Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collection
Publication
Oxford University Press, USA (2002), Edition: 2nd, Paperback, 160 pages
Description
Mackenzie's hugely popular novel of 1771 is the foremost work of the sentimental movement, in which sentiment and sensibility were allied with true virtue, and sensitivity is the mark of the man of feeling. The hero, Harley, is followed in a series of episodes demonstrating his benevolence inan uncaring world: he assists the down-trodden, loses his love, and fails to achieve worldly success. The novel asks a series of vital questions: what morality is possible in a complex commercial world? Does trying to maintain it make you a saint or a fool? Is sentiment merely a luxury for theleisured classes?
User reviews
LibraryThing member stillatim
What more do you need from a contemporary novel? Clever clever narrative disruption? Check. Post-romantic fragmentation? Check. Rejection of final moral? Check. And every time someone writes a review saying 'why doesn't he man up' they prove why people should read this book *seriously*. Yeah, it's
But why do that when you can be hip and ironic and roll your eyes, right? Love it, dude. Black on black. Awesome. Pass the porn.
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funny that the man tears up over seemingly everything - but he also hires hookers, so, you know, he's not such a snag. And honestly, the world probably would be a better place if people were actually upset by massive injustice, poverty, cruelty and so on. But why do that when you can be hip and ironic and roll your eyes, right? Love it, dude. Black on black. Awesome. Pass the porn.
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LibraryThing member sometimeunderwater
Dull 18th century sentimental novel, doesn't escape its genre. Must have been very affecting at the time, but in our modern ironic age this is just too earnest and sappy.
LibraryThing member curious_squid
2.8 stars. The book was written in fragments, instead of a complete story. Basically a man traveling and he runs into a person or persons and listens to their stories, and then he tries to help them.
By reading these fragments at night before I fell asleep I would often restart and have no idea who
By reading these fragments at night before I fell asleep I would often restart and have no idea who
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was talking and how the book got to that point. I would go back several pages and it still didn’t always help. Very disjointed. Show Less
Subjects
Language
Original publication date
1771
Physical description
160 p.; 7.6 inches
ISBN
0192840320 / 9780192840325