Life's Little Ironies (Wordsworth Classics) [Paperback]

Thomas Hardy (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 5, 1998 | ISBN-10: 1853261785 | ISBN-13: 978-1853261787

Introduction and Notes by Dr Claire Seymour, University of Kent at Canterbury The proverbial phrase life s little ironies was coined by Hardy for his third volume of short stories. These tales and sketches possess all the power of his novels: the wealth of description, the realistic portrayal of the quaint lore of Wessex, the Chaucerian humour and characterisation, the shrewd and critical psychology, the poignant estimate of human nature and the brooding sense of wonder at the essential mystery of life. The tales which make up Life's Little Ironies tenderly re-create a rapidly vanishing rural world and scrutinise the repressions of fin-de-siecle bourgeois life. They share the many concerns of Hardy's last great novels, such as the failure of modern marriage and the insidious effects of social ambition on the family and community life. Ranging widely in length and complexity, they are unified by Hardy's quintessential irony, which embraces both the farcical and the tragic aspects of human existence.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Wordsworth Editions Ltd (January 5, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1853261785
• ISBN-13: 978-1853261787
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,926,083 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The finest writer of the 19th Century, February 3, 2002

By 

Penguin Egg (London, England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Life's Little Ironies (Wordsworth Classics) (Paperback)

Many people consider Thomas Hardy to be a great novelist and poet; but he is equally a great story writer. These are 19th Century stories; so they do not start in the middle and expect the reader to infer what the author leaves out; they are are not pared to the bone. They start at the beginning, describing vividly the setting of the place and the history of the leading characters, and build up to a proper conclusion. Without trying to derogate 20th Century writers like Hemmingway, these stories are all the better for it. They could have been easily extended to fully blown novels. They have all the touches that one expects from Hardy: vivid decription of Wessex, tragedy untouched by sentimentality; a solid style with touches of literary genius; and a perceptive understanding of the relationship between men and women, people and their environment, and a keen understanding of rustic life just before it was swept away by the arrival of the radio, the telephone, the motor vehicle, electricity and other aspects of modernity. If you love Jude or Tess, read this book. As soon as I had finished it, I hunted down his other short story collections, Wessex Tales, etc., which are just as good.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An iinteresting piece of Hardy, May 17, 2000

By 

Liz Foster - See all my reviews

This review is from: Life's Little Ironies (Wordsworth Classics) (Paperback)

As a great admirer of "Jude the Obscure" and "Tess of the D'Ubervilles," I was intrigued when I saw this collection of some of Hardy's shorter works, and was not disapointed. The common theme running through these sketches is Hardy's dissatisfaction with the institution of marriage. Written in Hardy's impeccable style, these stories are short and biting looks at the circumstances that surround and influence marriage. You'll find few happy endings among these tales, but they are an enjoyable read. It's always a pleasure to immerse oneself in Hardy's world and language, and the twisted little plots Hardy creates show a side of his genius I had not previously realized.

These stories are not as profound as some of Hardy's other works, and, by necessity, the characters are not as well developed. However, I would still recommend this book. For a fan of Tess or Jude, it's a fascinating look into the mind of Hardy at the time he was writing these novels. And for someone who's never read any Hardy, they are an easy and enjoyable introduction to a wonderful author.