Mr. Sponge's Sporting Tour [Hardcover]

R.S. Surtees (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 4, 2008

Originally published in 1853, this is Surtees' great comedic hunting novel. Delightfully illustrated throughout with pen-and-ink sketches, it follows the misadventures of the ghastly Mr Sponge in the hunting field. Still very amusing after all this time, there are many 'hunting types' described that are easily recogniseable today. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Hesperides Press are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork. Contents Include: Our Hero Mr. Benjamin Buckram Peter Leather Laverick Wells Mr. Waffles Laverick Wells Our Hero Arrives at Laverick Wells Old Tom Towler The Meet, The Find and The Finish The Feeler The Deal and The Disaster An Old Friend A New Scheme Jawleyford Court The Jawleyford Establishment The Dinner The Tea The Evening's Reflections The Wet Day The F.H.H. A Country Dinner-Party The F.H.H. Again The Great Run Lord Scamperdale at Home Mr. Spraggon's Embassy to Jawleyford Court Mr. and Mrs. Springwheat The Finest Run That Ever Was Seen! The Faithful Groom The Cross Roads at Dallington Burn Bolting the Badger Mr. Puffington Or, The Young Man About Town The Man of P-r-o-r-perty A Swell Huntsman The Beaufort Justice Lord Scamperdale at Jawleyford Court Mr. Bragg's Kennel Management Mr. Puffington's Domestic Arrangements A Day with Puffington's Hounds Writing a Run A Literary Bloomer A Dinner and a Deal The Morning's Reflections Another Sick Host Wanted, A Rich God-Papa! The Discomfited Diplomatist Puddingpote Bower, The Seat of Jogglebury Crowdey, Esq A Family Breakfast on a Hunting Morning Hunting the Hounds Country Quarters Sir Harry Scattercash's Hounds Farmer Peastraw's Dine-Matinee A Moonlight Ride Puddingpote Bower Family Jars The Trigger Nonsuch House Again The Debate Facey Romford The Adjourned Debate Facey Romford at Home Nonsuch House Again A Family Breakfast The Rising Generation The Kennel and the Stud The Hunt Mr. Sponge at Home How They Got Up The "Grand Aristocratic Steeplechase" Hot The "Grand Aristocratic" Came Off How Other Things Came Off How Lord Scamperdale and Co. Came Off

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Robert Smith Surtees, (1802-1864), English novelist and sporting writer, was the second son of Anthony Surtees of Hamsterley Hall, a member of an old Durham family. After co-founding the New Sporting Magazine, Surtees took to writing sporting novels, amongst them Hillingdon Hall, Ask Mamma, and Mr Facey Romford's Hounds, which was published following his death in March 1864. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 600 pages
• Publisher: Hesperides Press (November 4, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1443736082
• ISBN-13: 978-1443736084
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.6 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,467,514 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Mr Sponge in 100 Words, August 31, 2000

By 

Ian Harris (Hampton Hill) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mr Sponge's Sporting Tour (Wordsworth Classics) (Paperback)

A picaresque, following 'Soapey' Sponge - a sportsman but not quite a gentleman - as he foxhunts and fortune-hunts his way around England. He exploits (as Surtees satirises) the failings of those he encounters - Waffles (spendthrift), Jawleyford (humbug), Puffington (parvenu), Jogglebury (foolish), Scattercash (debauched)... Only coarse Lord Scamperdale consistently detests him. People invite him to stay but struggle to evict him. His selfishness diminishes only on meeting & falling for lovely Lucy Glitters while hunting . Lacks sympathetic characters, silly names and voices abound and overlong given its lightness and looseness. Terrific foxhunting detail & a delightlful, surprising ending.

Rating : 54.6% Moments of Beauty (5) Characterisation (6) Sincerity (6) Humour (6) Adhesiveness (5) Profundity - Social (6) Profundity - Maetaphysical (2) Sense of Place (8) Significance (5) Structure & Plotting (6) Style - Readability (7) Style - Virtuosity & Uniqueness (5) Theme - Strength & Unity (4)

5.0 out of 5 stars RS Surtees is the master of foxhunting fiction, October 1, 2010

By 

Douglas A. Grindle "a reader" (Mass) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mr Sponge's Sporting Tour (Nonsuch Classics) (Paperback)

RS Surtees is the indispensable source or foxhunting fans, and of all Surtees books Mr Sponges Sporting Tour is an excellent primer for all the others. It is sport-based, with excellent characterizations of the life and people in that time.
The author follows the habits of the times in attaching names to people that are meant to describe their character, which can be a little wearing to the modern reader. But in terms of the modern reader understanding the appeal of foxhunting and the methods (and madness) of the original era, this book can't be beat.
As to the book itself, Nonsuch has produced a beautiful little volume with the heft to make one feel he is reading something worthwhile.