Lifes Little Ironies

The phrase `life's little ironies' is now proverbial, but it was coined by Hardy as the title for this, his third volume of short stories. While the tales and sketches.
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I enjoyed reading this! Ironically, I had to throw away my copy. It somehow found its way into my daughter's full training potty. I can't say this was just ok as the stories are so well written, but it's also inaccurate to say I liked it! He's very opposed to marriage out of necessity - but it seems a little biased as men could walk away from relationships without ending in marriage with much more ease then women, who were left literally holding the baby. Women who 'steal' men off other women also come in for some harsh I can't say this was just ok as the stories are so well written, but it's also inaccurate to say I liked it!

Women who 'steal' men off other women also come in for some harsh consequences as do women who marry without love - sad, but in a society where there were no other real options it seems more understandable then Hardy makes out. Maybe it's just my impression, but it seems like Hardy's men who misbehave are treated with humour and understanding except for being so foolish as to marry women they've gotten pregnant - that's a really stupid idea he says but the women are really slated for every ungenerous deed.

Jan 27, Terese rated it it was ok. The writing can't be faulted, Hardy is a master of the pen and his language is beautiful, but these little "ironies" were a big let-down as well as real downers. This book celebrates Thomas Hardy's cynical views of life.

Life’s Little Ironies – Thomas Hardy () | heavenali

While well written, it's not the most pleasant book. As always I love Thomas Hardy. Short stories don't allow for as much charachter attachment but his stories are still greag. Sep 03, Abhilash rated it liked it.


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All the stories highlight the ironies of life and have a tragic end. But a few of them were magical Oct 27, Lavinia rated it it was amazing Shelves: Some funny, some sad, and all of them deliciously ironic. Dec 10, Paul rated it really liked it Shelves: Wonderful collection of gloomy short stories; typical Hardy. They are very powerful portrayals of human frailty. Jul 17, Stefania rated it liked it. To sad to be called ironies. Sep 11, Osbert Neville rated it really liked it. Thomas Hardy is the least sentimental of writers.

The failure of marriage and the treacherous effects of social ambition on the individual and the community are handled adroitly by Hardy in "Life's Little Ironies". The human animal is a tragic and farcical creature in Hardy's universe - our desires and expectations are more often than not discrepant with life's outcomes.

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It's a grave error to imagine that life will conform to our dreams and hopes. The irony and pathos of Hardy's fictional univers Thomas Hardy is the least sentimental of writers. The irony and pathos of Hardy's fictional universe have compelled me to take a break from fiction for a short spell. The powerful archetypes in fiction originate in the critical and shrewd psychology of the great writers - we are those archetypes and they are us.

The dishes that writers like Thomas Hardy, D. Lawrence, and Gustave Flaubert serve are very rich - they give us truths which are hard to digest on account of them being deadly accurate. Maybe I'm too much of a fatalist. Jul 31, Jeff Hobbs marked it as to-read Shelves: A collection of short stories where Hardy shows how little he believes in marriage: The only way to love, where wrogful marriages prevent it, is death.

A more conservative look, though, would see that marriage is an obstacule for love only when bad, impulsive decisions, are made. Endearing but dreadfully depressing short stories, half remind me of the small town I grew up in. Jan 27, Lauren Swiderski rated it liked it. I'm a huge Thomas Hardy fan, and some of these short stories are quite good.

Others leave you depressed more depressed than after an episode of Black Mirror. Mar 11, I. Only read 'On the Western Circuit'. When one speaks of Thomas Hardy as an author, one associates the name with never-ending novels which many have 'studied' but which few have dared to endeavor to read. This is why I believe Hardy's collection in this book classified in his 'novels of character and environment' to be an exceptional one.

You literally do not have any excuse not to read Hardy anymore. All his wit, irony and prowess as an author, but never exceeding thirty pages or so. However, the real reason why this book merits When one speaks of Thomas Hardy as an author, one associates the name with never-ending novels which many have 'studied' but which few have dared to endeavor to read.

Life's Little Ironies

Hardy had a real understanding of human character of the time, and it is evident. For Hardy it is not about portraying the evils of society, like temptation and green envy, and stop there but more about underlying the factors which cause them, which are to some degree natural. What is not natural, however, is the extent of which some characters go to to serve their own selfish needs. The ironical and witty aspect also helps Hardy to achieve this, of course.

His tales are so delightful to read that I did not want the book to end. Hardy's unique manner in which he fuses the harshness of reality with his own imagination and creativity makes his books more than just a critique of the institution of marriage, but rather more as a critique of human nature itself. Feb 16, Ana Schiopu rated it really liked it. Really enjoyed this mix of small timeless stories. Although they were written in the 19th century, the translation and the action makes them very actuals, which i really enjoyed!

Thomas Hardy is a great writer, very original in my opinion, will carry on reading his works! The first story in this book was so sad that I thought I wouldn't continue to read it. However, I found that I was so haunted by thinking about the story that I went back to it. Not all of the stories end sadly. Some of them have some humor to them. Generally, each story gives a different perspective on life.

Life's Little Ironies by Thomas Hardy

The Victorian style writing may be burdensome to some people. I recommend if that is the case, that the reader might try sticking with it for a bit longer. I found that I fell into the rhyt The first story in this book was so sad that I thought I wouldn't continue to read it. I found that I fell into the rhythm of the writing after a while. After that, I started to enjoy the poetic descriptions which you don't find in today's writing very often. Feb 08, Sanaa Khyry added it. There are no discussion topics on this book yet.

Life’s Little Ironies – Thomas Hardy (1894)

Thomas Hardy , OM, was an English author of the naturalist movement, although in several poems he displays elements of the previous romantic and enlightenment periods of literature, such as his fascination with the supernatural. He regarded himself primarily as a poet and composed novels mainly for financial gain.

The bulk of his work, set mainly in the semi-fictional land of Wessex, delineates cha Thomas Hardy , OM, was an English author of the naturalist movement, although in several poems he displays elements of the previous romantic and enlightenment periods of literature, such as his fascination with the supernatural. The bulk of his work, set mainly in the semi-fictional land of Wessex, delineates characters struggling against their passions and circumstances.

Hardy's poetry, first published in his 50s, has come to be as well regarded as his novels, especially after The Movement of the s and s. In the novel, Hardy chose to leave one of his protagonists, Knight, literally hanging off a cliff staring into the stony eyes of a trilobite embedded in the rock that has been dead for millions of years.

This became the archetypal — and literal — cliff-hanger of Victorian prose. Books by Thomas Hardy. See All Goodreads Deals…. Trivia About Life's Little Iro No trivia or quizzes yet. The air was as country air at this hour, and the stars shone, except to the north-eastward, where there was a whitish light — the dawn.

Sam carefully placed her in the seat, and drove on.


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They talked as they had talked in old days, Sam pulling himself up now and then, when he thought himself too familiar. More than once she said with misgiving that she wondered if she ought to have indulged in the freak. Nicks, with the oboe all sound and powerful musicians, and strong-winded men they that blowed. For that reason they were very much in demand Christmas week for little reels and dancing-parties; for they could turn a jig or a hornpipe out of hand as well as ever they could turn out a psalm, and perhaps better, not to speak irreverent.

These stories about family, social ambition — and its consequences, are deeply ironic. Many of the characters are tragic, the misguided actions of themselves or others impacting upon their fortunes. In these stories we encounter The Great Exhibition of , and the dawn of the railway, we see rural life juxtaposed with a smart London life.

I certainly think Hardy was a particularly good short story writer, within the confines of the genre; he manages to create whole communities and families, trace histories over many years, while keeping the narrative flowing brilliantly. Where has the time gone? Posted in Uncategorized Tagged book reviews , thomas hardy , thomas hardy reading challenge 8 Comments. I loved reading about how you enjoy books by Thomas Hardy. I share that sort of enthusiasm for Emile Zola.

Curiously, both authors were born in and I wondered if their paths ever crossed! I read a wonderful comment about both writers: I need to read more Hardy! Well done on doing so well with your challenge!