Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
What we're reading

Find your new favourite book or recommend one on our Book forum.

Original poster

Thomas Hardy

31 replies

Deathraystare · 21/07/2025 10:36

Next book club we have deided to read Thomas Hardy.

I am going to read Far from the Madding Crowd, one fried will read the Woodlanders and the other I cannot remember the title! I read both Tess and The Mayor of Casterbridge already. Anyone else reading him/did read him/will read him??

Obvs we will read each others. I will probably go down the audible route.

OP posts:
suburburban · 21/07/2025 17:25

I read them all about 40 years ago and did Woodlanders at O level

SerafinasGoose · 21/07/2025 17:22

I’m midway through the third instalment of The Dynasts. It’s a first reading and why on earth have I never encountered this text before? It’s fascinating; not at all the dry historical account I was expecting.

Purplebunnie · 21/07/2025 17:19

I studied The Return of the Native at A level. I'm not sure how to explain how I felt about it, it was 40 years ago. I love his description of the traditions etc. All in all I remember it as a bit depressing! There was a film adaptation I can't remember being that impressed with it

I have more recently (within 15 years) read the Mayor of Casterbridge and the Woodlanders. Enjoyed them but can't really remember that much about the story - bit worrying that 🤔

FloraBotticelli · 21/07/2025 16:01

I love Tess…. Studied it at A level. My teacher always said Hardy slapped on the pathetic fallacy with a trowel and he always had a chip on his shoulder about not having gone to university. Also the male gaze being a creepy - Alec sensuously feeding Tess strawberries, and the way Angel gazes at the milkmaids. I didn’t get her scorn then, but do with hindsight! But I still love Tess anyway - it’s very readable and an interesting and heartbreaking example of how feckless parents and their lack of protection mess up their children’s lives.

To complement your reading - the BBC Gemma Arterton dramatisation of Tess is fantastic, as well as the Carey Mulligan film of Far From the Madding Crowd.

TonTonMacoute · 21/07/2025 15:16

I adore Hardy and have read all of them although not for a while.

I'm in a rereading mood at the moment so I might read one next.

There is a very good dramatisation of The Woodlanders on BBC Sounds app atm

Original poster
Deathraystare · 21/07/2025 10:37

Apologies for typos. I can barely see hence not reading physical books!

OP posts: