If i had to describe this book in just one word, I would, of course, say it's simply amazing. Cecil Beaton was a truly genius British photograher.

I absolutely love this book and have used it for five years. Somehow, this year it was misplaced and I was lost without it. Wonderful and very comprehensive indexing with lots of photos.

After visiting the Pierced Hearts and True Love exibit at our local art gallery I bought and fell in love with this book. Very tasteful and well thought out. An inspiration for a person considering a tattoo. Very thought provoking.

As a great admirer of "Jude the Obscure" and "Tess of the D'Ubervilles," I was intrigued when I saw this collection of some of Hardy's shorter works, and was not disapointed. The common theme running through these sketches is Hardy's dissatisfaction with the institution of marriage. Written in Hardy's impeccable style, these stories are short and biting looks at the circumstances that surround and influence marriage. You'll find few happy endings among these tales, but they are an enjoyable read. It's always a pleasure to immerse oneself in Hardy's world and language, and the twisted little plots Hardy creates show a side of his genius I had not previously realized.

These stories are not as profound as some of Hardy's other works, and, by necessity, the characters are not as well developed. However, I would still recommend this book. For a fan of Tess or Jude, it's a fascinating look into the mind of Hardy at the time he was writing these novels. And for someone who's never read any Hardy, they are an easy and enjoyable introduction to a wonderful author.

What wonderful language! What wonderful characters! If you're looking for happy endings, don't look here. Tragedy, suicide, and deceivement abound in these short stories. (My 1965 hard-cover copy also includes A FEW CRUSTED CHARACTERS.) But if you appreciate remarkable writing that will take your breath away, this is it! Comparable to Hardy's THE MAYOR OF CASTERBRIDGE.

I had forgotten Hardy's unique way of making my jaw drop in the last few pages of his novels. If it's been a while since you've treated yourself to his unrelenting destruction of any hope you may be harboring for his characters, indulge. The man never disappoints a cynic.

This is one of Hardy's least known works, and is generally not regarded as highly as other titles such as "The Mayor of Casterbridge" or "Far from the Madding Crowd". Personally however it's my favourite Hardy book. I may be biased since it's the first Hardy I read and I was also "involved" with a pair of blue eyes at the time, but somehow it's a little more "reader friendly" than the others I've read (Under the Greenwood Tree & Far from the Madding Crowd) and seems to get you a little more concerned with the characters fates rather than looking for moral pointers or intellectual arguments. Try it - hopefully you'll love it too.

I've loved every Hardy book, poem, and short story that I've ever read. He reminds me of our own William Faulkner who surely must have read Hardy because he patterned his style in the same manner (Yoknapatawpha County versus Hardy's Wessex, etc.). The blue-eyed girl, Elfride, reminds me of the main character in a book I'm reading now: Clyde Griffiths in Theodore Dreiser's An American Tragedy, also a book describing the conflicts of class and love and, since it's set in the US, lust for money. A long suit of Hardy's is his wonderful quotes from the peasants ("I have no use for a flower that neglect won't kill," and "dead, but wouldn't drop down." The other thing I like is his many references which enrich the story and educate the reader. Therefore I look for editions that have explanatory notes. Then too I like to have a pile of reference books on hand to get his fuller meaning: the Bible, Shakespeare, books on English literature, etc. And last, like all Hardy novels, A Pair of Blue Eyes has plenty of sex (if you can read between the lines). Hardy recognized that strongest of all drives beside the basic ones of survival, and despite what he called the Grundyism of the period, he conveyed that truth in his books. Read this book and any other by Hardy. A lifetime of pleasure awaits you. But of course that's just my opinion.

Young readers with short attention spans should shy away from this novel. It is a story of a love triangle set in the heaths of 19th century England. Each character has a well-developed psyche which comes out in their actions. Hardy shows the motivations that bring out the evil-appearing actions that humans do. The heath is a wonderful figure of this. Boring, ugly, and unsatisfying at times, and beautiful and artsy at others. The end, though really not a surprise comes suddenly. Younger readers should keep a dictionary at their sides while reading this. Even if one does not quite get what is happening, the language it is written in is very poetic.

Although the 19th Century prose requires a bit more effort from the reader than most 20th Century novels, the brilliant characterizations of people like Clym Yeobright and Eustacia Vye plus the lovingly detailed descriptions of the unique (and fictional) location, Egdon Heath, make this work a pleasure to read for anyone who is willing to work at it a bit. Hardy describes his characters so solidly that, although they cause one another's misfortunes for the most part, we can understand and, to at least some degree, sympathize with all of them. Their flaws and mistakes seem real and understandable - not forced by the needs of the plot.

This is not a "message novel." As far as I can tell, Hardy has nothing to say about social or moral problems of 1830s England in this book. But the place he takes you is unforgettable and the people you meet there make it worth the trip.

I laughed out loud as i read the first sentence: I had forgotten until i read it that it is quoted by Monty Python in their hilarious "Novel-Writing" sketch. But that might well be the only time i laughed during the book; this is not a humorous book but rather, like "Tess of the D'Urbervilles" ~ though less explicitly developed ~ the story of people tossed about by fate, chance, the gods, events, and the results are not pretty. Hardy writes beautifully, to be sure; not a phrase is misplaced in driving towards the effect of horror as good people are driven to extremity by events out of their control. It is hard to say that there is a hero in the book, unless perhaps the heath in Wessex on which all the action takes place. Certainly none of the main characters are completely admirable ~ though none is despicable either ~ in their actions and interactions. I have had a history of struggling with Hardy: Though i have read him before it has always felt like a chore (James is another whose novels give me that feeling); here i had no such difficulty, rather i raced (insofar as is possible) through it, hurrying toward the end, caring about each of the characters, and curious about the plot. Now my feeling is one of envy for a master of the language, one who is quoted in the OED as the authority for certain words' usage; envy, and admiration for the wonderful way he was able to put words together to make a place he obviously loved come so alive for another. I'd love to go to "Egdon Heath" sometime, to see it as it "embrowned itself moment by moment...." It might even raise a smile and shiver of horror both in me.

The Mayor of Casterbridge has so many plot twists and turns that it would not be an exaggeration to label this book as a "plot spiral." With practically every new section, Hardy invents a new way to reveal some surprising (and sometimes not so surprising) twist to the plot line. Hardy creates a complex story about love, lust, relationships, economical hardship, family, shifts in power, and more in a beautiful and picturesque way. He concentrates so much on detail that it seems as if you are watching the events first hand. His style presents information as if you were reading it in the form of a play. He nearly always sets up the scene before beginning the action, which makes it so much easier to delve deeply into the action of the characters.

Hardy also creates enormously dynamic characters that are subject to so many changes throughout the novel that they become like real people. The author's grip on human emotions makes his characters believable and easily loved and then hated. The fluctuating emotions of the main character, Michael Henchard, as he falls subject to disappointment in every avenue of his life is a true example of Hardy's gift for characterization.

The contrast of the out-dated and underdeveloped town of Casterbridge vs. the complexity of the relationships that develop within it is brilliant and makes the reactions of the common townspeople to these relationships even more significant to the development of the setting and also the relationships themselves. Though not portrayed obviously in the book, the town of Casterbridge itself plays a very large role in the story. As Hardy thrusts outsiders from other cultures into this archaic town, things suddenly become very complicated and even more so when the newcomers begin to meet and mix together. The Scotchman, Farfrae, and Lucetta, the Jersey girl, as well as some others, react in such a way to the old ways of this society as to disrupt the harmony of this simple community, making this novel an avenue for Hardy to demonstrate his gift for rich dialogue and language, as created in direct relation to the character's point of origin.

Hardy has created a book about rises and downfalls of a small group of people and presents a very fitting theme about the events of ones life and how they affect everyone around them in death. I must say that I enjoyed this novel for its substance and complexity, as well as the timelessness of the general plot outline.

At first I was forced to read "The Mayor of Casterbridge" in school more than 12 years ago. Reading it slowly made an impact on my life. This book always served a special purpose in my life. It introduced me to the wide world of Literature. It sort of enlighten my interest and liking for English literature. Now re-reading it not only brought back fond memories of my yester school days but also renewed my liking to one of the greatest writer of all time Thomas Hardy.

Through this novel I came to the understanding of Irony and oxymoron. Hardy totally wrote with a sense of awareness of human characteristic and he had a amazing style of mixed humour with tragedy.

His protagonist,Michael Henchard's life was under the microscope of Hardy.

I love the way the story began I quote:"ONE evening of late summer, before the nineteenth century had reached one-third of its span, a young man and woman, the latter carrying a child, were approaching the large village of Weydon-Priors, in Upper Wessex, on foot. " I love the Englishness and the sense of intriguing events that would follow...

In brief, Michael Henchard was a drunk who sold his wife and daughter at the fair. Later he realised his mistakes he work real hard and eventually became the mayor of Casterbridge. His life took another twist 20 years later when his wife and daughter came back to his life plus a few more other characters adding on the complexity of his life.Soonafter events unfolded and many things became to go against his way and then came his downfall. Indeed Michael Henchard's rise and fall were filled with compelling details and his encounters with numerous intestering people.

What I love most about this novel was the way Hardy depicted Henchard's behaviours and thoughts and totally enhanced his weak character and irresponsibleness with dashes of ironies. His sardonic literary style were brilliant and at the same time he also vividly described the scenery and situations. Another greatest of Hardy was his ability to create innovative characters still account for in modern contemporary days and he was a pioneer in analysising human's weakness and blended it into his creation. It's a vintage classic,psychoanalytic and intriguingly written ,a must read for all books lover.

Since I have decided to dedicate part of my time spent reading in 2003 to the classics, I started first with The Mayor of Casterbridge, not the most famous of Hardy's works but seemingly a good place to start. I will definitely read the other works by this author since I was so captivated by this book.

The novel begins with the sale of Michael Henchard's wife and child to the highest bidder at a local summer fair. Henchard is drunk and his wife, tired of his habits, decides to leave with the sailor who bids on her and her daughter. Henchard wakes up the next morning, somewhat remorseful for what he has done and vows not to drink for twenty-one years.

The very next chapter picks up the story nineteen years later, with the return of the wife and child into Henchard's life. Henchard is now quite wealthy and is such an important man in his community, he is now Mayor of Casterbridge. From here, a series of wrong decisions and misunderstandings lead to the devastating conclusion.

Hardy is well known for his tendency towards gloomy endings and this book certainly fits the mold. But he is also well known for his lyrical descriptions of the English countryside and describing a way of life which had disappeared even in his own time. There were beautiful passages about the hay carts being driven through town, loaded so high that people on the second floor of homes could reach out and touch the top of the hay. Small details abound, describing the sound of rain on trees and the smell of the local foods. But perhaps the most significant aspect of the novel for me was the feeling that Henchard had wished for everything that had happened to him, and all of his wishes came true, and thus ultimately his downfall. These wishes were almost all made in a rash moment, when perhaps a minute or more of reflection could have produced a clearer head. Yet Henchard lives by his instincts, since for almost twenty years they seemed to serve him well.

I would recommend this book to any serious literature lover and I believe it serves as a good introduction to his other works. His books serve as a bridge from Victorian literature to modern literature, with no happy endings guaranteed.

What wasn't apparent to me when I ordered this book was that the information was written for the British gardener. The hardiness information ("half hardy", "fully hardy", etc.) is useful in the UK, but hardiness in some plants can vary greatly between the two continents. Having said that, the book does have a thorough list of plants and is well organized. It is useful to the American gardener for plant ideas and general inspiration, but hardiness will have to be checked independently.