I appreciate reviews like this--at age 55, I still haven't read *Tom Jones.* And, knowing how way leads on to way, I'd be unlikely to pick the book up without a little cheerleading like this from another reader. Thanks for putting this gem into my TBR pile.
I'm a fan of your big-ass classics project, and I will say that three of my five lifetime favorite novels are on that list. I hope you love them!
I've read Samuel Richardson's Pamela. Tom Jones is the better written novel. I was surprised at how modern Fielding's writing was. I don't mean in terms of content, I mean in terms of how tightly it is plotted. Richardson's novels - I've also read a large part of Clarissa - take forever to move the story along, as does Defoe's Robinson Crusoe - at best, they ramble, at worst they endlessly moralize and they could have used a good editor to cut out the extraneous material. But Tom Jones never loses momentum.
Fielding apparently liked Clarissa. But on top of the professional rivalry, there was some class friction at play, and Richardson never quite got over the dig.
Clarissa is a compelling story, and far more believable than Pamela. But Richardson got in his own way - Clarissa, which is an epistolary novel, runs to nine volumes. When I lost my place on the ereader, I was somewhere in the fourth volume and the plot just started actually moving - the first three volumes could have been five chapters in terms of actual events. People accuse Dickens of being bloated because he was paid by the word, but Dickens is tightly written in comparison to Richardson.
"Tom Jones" was famously adapted as a film in 1963, with Albert Finney as Tom. It won Best Picture and Best Director (Tony Richardson) at the Academy Awards, along with getting several other acting, writing and technical nominations.
It's excellent. As is Kubrick's "Barry London", a wonderful period piece based on a Thackeray novel, and noted for its indoor cinematography (well, Kubrick was a master) lit only by candles when possible) quite outstanding.
I'm loving this series, Joel. Revisiting the classics via your lucid and succinct commentaries after stumbling mostly blindfolded through them as a youthful undergraduate is tremendously satisfying. I'm following along with my own classics rereading programme. What literary treasure this is! Thank you.
This delights me to no end to read. I read very little literature in high school and college, and my private reading has been heavily tilted toward history, economics, and politics. So it’s been a joy to finally read so many of these greats. Better late than never, I figure. I’m having a blast doing it.
Have you considered replacing Life and Fate with its prequel, Stalingrad? Then read Life and Fate a little later. I know they can be read independently, but in my mind it would make more sense to start with Stalingrad. It's just as long, just as overwhelming (full disclosure, I haven't finished it).
What I've read of Stalingrad is truly magnificent. I wish I hadn't fizzled on it. It was just one of those things where suddenly enough time had gone by since I last picked it up and so I realized I'd need to do a restart. And that's no small undertaking. It's a complex, demanding, detailed novel of grim, no-nonsense realism. I suspect reading it first followed by L&F will make both books even more impactful.
Well that was an excellent, big-ass review for a big-ass novel! Thank you! In graduate school, I was veering into English Reformation sermon forms (boring to everybody but me), but my good friend was reading Fielding and used to have long discussions with me about both Shamela and Tom Jones. I've not read either, but I must say that my friend Lisa's retellings as we would walk around the college's athletic track in the evening were very entertaining. And your review ties a lot together. Thank you!
Great essay on TJ. And a welcome command to read it again, after far too long.
Whilst we are here, Joel - I assume you have read Tristram Shandy, that most modern of early novels? If not, treat yourself. It is an absolute delight (IMHO etc. etc.)
The film with Albert Finney is worth a look but more of a restoration comedy.
I need to queue that up!
I appreciate reviews like this--at age 55, I still haven't read *Tom Jones.* And, knowing how way leads on to way, I'd be unlikely to pick the book up without a little cheerleading like this from another reader. Thanks for putting this gem into my TBR pile.
I'm a fan of your big-ass classics project, and I will say that three of my five lifetime favorite novels are on that list. I hope you love them!
It’s well worth the trouble—it’s hardly any trouble, actually. It’s hilarious fun all the way through.
Well, thanks to your review and Joe P’s response above, this 70-something is now sufficiently motivated to grab a copy of Tom Jones and get it read!
Wonderful. I bet you’ll be delighted.
Now I feel truly accountable for reading this book. I’m off to the bookstore tomorrow for my copy.
I've read Samuel Richardson's Pamela. Tom Jones is the better written novel. I was surprised at how modern Fielding's writing was. I don't mean in terms of content, I mean in terms of how tightly it is plotted. Richardson's novels - I've also read a large part of Clarissa - take forever to move the story along, as does Defoe's Robinson Crusoe - at best, they ramble, at worst they endlessly moralize and they could have used a good editor to cut out the extraneous material. But Tom Jones never loses momentum.
Anyone who has read Pamela should also read Shamela, Fielding's hilarious satire. No wonder Richardson hated him!
Fielding apparently liked Clarissa. But on top of the professional rivalry, there was some class friction at play, and Richardson never quite got over the dig.
Clarissa is a compelling story, and far more believable than Pamela. But Richardson got in his own way - Clarissa, which is an epistolary novel, runs to nine volumes. When I lost my place on the ereader, I was somewhere in the fourth volume and the plot just started actually moving - the first three volumes could have been five chapters in terms of actual events. People accuse Dickens of being bloated because he was paid by the word, but Dickens is tightly written in comparison to Richardson.
Correction: Clarissa is seven volumes.
I’m not even brave enough to start it, so kudos. I’ve got other books I want to read far more.
"Tom Jones" was famously adapted as a film in 1963, with Albert Finney as Tom. It won Best Picture and Best Director (Tony Richardson) at the Academy Awards, along with getting several other acting, writing and technical nominations.
I need to check that out!
It's excellent. As is Kubrick's "Barry London", a wonderful period piece based on a Thackeray novel, and noted for its indoor cinematography (well, Kubrick was a master) lit only by candles when possible) quite outstanding.
I'm loving this series, Joel. Revisiting the classics via your lucid and succinct commentaries after stumbling mostly blindfolded through them as a youthful undergraduate is tremendously satisfying. I'm following along with my own classics rereading programme. What literary treasure this is! Thank you.
This delights me to no end to read. I read very little literature in high school and college, and my private reading has been heavily tilted toward history, economics, and politics. So it’s been a joy to finally read so many of these greats. Better late than never, I figure. I’m having a blast doing it.
Have you considered replacing Life and Fate with its prequel, Stalingrad? Then read Life and Fate a little later. I know they can be read independently, but in my mind it would make more sense to start with Stalingrad. It's just as long, just as overwhelming (full disclosure, I haven't finished it).
I haven’t considered it, but maybe I should!
What I've read of Stalingrad is truly magnificent. I wish I hadn't fizzled on it. It was just one of those things where suddenly enough time had gone by since I last picked it up and so I realized I'd need to do a restart. And that's no small undertaking. It's a complex, demanding, detailed novel of grim, no-nonsense realism. I suspect reading it first followed by L&F will make both books even more impactful.
Excellent review! I’ve wondered about this “classic” for decades - now I’ll give it a read! Thanks.
Well that was an excellent, big-ass review for a big-ass novel! Thank you! In graduate school, I was veering into English Reformation sermon forms (boring to everybody but me), but my good friend was reading Fielding and used to have long discussions with me about both Shamela and Tom Jones. I've not read either, but I must say that my friend Lisa's retellings as we would walk around the college's athletic track in the evening were very entertaining. And your review ties a lot together. Thank you!
Great essay on TJ. And a welcome command to read it again, after far too long.
Whilst we are here, Joel - I assume you have read Tristram Shandy, that most modern of early novels? If not, treat yourself. It is an absolute delight (IMHO etc. etc.)