The American Senator (Selected Works of Anthony Trollope) [Hardcover]

Anthony Trollope (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1981 | ISBN-10: 0405141645 | ISBN-13: 978-0405141645

Unflagging in his pursuit of material for a lecture on the irrationality of the English, the Senator tramples roughshod over the feelings of his host and of much of the population of Dillsborough. Equally energetically, the increasingly desperate Arabella Trefoil pursues her prey to the altar.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Anthony Trollope (1815-82) became one of the most successful, prolific and respected English novelists of the Victorian era. Some of Trollope's best-loved works revolve around the imaginary county of Barsetshire, but he also wrote penetrating novels on political, social, and gender issues and conflicts of his day. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 3 pages
• Publisher: Ayer Co Pub (June 1981)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0405141645
• ISBN-13: 978-0405141645
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,028,614 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

"Anthony Trollope (1815-82) became one of the most successful, prolific and respected English novelists of the Victorian era. Some of Trollope's best-loved works revolve around the imaginary county of Barsetshire, but he also wrote penetrating novels on political, social, and gender issues and
conflicts of his day."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent introduction to Trollope, July 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The American Senator (Oxford World's Classics) (Paperback)

I've read several books by Trollope and enjoyed this one very much. It includes most of the standard Trollope elements: two people who are in love with each other, but too shy to say so; a fortune-hunting woman and the men she's after; members of the clergy; a bit of Parliament; family life in England in the 1870s; fox hunting; and satire of life in both England and the United States. The characters are extremely well drawn. Although the writing is "old fashioned," the emotions and situations are up-to-date. There is humor, pathos and excellent description.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Introduction To Trollope, October 28, 2004

By 

E. Clinton (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The American Senator (Oxford World's Classics) (Paperback)

All of the underlying themes of Trollope's work are in this book; (1) the underlying strength of women; (2) the weakness of men; (3) and the portrayal of how people manipulate, or attempt to manipulate each other.

This book has well-developed characters - as always with Trollope, including a young woman who is seeking to marry a rich man, a rich lord, two rich men who are members of the upper class (but one rung below the lord), a successful farmer, a lawyer, an heiress and a couple of nice people. The book has two successful love stores (Reginald/Mary and Rufford/Penge) and three failed love stories (Twentyman/Masters; Trefoil/Rufford and Trefoil/Morton). It deals honestly with the emotions of all concerned. Every scene is put together with the thoughtful approach of Trollope, who never lets any strand of the plot dangle.

What makes this book unusual is Senator Gotobed, who is on a visit from America. The Senator speaks frankly about everything and often offends his English hosts. His comments bring buried tensions to the surface. I ended up admiring the Senator because of his fearlessness and outspokenness. He is, of course, ridiculous and Trollope was having a bit of fun by introducing him to the story.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good but sometimes tedious, September 22, 2003

By 

mcerner "mcerner" (Princeton, NJ United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The American Senator (Oxford World's Classics) (Paperback)

The American Senator of the title is a stuffy, boring old man who wants to understand English politics and morality but also wants to impose his own morality upon the English. Sadly, the book could have been far more exciting without this character. On the other hand, the characters remaining are interesting enough. This book is mainly about love, or about the pursuit of love or fortune. The scheming and penniless Arabella Trefoil is engaged to a man who we quickly see is far too good for her, and what he sees in her beyond her remote beauty is a big question that is never quite resolved. However, wanting a fortune, she maintains her engagement in private while denying it in public, thus finding herself able to pursue the local squire, Lord Rufford, who is also taken with her beauty but on advice of friends, becomes reluctant to truly woo Arabella. Social interactions between all these parties, including their antecedents, are quite interesting and fill a good portion of the book. On the other hand, another love affair of lesser merit but far more honesty is that of Mary Masters and Reginald Morton, a romance against the Masters' family wishes who pressure both her and the unfortunate Larry Twentyman to make a match. Intrigues from minor characters, plots and subplots, though rather too much mention and detail of fox hunting, still this is a fun read.