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The Distracted Preacher and Other Tales

By Thomas Hardy
Penguin Classics
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3.92 goodreads logo

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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Distracted Preacher and Other Tales is a collection of stories by Thomas Hardy that explores themes of rural life, morality, and human nature in the Victorian era. The titular story follows a preacher who becomes entangled in local smuggling activities amidst his moral and personal dilemmas. The anthology blends humour, romance, and social commentary, showcasing Hardy's distinctive narrative style and insight into human behaviour.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you appreciate charming and thought-provoking stories that explore the complexities of rural life in 19th-century England. Thomas Hardy's keen observations and vivid character portrayals bring these tales to life, offering a mix of humour, irony, and social commentary that might appeal to those who enjoy classic literature with a focus on human nature and society.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The darkly passionate short stories of Thomas Hardy are compelling explorations of love, social class, superstition, and legend. This collection contains many of his finest and most representative works.

Included are The Withered Arm, an eerie depiction of arcane witchcraft in nineteenth-century England; Barbara of the House of Grebe, in which a beautiful man's tragic disfigurement by fire is savagely exploited by his rival; The Son's Veto, showing the cruelty of an educated youth towards his ignorant but tender mother; and The Distracted Preacher, the story of one man's conflict between heartfelt love and his own sense of moral and civic duty.

By turns moving and poetic, and surprisingly modern and brutally macabre, these eloquent tales may be numbered among the greatest creations of Hardy's genius.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Distracted Preacher and Other Tales by Thomas Hardy is a collection that showcases Hardy's storytelling and exploration of themes such as human nature and societal norms. Critics appreciate Hardy's ability to create vivid character portraits, often marked by irony and wit. The stories, rich in regional details, offer insights into rural life and the complexities of human relationships.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780140431247

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 25 October 1979

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Classics

Contributors:

  • Edited by Susan Hill

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 21.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 269g

Pages: 368

Collections

Classic Fiction Classic General Fiction Fiction General Fiction Literary Fiction Penguin Books Penguin Classics Penguin Classics: General Fiction Thomas Hardy

About the Author

Susan Hill was born in Scarborough in 1942, and educated at grammar schools there and in Coventry. She read English at King's College, London, of which she is now a Fellow. As well as I'm the King of the Castle, her novels include Strange Meeting, The Bird of Night, In the Springtime of the Year, Air and Angels, The Service of Clouds,The Various Haunts of Men, The Pure in Heart, The Rise of Darkness, The Beacon, The Vows of Silence and The Small Hand. She has written several volumes of short stories, including A Bit of Singing and Dancing; two ghost novels, The Woman in Black and The Mist in the Mirror; and a number of stories for children. Her autobiographical books are The Magic Apple Tree and Family. She is married with two adult daughters and lives in North Norfolk.

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