Ah Hardy is amazing. I definitely agree that the order is important! I started with Tess and didn't read another Hardy for years after that.
@BookishTexan
5 жыл бұрын
Your mom and I had a similar experience with Hardy: I was traumatized by _Return of the Native_ in High School followed by _Jude the Obscure_ Freshman year of college. I have been trying to recover ever since. Will give _Far From the Madding Crowd_ for Victober. Thank you for this guide. I'm hopeful that my Hardy trauma will be healed this year.
@yasseramer8301
Жыл бұрын
Thomas Hardy is my favourite English novelist
@AliasTwiggy66
Жыл бұрын
It's 3 years later and I still use this guide. I went *slightly* out of order and read The Mayor of Casterbridge before Far From the Madding Crowd for various reasons. (For the record, I was disappointed with the lack of sheep in TMoC. Very much ok with Return of the Native-levels of sheep. 🐑)
@Madhurita23
2 жыл бұрын
When you said that 'Jude the Obscure' is the saddest Hardy novel, I literally spitted my coffee as I, having just left reading Tess of the d'urbervilles because of its heart-wrenching plot, was seriously shocked as to 'why the deuce did he have to make me cry like that' Anyways, great video... It somehow convinced me to get back to Hardy, but certainly not with Tess...
@ankitraj2293
Жыл бұрын
That was an outstandingly presented content . May you rise .
@saadiasaad9120
4 жыл бұрын
Lovely to hear you ...I am too much into Thomas hardy since school days ...so it is a pleasure to listen to you
@abbysiemen9253
2 жыл бұрын
Just picked up The Return of the Native after reading Far From the Madding Crowd and I’m so excited! This flow chart is amazingly explained and helpful! Thank you!
@marytumulty4257
5 жыл бұрын
Congratulations on completing the Hardy novels. He’s one of my favorite authors and I too have completed the novels as of this past year. Categorizing Hardy’s novels as you did is very interesting. Our opinions of The Well-Beloved however, are quite far apart. You mentioned you think this is the best of the “romances.” Does that mean that is your favorite Hardy? The protagonist, Jocelyn, a sculptor, struck me as an emotionally immature man with a Pygmalion complex concerning women. He seemed to have a severe case of “love the one your with...” paired up with thinking the grass will be greener elsewhere. And at certain parts of the story it was downright predatory. I thought the overall plot was rather stilted. Jude the Obscure may be considered a tragedy, however it has a strong plot and lots of drama. Sharing our differing opinions on the books we all read is what makes Book Tube engaging and interesting entertainment. Good luck with the continued growth of your channel. 📚
@LibbyStephenson
5 жыл бұрын
Thanks! Not sure what my favorite Hardy is - there are so many that I need to reread! I really love Jude, I really love Woodlanders, Mayor of Casterbridge may have my favorite moments though it is not my favorite overall book, and I think Tess is doing something really interesting with religion, but I haven't totally worked out what it is yet. I mostly agree with you about the character of Jocelyn, but [spoilers ahead] the point of the book is that he is wrong and at the end he realizes this.
@Dinadoesyoga
10 ай бұрын
Interesting! I would love to hear why you love The Well-Beloved. Its my second to least favorite of his novels and had a hard time gettinh past the ick factor. 😅 My two cents on the depressing nature of his books...most of them do contain tragic events, yes, but also most of them end with shades of hope. The exceptions are of course Tess and Jude. Those are just sad. But the others felt lighter after the resolution/denouement. And i was surprised The Laodicean was such a rip-roaring read. 😂
@CezzL
3 жыл бұрын
This flow chart is brilliant. I was introduced to Hardy in school through FFMC and really enjoyed it. I've also seen both film adaptations and really loved them. Always wondered where to go from here and I'm going to be bookmarking your flow chart to guide me through his work. :D
@Carmen-cl5ny
3 жыл бұрын
Great video! I started with Tess, then The Woodlanders and Far from the madding crowd. I love them all. Greetings from Spain!
@HannahsBooks
4 жыл бұрын
Interesting and thoughtfully-ordered list. I started with Tess and absolutely loved it, but I see why Far from the Madding Crowd might be a better place for most people to start. I have worked my way down to Jude now (which is on my Victober TBR) and am heartbroken than I have gotten so close to running out of his deeply depressing books. Thank you so much for giving me some ideas for what is still to come.
@teaspoones
5 жыл бұрын
This is so well thought through and interesting, thank you! I had to read Tess during my second year at uni and I do love Victorian literature but gosh this novel ... I was so angry and didn't want to see anymore of Thomas Hardy. Since then I've picked up Far from the Madding Crowd which I liked more but haven't been sure where to go next. You definitely solved this problem for me ;)
@lifescholar5887
4 жыл бұрын
I just bought two of his famous novels, Tess of the d'ubervilles and far from the madding crowd. I don't know why, but I thought I'll start with Madding crowd. After watching your video and seeing other comments, I believe I made a good choice. Depending on how it will go, I would decide the next one based on your chart. Loved the video:) Would love to see you covering other authors as well.
@AliasTwiggy66
5 жыл бұрын
This was SO helpful. I've wanted to try Hardy, but wasn't sure where to start. Return Of The Native it is!
@AmandaQuotidianBooks
5 жыл бұрын
I WISH I HAD SEEN THIS VIDEO YEARS AGO D: I just finished rereading Tess and was about to quit Hardy, but maybe I need to finally get around to the Return of the Native audiobook!
@bookishshenanigans4769
4 жыл бұрын
I loved how much thought you put into this, I still have so many to read.
@denisadellinger4543
Жыл бұрын
I can't remember which one I read first. It could have been Return of the Native and Mayor of Casterbridge. I've read several more and I do want to read all of them. The one's that have someone die in the end are frustrating. Why was that a thing? Misery and then death. He wasn't the only Victorian author who did this. I was reading The Three visitors from Wessex Tales the other day and it spent seven pages on descriptions alone. He will take you to where you can smell, see, and feel every place the characters go.
@josmith5992
4 жыл бұрын
I just happened to start with Far from the Madding Crowd so Return of the Native is the next novel for me although I’m planning on reading some of the short stories for Victober. I shall be printing and laminating this flow chart and adhering to its every suggestion!
@RaineyDayReads
5 жыл бұрын
Haha this was great. I read Far From the Madding Crowd last year for Victober and liked it, so I think I’ll go with Return of the Native this year... I don’t think I can handle Jude the Obscure quite yet!
@ladycanada35
4 жыл бұрын
started with Jude The Obscure in University too~ followed another year by Tess~ shall try the Return of the Native
@BlatantlyBookish
5 жыл бұрын
I wish I had this about two years ago when I read my first Hardy. I read Jude the Obscure first, but it I actually loved it. Then Far From the Madding Crowd was great. And then I got stuck on Tess. It's a lot of people's favorite Hardy, but I couldn't even finish it. I found her to be a rather dull character, and realized that I didn't much care what happened to her. I feel like maybe I should plow through the rest of it this Victober just to say I did. It's one of my friend's absolute favorite books and she's kind of grumpy that I haven't finished it.
@LibbyStephenson
5 жыл бұрын
I agree that Tess is not the most interesting person, but I kind of enjoyed the novelty having a main character who wasn't always the most intelligent person in the room, which it seems like most protagonists are. I also think Tess of the D'Urbervilles has something very interesting to say about religion - if I could only figure out what is was; Hardy had a lot of conflicting thoughts about Christianity himself, which probably isn't helping.
@BlatantlyBookish
4 жыл бұрын
@@LibbyStephenson I suppose it is refreshing to have a protagonist who doesn't shine in some ways. You really think the protagonist is generally the most intelligent person in the room? I don't know. That's such an interesting thought that I'm going to start paying attention to in my reading. Hardy's writing is spectacular and really the only reason I plan on finishing Tess at some point. There were so many thematically rich passages that I kept underlining (most of which are about religion). I do love it when authors are conflicted about a theme themselves. It makes for a much richer and open-ended analysis of a text.
@kevinrussell1144
Жыл бұрын
BB: What an interesting comment. I think you put your finger on an important aspect of Hardy. This appealing to the opposite gender, and the ability (or not) to present a believable version of your opposite can be brought up about any author, but we all know some are much better than others at creating wonderful characters of either gender. Katie, for example, makes a very good case that Dickens in his early work made most of his female characters of the cheapest cardboard, but his later works show much greater facility. No one would ever say that Little Dorrit, Esther Summerson, or Miss Havisham were cardboard caricatures Hardy, in my mind, struggled with women his entire fiction and real(?) life. He admired them, and some he loved, and some of the women in his books are incredibly drawn and appealing, but I wonder if he liked them all that much. I suspect (of course I could be wrong) that Hardy used a couple of female “tropes” over and over again. Tess is not much different from Thomasin or the good Mayor’s daughter, and Bathsheba and Eustacia seem quite similar to me. The first grouping, I don’t need to point out, is much less interesting than the second. Don’t get me wrong. I love Hardy and his best writing is like nobody else’s. As a guy, Tess appealed to me, but I get it that she is presented by Hardy as the “virginal” victim, more symbol than flesh and blood. And in passing, I’ll add that I don’t highly rank Jude or The Mayor because I found no characters (other than Mike in some scenes) that I cared much about. I’m currently TRYING to get through the Woodlanders, but, again, no one appeals to me that much, although the writing is stellar. My favorites are Return of the Native and Far from, probably because of those two black-haired beauties, but also because I like Gabe and the Reddleman. They are both wonderful creations and believably human. And as a final, final thought, would it every occur to anyone to question the fictional reality of any female character in Austen’s work, or to consider them cardboard? That just wouldn’t happen.
@richardbenitez1282
Жыл бұрын
I don’t get why i should avoid the depressing novels. I truly hate happy, happy all the time stuff. I like looking into the past and being realistic about rich vs poor. I’ve read lots of Dostoevsky so Thomas hardy compliments some of the Russians. Yes, my next Hardy is Jude the Obscure
@gergokerti2362
Жыл бұрын
I started with Tess of the D'Urbervilles and it was a fantastic read. Now i'm on The Mayor of Casterbridge. It's a bit slower but after a 100 pages it is getting really exciting. Can you recommend me some books from this kind? British villages , 19th century or before. Thank you.
@rosepetal34
5 жыл бұрын
I had to read Tess as part of GCSE English when i was 16 and have still not attempted another one 10 years later because it was so horribly depressing but i'm going to try reading Far from the Madding Crowd now possibly for Victober
@ladycanada35
4 жыл бұрын
OMG I forgot about The Mayor of Casterbridge (High school) LOVED IT and WANT TO READ IT AGAIN, thank you
@NatalieMeree
5 жыл бұрын
LOVED this!!! Thank you. I found you through Kate Howe who shared your video in our buddy reading group - we read Return of the Native together and are now starting Tess. And just starting Tess reminds of how much I love Hardy’s writing. But now I realise I have read out of flow chart order!! One day I would love to say I have read them all like you. Any hint as to your favourite all time Hardy?
@LibbyStephenson
5 жыл бұрын
Thank you! I'm not saying the flow chart is the only order to read Hardy in, just the safest way, so if Tess is not your cup of tea I hope you won't give up on him. Allow me to lazily repost what I wrote to Mary regarding my favorite of his novels: Not sure what my favorite Hardy is - there are so many that I need to reread! I really love Jude, I really love Woodlanders, Mayor of Casterbridge may have my favorite moments though it is not my favorite overall book, and I think Tess is doing something really interesting with religion, but I haven't totally worked out what it is yet.
@ALovelyJaunt
4 жыл бұрын
This is. Uh. Mazing. I, like your mom, read Jude the Obscure first in college but I also thrive on tragedy!
@apriladamson4273
4 жыл бұрын
I can't seem to print your flow chart. Any suggestions? I loved the video!
@LibbyStephenson
4 жыл бұрын
I honestly have no idea how that program works - it cooperates with google drive somehow. You could try downloading it?
@apriladamson4273
4 жыл бұрын
@@LibbyStephenson Thanks, Libby. I tried copying and pasting--that didn't work. Maybe someone will come along and take pity on me and give me a suggestion! LOL
@dokidoki719
4 жыл бұрын
Thank you for this guide. It is too late for me. I had to read Tess for uni and could not finish it. Every page felt like hammering nails through my own skin. Then I picked up Jude because I was innocent and after finishing that one I truly did not want to live anymore. It hit me in all my weak spots and was an unending misery. That about killed all my emotions and on reading Return of the Native I took it like a champ and accepted that things had to go to hell. Suffice to say I have suffered.
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