The Vicar of Wakefield and Other Writings

by Oliver Goldsmith, Frederick W. Hilles (Editor; Introduction; Notes)

Contains the Vicar of Wakefield, The Deserted Village, The Traveller & Other Poems, Selections from the Citizen of the World & Other essays, an abridged form of The Life of Richard Nash, and She Stoops to Conquer. Introduction by Frederick W. Hilles. Modern Library #291

Genres: Fiction

580 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1955

About the author

Literary reputation of Irish-born British writer Oliver Goldsmith rests on his novel The Vicar of Wakefield (1766), the pastoral poem The Deserted Village (1770), and the dramatic comedy She Stoops to Conquer (1773).

This Anglo-Irish poet, dramatist, novelist, and essayist wrote, translated, or compiled more than forty volumes. Good sense, moderation, balance, order, and intellectual honesty mark the works for which people remember him.

Reviews

[Stephen]

Cannot rate this-it wouldn’t be right. Only read the first 6 chapters of Vicar and literally cannot force feed this a second longer. I know this writing is special, i KNOW, but it reminds me of the time my buddy painfully detailed for me the rules to Olympic Shuttlecock, and i still could not care less, not even one thread, even though i really wish i could, at least for the sake of my own deceased Father (who i think liked Oliver Goldsmith). Shelving it for now, til it is needed for that survival-on-a-deserted-island crash landing kind of event. Sorry Dad.

[Kirk Nesset]

I love literature from this period but this novel is awful.

[Jadzia · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Read the Vicar of Wakefield only) I surprised myself by really enjoying this story! The only way I can describe it is as a 1700s soap opera novel. Unnecessarily, but hilariously over-exaggerated dramatics through the whole novel. Short and fun, although at times hard to keep track of which gentleman was which, but might just be because I am terrible with names!