A preface to Hardy

by Merryn Williams

New York & London:: Longman,, 1976.. Very good in very good dust jacket. (some pencilled notations and underlining - erasable.). First printing. A look at Thomas Hardy's roots in Dorset, and at his search for progress and change as shown in his novels and poetry. Illustrated with photographs. Index. 182 pages/

182 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1976

About the author

Merryn Williams is a poet and the author of books on Thomas Hardy and Margaret Oliphant. Raymond Williams, her father, is Emeritus Professor of Drama, University of Cambridge, and a Fellow of Jesus College, Cambridge.

Reviews

[Eleni]

Considering how much I disliked the other Hardy book by the same author, I have to say this one was worth reading. While a small thing, my favourite "tit bit" from this book was a drawing/cartoon of God talking to Hardy....

[Amalie]

This is an excellent introduction to Hardy and his setting. If you are someone like me, who enjoy Hardy’s works tremendously but do not have enough time to spend on lengthy biographies, then this is a good book. It is divided into three parts: The Writer and his Setting (Hardy’s Life, Hardy the countryman, Hardy the Victorian), Critical Survey (includes Hardy’s heroes and their predicaments, introductions to short stories and the Dynasts, selected poems) and Reference section with Maps and short biographies)

The part I really enjoyed is the poetry section. ‘The Preface Books’ seem to be very handy with its content so I’m thinking about moving onto the Brontes, Oscar Wilde, Wilfred Owen and Shakespeare’s Tragedies.