowd.
Both refer to the same writer.
Yes — 2 of Thomas Hardy’s books are free to read online in Pagine, the free e-reader and reading tracker.