Customer Reviews (1)

An excellent book on one man's rise and fall.
Here, in this relatively obscure work, Thackeray is at his ironic and satiric best.Modern critics lightly dismiss the book as a piece of journalistic hack work, but it is much more than that.Redmond Barry, later Barry Lyndon, chronicles in a fairly sophistocated and always lighthearted manner his rise from a poor Irish country boy to the astral heights of polite English society from 1750-1820.Mr. Barry is always Machievellian in his way, and is quick and efficient with his sword.He is Odysseus, Holden Caulfield, Don Juan, and Nabokov's Humbert Humbert merged.In a word, he is very, very entertaining and very, very good.The book's only glaring flaw is it's belabored and uninspired ending.But it is much worth reading to watch Redmond Barry when young ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description
Thackeray's development as a book reviewer, journalist, art exhibition critic, short story writer, satirical essayist, and novelist--is a development that culminates in the creation of his masterpiece, one of the glories of English imaginative writing: Vanity Fair. Articulating the connections among these vigorous and lively youthful works, and the growth of Thackeray as an increasingly profound participant-observer, Harden reveals the exuberant imaginative growth and deepening understanding of a supremely insightful perceiver and critic of hum social life. Beginning with Thackeray's struggles to discover and define himself as a writer, Harden traces the coming together of Thackeray's scattered articulations of guiding ethical and artistic principles, Thackeray's discovery of his exuberant comic ability, his increased experience of life, his deepening understanding of human folly (his own crucially included), and his brilliant success as a masterful articulator of the ambiguity of our motives and of their archetypal reenactment in human history. ... Read more

Book Description
Born into gentlemanly affluence, William Thackeray's life was shattered by early separation from his mother. Unhappy at school and idle at Cambridge, he gambled away part of his fortune before he was 21. This biography explores his life and literary success and is illustrated with his own drawings. ... Read more

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Book Description
Series Editor: Robert Lecker, McGill University

Written in an easy-to-read, accessible style by teachers with years of classroom experience, Masterwork Studies are guides to the literary works most frequently studied in high school. Presenting ideas that spark imaginations, these books help students to gain background knowledge on great literature useful for papers and exams. The goal of each study is to encourage creative thinking by presenting engaging information about each work and its author. This approach allows students to arrive at sound analyses of their own, based on in-depth studies of popular literature. Each volume:

• Illuminates themes and concepts of a classic text
• Uses clear, conversational language
• Is an accessible, manageable length from 140 to 170 pages
• Includes a chronology of the author's life and era
• Provides an overview of the historical context
• Offers a summary of its critical reception
• Lists primary and secondary sources and index

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Customer Reviews (1)

"Old Folks Have a Right To Be Interesting"
Think for a bit about two books, both IVANHOE and REBECCA AND ROWENA. Sir Walter Scott wrote IVANHOE in 1819 and it conquered the world. Three decades later William Makepeace Thackeray's REBECCA AND ROWENA took up IVANHOE where Scott had left off. If it was meant to dampen Victorian England's passion for the Middle Ages, it failed. Your question is: which book do I read first?

Thackeray as a school boy had fallen in love with Rebecca, the Jewish heroine of IVANHOE and had rather disliked goody-goody Rowena. Both young women loved the gallant crusader Sir Wilfrid of Ivanhoe, who in different ways returned their affection. But, inevitably, Christian Rowena won the Christian knight and a broken-hearted Rebecca sailed off to a Muslim kingdom in Spain with her father, Isaac of York.

Thackeray thought readers would want to know what happened to the heroic trio of Ivanhoe, Rowena and Rebecca after 1194 when Ivanhoe married Rowena. He argues:

"Let the young ones be warned that the old folks have a right to be interesting, and that a lady may continue to have a heart although she is somewhat stouter than she was when a schoolgirl, and a man his feelings although he gets his hair from Truefitt's. "(Ch. I)

So Thackeray fast forwards to the year 1199 when Richard the Lion-Heart is about to be slain by an arrow shot by a teenager during an otherwise victorious campaign in France. A very bored Ivanhoe joins King Richard's siege of a rebellious castle. Ivanhoe, too, falls in battle, apparently dead, but kept barely alive in secret by two friendly priests, though in a coma for six years. Returning to England, he finds Rowena married to Athelstane the Saxon and already a young mother. Ivanhoe then visits his lawyer, collects his money and begins years of searching for his lost love, Rebecca.

Meanwhile Athelstane and Rowena take up arms against King John. Athelstane dies. Ivanhoe finds the widowed Rowena in prison with her son. With her dying breath, ever jealous of her Jewish rival, Rowena extorts a promise that Sir Wilfrid will never marry a Jew. In the end Ivanhoe tracks Rebecca down. She announces that she has become a Christian for love of Ivanhoe. They settle down, having adopted the son of Rowena and Athelstane. Their married life is said to be rather hum-drum and they die relatively young.

So which book should you read first? At first blush this is a no-brainer: of course you read the earlier IVANHOE. But there are cons. IVANHOE is very long and intricate. REBECCA AND ROWENA is barely a novella and very straightforward. Modern Americans may therefore be more likely to want to read something short before something long. And REBECCA AND ROWENA does give the highlights of IVANHOE, a kind of Cliff Notes. Five years after the wedding of Ivanhoe and Rowena we see also Robin Hood as the Earl of Huntingdon, Friar Tuck as his chaplain, Gurth the swineherd married and promoted to forester for Mr and Mrs Ivanhoe, and Wamba the Jester with almost no one to laugh at his jokes but elevated as well to Sir Wilfrid's valet.

REBECCA AND ROWENA abounds in humor and social commentary. I recommend that if you read it first, you go on right away to tackle IVANHOE next.

-OOO- ... Read more

Book Description
Thackeray's satirical stories of domestic folly and socialclimbing mocked, with good humor, his pretentious generation. Whether hejoined a crowd of forty thousand spectators at the gallows, or dined withfat burghers at the Lord Mayor's feast, his amusement produced some ofthe wittiest-and most savage-lampoons in English.Download Description
The Misses Macarty were excessively indignant that Mr. Fitch should have had the audacity to fall in love with their sister; and poor Caroline's life was not, as may be imagined, made much the happier by the envy and passion thus excited. Mr. Fitch's amour was the source of a great deal of pain to her. Her mother would tauntingly say, that as both were beggars, they could not do better than marry; and declared, in the same satirical way, that she should like nothing better than to see a large family of grandchildren about her, to be plagues and burdens upon her, as her daughter was. ... Read more

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One of the earliest and greatest of the Victorian Bildungsroman, this introspective novel treats London's bohemian and literary underworld and the romantic entanglements of its hero, Arthur Pendennis, with comic and uninhibited style.Son of a selfless widow, Pendennis moves from one
disastrous romantic involvement to another on the fringes of the corrupt upper classes. Thackeray had slaved for ten years in this literary bohemia; the introduction considers the parallels between Thackeray's life and the novel, and examines the changes taking place in Victorian England throughout
the years of the story. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Fun and quite readable
Most people know of only one book by Thackeray: his witty and savage masterpiece VANITY FAIR. PENDENNIS, perhaps his second-best book, is certainly no slouch itself: a funny, rollicking Bildungsroman, PENDENNIS chronicles the adventures of a loveable young man who almost always manages to get himself into trouble, and his tribulations with the several attractive women in his life (including his young mother). There are some definite slow patches to the work, but for the most part it moves almnost at a rip-roaring pace, and it has none of the overseriousness that mars Thackeray's later works (such as the fascinating, but slowpaced THE NEWCOMES). This is Victorian reading at its most pleasurable, if not its most intellectually challenging.

Everyone should read this book!
This is without a doubt one of the funniest and enjoyable novels I have ever read!Do not let the length of the book scare you, Thackeray's brilliant and unique style makes it an easy joy to read.I admit there are some lulls but overall PENDENNIS will earn an honored place on any bookshelf. ... Read more

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This edition of one of the greatest social satires of the English language reproduces the text of the Oxford Thackeray and includes all of Thackeray's own illustrations.Download Description
On a broad and colourful canvas, extending from urban and rural England to Waterloo and the continental haunts of exiles, Thackeray gives us one of the greatest social-satirical novels in the language - one of the most entertaining and profound, and, in the person of Becky Sharp, we have one of literature's most resourceful, attractive, and amoral characters. Essentially a commentary on hypocrisy and those ethical principles to which society pays lip-service, Vanity Fair (1847-8) invites us to consider which is to blame: the opportunist or the society that makes opportunism necessary. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (53)

With a 19th century nerd as the hero, how can you not love it?
It's only now that I notice the subtitle "novel without a hero", and that is what struck me most about this novel- the lack of heroes.Indeed, just about all of the characters are flawed in some way, but I beg to differ that there is no hero.Surely the good and honest Major Dobbin qualifies. He may be gawky and awkward, but that makes him so much more endearing than the stereotypical Prince Charming type, or reformed rascal that we might expect to see in a typical contemporary Victorian novel.

In some ways, Vanity Fair is a typical Victorian novel.There are lots of characters that can be difficult to keep track of, it is kind of soap-opera-ish, and as it covers a long period of time, it is very long, tending to drag in the middle.However, the action really picks up in the last couple hundred pages, so it is well worth it to keep reading.

Another winning quality of Vanity Fair is the narration.It is a hyperbole and parody of the typical Victorian narration. Not only is the narrator an omniscent, third-person who passes judgements, but he is a wisecracking and exaggerated one as well.

I think Thackeray also deserves a lot of credit for not making the story predictable. I honestly didn't know quite how the story would wrap up, and as it neared the end I could tell that it wasn't going the way of a Hollywood movie plot (thankfully!).

When Iread the summary of Vanity Fair, I was led to believe that it was all about Becky Sharp and that it was her story alone.Although you could argue in the end, it really is all about Becky and how she manipulates people, the characters of Amelia and Dobbin are too well-developed and interesting to play second fiddle to the scheming Becky.

In summary, Vanity Fair has more depth, wit, and honesty than your typical Victorian novel, so I highly recommend it!

The Human Drama
Thackeray's "Vanity Fair" is at once a fascinating glimpse into the aristocratic Europe of the early 1800's while also serving as a masterful critique of the modern human drama.While it takes some time for the story to really pull you in, you can expect a rather enjoyable ride once it does.Thackeray does a good job of developing the characters and their personalities, and you will often find yourself thinking "I know people like this."In short, "Vanity Fair" is a 200-year-old story which, if anything, has only increased in relevance.

All's fair in love and "Vanity"
Greed, gold-digging and deception sit at the heart of "Vanity Fair." It's no joke that it's subtitled "a novel without a hero" -- William Makepeace Thackeray mercilessly skewered the pretentions and flaws of the upper class all throughout it. The result is a gloriously witty social satire.

It opens with two young women departing from a ladies' academy: dull, sweet Amelia (rich) and fiery sharp-witted Rebecca (poor). Becky Sharp is a relentless social climber, and her first effort to rise "above her station" is by trying to get Amelia's brother to marry her -- an effort thwarted by Amelia's fiancee. So instead she gets married to another family's second son, Rawdon Crawley.

Unfortunately, both young couples quickly get disinherited and George is killed. But Becky is determined to live the good life she has worked and married for -- she obtains jewels and money from admiring gentlemen, disrupting her marriage. But a little thing like a tarnished reputation isn't enough to keep Becky down...

"Vanity Fair" is actually a lot more complex than that, with dozens of little subplots and complicated character relationships. Reading it a few times is necessary to really absorb all of it, since it is not just a look at the two women in the middle of the book, but at the upper (and sometimes lower) social strata of the nineteenth century.

The main flaw of the book is perhaps that it sprawls too much -- there's always a lot of stuff going on, not to mention a huge cast of characters, and Thackeray sometimes drops the ball when it comes to the supporting characters and their little plots. It takes a lot of patience to absorb all of this. However... it's worth it.

Like most nineteenth-century writers, Thackeray had a very dense, formal writing style -- but once you get used to it, his writing becomes insanely funny. Witticisms and quips litter the pages, even if you don't pick them all up at once. At first Thackeray seems incredibly cynical (Becky's little schemes almost always pay off), but taken as a social satire, it's easier to understand why he was so cynical about the society of the time.

Becky Sharp is the quintessential anti-heroine -- she's very greedy and cold, yet she's also so smart and determined that it's hard not to have a grudging liking for her. Certainly life hasn't been fair for her. Next to Becky, a goody-goody character like Amelia is pretty boring, and even the unsubtle George can't measure up to Becky.

To sum up "Vanity Fair": think a period soap opera with a heavy dose of social commentary. In other words, it doesn't get much better than this, Thackeray's masterpiece.

All's "Fair" in love and vanity
Greed, gold-digging and deception sit at the heart of "Vanity Fair." It's no joke that it's subtitled "a novel without a hero" -- William Makepeace Thackeray mercilessly skewered the pretentions and flaws of the upper class all throughout it. The result is a gloriously witty social satire.

It opens with two young women departing from a ladies' academy: dull, sweet Amelia (rich) and fiery sharp-witted Rebecca (poor). Becky Sharp is a relentless social climber, and her first effort to rise "above her station" is by trying to get Amelia's brother to marry her -- an effort thwarted by Amelia's fiancee. So instead she gets married to another family's second son, Rawdon Crawley.

Unfortunately, both young couples quickly get disinherited and George is killed. But Becky is determined to live the good life she has worked and married for -- she obtains jewels and money from admiring gentlemen, disrupting her marriage. But a little thing like a tarnished reputation isn't enough to keep Becky down...

"Vanity Fair" is actually a lot more complex than that, with dozens of little subplots and complicated character relationships. Reading it a few times is necessary to really absorb all of it, since it is not just a look at the two women in the middle of the book, but at the upper (and sometimes lower) social strata of the nineteenth century.

The main flaw of the book is perhaps that it sprawls too much -- there's always a lot of stuff going on, not to mention a huge cast of characters, and Thackeray sometimes drops the ball when it comes to the supporting characters and their little plots. It takes a lot of patience to absorb all of this. However... it's worth it.

Like most nineteenth-century writers, Thackeray had a very dense, formal writing style -- but once you get used to it, his writing becomes insanely funny. Witticisms and quips litter the pages, even if you don't pick them all up at once. At first Thackeray seems incredibly cynical (Becky's little schemes almost always pay off), but taken as a social satire, it's easier to understand why he was so cynical about the society of the time.

Becky Sharp is the quintessential anti-heroine -- she's very greedy and cold, yet she's also so smart and determined that it's hard not to have a grudging liking for her. Certainly life hasn't been fair for her. Next to Becky, a goody-goody character like Amelia is pretty boring, and even the unsubtle George can't measure up to Becky.

To sum up "Vanity Fair": think a period soap opera with a heavy dose of social commentary. In other words, it doesn't get much better than this, Thackeray's masterpiece.

Once you get into it you'll enjoy it.
Vanity Fair is not a book for the casual reader. It will probably always be neglected in schools and will be unread by those without patience. However, if you are willing to devote yourself to reading this long novel, it is well worth it.

The main characters that the story centers around are Becky and Amelia, two girls who are polar opposites, yet their lives intertwine in fascinating ways. In many ways they are caricatures, but the book is long enough to give them complexity and in the end you have two unexpectedly interesting and multifaceted characters. Of course they are not the only characters, there are probably 500 more of various importance. Some readers may have difficulty keeping track of them all, especially when several have the same last name. However, Thackeray manages to keep focus through all the characters and it ends up that there are only about a dozen major characters, all very well developed.

The story itself is concerned mainly with the relationships and wealth of Amelia and Becky, but there are as many subplots as there are characters. Occasionally the story becomes stagnant, but there are enough stories and settings that I never became bored. The influence of the Napoleonic Wars is much stronger in Vanity Fair than in any of Austen's novels, which creates some interesting settings such as the battle of Waterloo, as battle that has a profound influence on the story. There is plenty of humor in the story as well and also Thackeray's famous societal commentary. This makes having notes in the book important, as there are references to events, places, languages, and things that a modern reader would normally not be familiar with.

This is a long book and the beginning isn't much fun to read, but it is interesting and insightful once you get into it. The setting might be over a hundred years ago, but the people in it are not outdated and their motivations and characters will seem familiar to the modern reader. Whether or not someone would like this novel comes down to if one can get past the length, archaic language, obscure references, and number of stories and characters. It certainly took me awhile and I almost stopped reading it, but I came to care for the characters enough that I began enjoying it. ... Read more

Book Description
Narrated by Arthur Pendennis, The Newcomes (1853-5) concernsa self-made man, Sir Brian Newcome, whose marriage into the aristocraticKew family brings titled respectability to his family's "new" money. Nowthe marriage of his daughter Ethel is of crucial importance to bothfamilies' quest for further advancement. A revelatory and hugely wittyexcursion among the hypocritical upperclass, The Newcomes memorializesthe evolution of an age. ... Read more