Anyone knows Hardy's novel <A Pair of Blue Eyes>

When a random sample of 100 people were given a minute to name as many Thomas Hardy novels as they could, A Pair Of Blue Eyes was the only title nobody named, which probably indicates it's his most obscure work.

It'll probably be quicker if you read it yourself.

I have just read a few chapters and I found it a little bit difficult to read with so many Old English words.

God forbid that your homework should be difficult, or actually require you to read an entire book. Hardy doesn't use "Old English," which is a specific term and which is also called Anglo-Saxon. He often renders local dialect from the southwest of England, but once again, there's no guarantee that your homework won't be difficult. In fact, that's how one learns.

He also changes place names, somewhat pointlessly, Winchester becomes Wintoncester. Most of his work is set specifically in the county of Dorset. His cottage is now a tourist attraction.

A lot of his novels, especially the earlier ones, were attempts at romantic novels, quasi-gothic romances. I think he was trying to give the public what the thought they would want, and he was modestly successful at that. His first published novel, Desperate Remedies, was one such novel, and was mildly successful. I've been trying to plow my way through it, but i find it tedious. I felt the same way about Two on a Tower. I guess the Victorian vision of romance is not one that would attract a modern reader.

His "Victorian realism" novels are much better, both in terms of literary composition and as compelling story-telling which draws the reader in and holds their attention. Given his background, his literary success is all the more interesting.

My first encounter was with his poetry which was quite good apart from the ones where he is lamenting his dead wife which I found a bit self indulgent. I then went on to study Tess Of The d'Urbervilles which put me off him for life. I found him completely miserable and doom laden. I was put off by the narrative right at the beginning about blighted apples and blighted worlds, then turned off completely when Tess' confession to Angel ended up being pushed under the carpet. All that stuff at the sacrificial stone at Stonehenge was overly melodramatic.

That was the kind of thing that a moralizing generation loved, though. The Mayor of Casterbridge is first-rate story-telling, and the aspect of moral retribution at the end didn't spoil it for me. Hardy was also obsessed with class consciousness. The title character in Jude the Obscure cannot use his accidental, excellent education to overcome his lowly origins. There seems to be a lot of Hardy's own life mixed into his fiction. His father was a builder, and his brother followed that profession (very successfully). Thomas got a modest, small town education, and then was articled to an architect, which eventually became his profession. He often took the advice of other writers and publishers because he didn't trust his own instincts, and inferentially (from his correspondence), he always regretted his lack of formal education. Of course, in his era, the powers that were were men educated in the Public School system and then at Oxbridge.

It's not so different now.

This is a list of the Cabinet with what schools and universities they attended.

David Cameron, Prime Minister: Eton College (£33,000 a year), Oxford University


Nick Clegg, Deputy Prime Minister: Westminster School (£32,000 a year), Cambridge University


William Hague, Foreign Secretary: Ripon Grammar School (state), Oxford University


George Osborne, Chancellor: St Paul's School (£31,000 a year), Oxford University


Danny Alexander, Treasury Chief Secretary: Lochaber High School (state), Oxford University

Theresa May, Home Secretary: Holton Park Grammar (state), Oxford University


Philip Hammond, Defence Secretary: Shenfield School (state), Oxford University


Vince Cable, Business Secretary: Nunthorpe Grammar (state), Cambridge University


Iain Duncan Smith, Work and Pensions Secretary: St Peter's RC School, Solihull (state), Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst


Chris Grayling, Justice Secretary: High Wycombe Royal Grammar (state), Cambridge University


Michael Gove, Education Secretary: Robert Gordon's College (£11,000 a year), Oxford Uni


Eric Pickles, Communities Secretary: Greenhead Grammar (state), Leeds Polytechnic


Jeremy Hunt, Health Secretary: Charterhouse School (£33,000 a year), Oxford University


Owen Paterson, Environment Secretary: Radley College (£32,000 a year), Cambridge University


Justine Greening, International Development Sec.: Oakwood Comp. (state), Southampton Uni:


Alistair Carmichael, Scottish Secretary: Islay High School (state), Aberdeen University


Ed Davey, Energy Secretary: Nottingham High School (£12,000 a year), Oxford University


Patrick McLoughlin, Transport Secretary: Cardinal Griffin RC (state), Rodbaston College


Maria Miller, Culture Secretary: Brynteg Comprehensive (state), London School of Economics


Theresa Villiers, Northern Ireland: Francis Holland School (£15,000 a year), Bristol University


David Jones, Welsh Secretary: Ruabon Grammar School (state), University College London


Lord Hill, Leader of the House of Lords: Highgate School (£17,000 a year), Cambridge


(It's a bit out of date, state educated Maria Miller has been replaced by state educated Sajid Javid )

Thank you so much. But I still find it difficult due to my poor vocabulary. And when I refer to the dictionary, I forgot the former plot.

There are film versions of some of his other novels, notably Far From The Madding Crowd and Tess Of The d'Urbervilles maybe you could watch some of those to familiarise yourself with the accent/dialect.

Classic novels are excellent, but I don't find them interesting enough to read. So could you please recommend several contemporary novels to me?

Cider With Rosie by Laurie Lee deals with a similar rural environment to Hardy. I can't think of many rural English novels that are contemporary.

Is it just rural novels you're interested in or anything else?

Can you go into more detail about what you are looking in for in reading? And why? That way we can off suggestions that better fit what you are looking for.

Are you reading for the simple pleasure of reading? Reading to learn English (informally ... not for school or possible career)? Reading to learn English (formally as you are or will be a college student)?

re hardy: in the 60's, he wasn't as popular as he seems to be now.

Then, someone must have read Far From the Madding Crowd - "a merely realistic dream country" ... and Hardy County was born.

And when the snobs were told about, all wanted to settle in Havenpool. But found that only in "mini-but-a-lot-cheaper-Eastbourne-like" strip of beaches some wasteland, dunes and amusement halls were cheap to get.
And thus Sandbanks became the most expensive place in the UK second only to London.

The most famous beer of the Eldridge Pope brewery (Dorchester) was the Thomas Hardy's ale.

I'm not so interested in rural novels. Just contemporary novels and I don't care about the background. Thank you.

I am a freshman and I just want find some funny books so that I can continue reading and learn English.

Three Men in a boat and Three men on a bummel by Jerome K Jerome.

Though it's not a novel and additionally quite informative, 1066 and all that by W. C. Sellar and R. J. Yeatman is an easy to read tongue-in-cheek history of England.

(I've read all those with a rather limited knowledge of English as a young schoolboy.)