John Caldigate (Oxford World's Classics) [Paperback]

Anthony Trollope (Author), N. John Hall (Editor)

Book Description

Series: Oxford World's Classics | Publication Date: September 2, 1993

John Caldigate (1879) possesses in abundance the virtues of Trollope's writing: an engrossing story told by a worldly-wise, kindly, fair-minded narrator, and a tale strong on what Trollope claimed as the leading feature of his novels, "real" characters. But John Caldigate has some striking and distinctive calls on the reader's attention: Australian gold-mining scenes, the prominence given to matters of law and a criminal trial, and the stronger than usual attack on religious fanaticism. Moreover, the main character is accused of and standing trial for bigamy on the testimony of his former mistress.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

As young adult, Trollope endured seven years of poverty in the General Post Office in London before accepting a better-paying position as postal surveyor in Banagher, Ireland in 1841. The years in Ireland formed the basis of his second career delineating clerical life in small cathedral towns. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 656 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (September 2, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0192828177
• ISBN-13: 978-0192828170
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 4.6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,743,789 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

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pretty good book, September 22, 2003

By 

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

This review is from: John Caldigate (Zodiac) (Hardcover)

John Caldigate is a somewhat weak-willed man where women are concerned, as well as where gambling occurs, so he has managed to bankrupt himself as well as get himself "engaged" to several women through the course of the book, all because he can't say No when he should. Women cause him the greater trouble, but when he eventually returns home to England as a wealthy man (hard work was what made him so) and marries the woman he truly loves, his greatest troubles are now with business associates from his past and his wife's relations. What poses a disaster for himself and his wife (mother of his infant son) is a relationship he had with a "fast" woman, an actress, while he was making his fortune in Australia. She shows up in England, wanting money, and claims that she is actually John's wife. Thus John's marriage is bigamous, his son illegitmate, and his wife downfallen. The extent to which her family interferes, even to kidnapping the wife, is outrageous and dramatic. In fact, most of this book is high drama. It is very entertaining, and it resolves itself nicely, although all John's former "fiancees" do spend much time being thankful that they never married him. There is humor here, and there is tension. A very good read.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good but not worthy of a rereading, April 2, 2010

By 

Maggie Jarpey - See all my reviews
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This review is from: John Caldigate (Trollope, Penguin) (Mass Market Paperback)

Some of Trollope's books I eagerly look forward to rereading--it will be fun to read again about the outrageous Mrs. Proudie, for example, and about the slow realization of Ayala that the homely man with the great character and personality is in truth her "angel of light." But once is enough for me for John Caldigate, although I did enjoy it and do recommend it to Trollope fans. Being born in Australia myself, I was especially interested in the parts about gold mining there, and a friend of mine who is intrigued by gold mining and panning loved reading a description of that. Near the end I was obsessed with discovering how the trial came out and couldn't put the book (or, rather, my Kindle) down. The British justice system was thoroughly dealt with and was interesting. The chilling and eerily realistic portrait of Hester Bolton's mother, a puritanical religious fanatic, was fascinating to me. But it wouldn't be fun to read again about her!