The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling

By Henry Fielding and Henry Fieldling

Book Overview

Inspiration for the PBS Masterpiece series Tom Jones starring Hannah Waddingham

A foundling of mysterious parentage brought up by Mr. Allworthy on his country estate, Tom Jones is deeply in love with the seemingly unattainable Sophia Western, the beautiful daughter of the neighboring squire--though he sometimes succumbs to the charms of the local girls. When Tom is banished to make his own fortune and Sophia follows him to London to escape an arranged marriage, the adventure begins. A vivid Hogarthian panorama of eighteenth-century life, spiced with danger and intrigue, bawdy exuberance and good-natured authorial interjections, Tom Jones is one of the greatest and most ambitious comic novels in English literature.

- Includes a chronology, suggestions for further reading, notes, glossary, and an appendix of Fielding's revisions
- Introduction discusses narrative techniques and themes, the context of eighteenth-century fiction and satire, and the historical and political background of the Jacobite revolution
For more than seventy-five years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With nearly 2,000 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as quality translations by award-winning translators.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0140436227
• ISBN13: 9780140436228
• Release Date: September 2005
• Publisher: Penguin Classics
• Length: 1024 Pages
• Weight: 1.37 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.8" x 5.1" x 7.7"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

One of the Best!

I first picked up Tom Jones because to put it bluntly I am a bibliophile and it was a cheap book. However, I was suprised at how engaging and hilarious the story was despite the claims on the back cover, which are often far off. To tell the truth I did not expect to make it through this extremely lengthy tome, I only wanted to satisfy my curiousity. Although I am a fan of Jane Austen I was shocked by the freshness and wit that Fielding's writing still retains. Every book in the novel begins with an essay by the author. Do not skip these, they are one of the best features of the book. My favorite is the essay before the ninth book which explains the purpose of these introductory chapters. What a riot!The story of big hearted and big appetited Tom Jones and his adventures and misadventures is one long satirical gem. Fielding's interpretation of morals, piousness, love, and high society is still as hilarious and relevant as it was in the 18th century. For anyone who appreciates wit and history, this is a must read.

Simply the best, ever

Gentle satire about human nature and morality in the form of the history of a foundling raised in the home of a country squire, who is exiled from the home through a misunderstanding, and eventually reunited through a series of comic coincidences.Fielding provides a convincing argument as to the relative importance of chastity and piety as virtues by offering one character (Jones) who possesses every Christian virtue except chastity and piety, against another (Blifil) who has virtually no real virtue except chastity and piety.The moral lesson alone would not make this the greatest novel of all time. Fielding's relaxed, dry, humorous, and affectionate style is the main attraction. Do not try to rush through this book. Be grateful for the time you spend reading it, and go slowly.