{"title":"Books by Tobias Smollett","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"9780199552344","title":"The Adventures of Roderick Random","description":"Roderick Random (1748), Smollett's first novel, is full of the dazzling vitality characteristics of all his work, as well as of his own life. Roderick is the boisterous and unprincipled hero who answers life's many misfortunes with a sledgehammer. Left penniless, he leaves his native Scotland for London and on the way meets Strap, and old schoolfellow. Together they undergo many adventures at the hands of scoundrels and rogues. Roderick qualifies as a surgeon's mate and is pressed as a common soldier on bord the man-of-war Thunder. In a tale of romance as well as adventure, Roderick also finds time to fall in love... Smollett drew on his own experiences as a surgeon's mate in the navy for the memorable scenes on board ship, and the novel combines documentary realism with great humour and panache. \nABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56226922299765,"sku":"9780199552344","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780199552344_5aef4511-cfe2-44a7-a732-7941c4032723.jpg?v=1786013021"},{"product_id":"9780199538980","title":"The Expedition of Humphry Clinker","description":"William Thackeray called it \"the most laughable story that has ever been written since the goodly art of novel-writing began.\" As a group of travellers visit places in England and Scotland, they provide through satire and wit a vivid and detailed picture of the contemporary social and political scene. \nABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56227194601845,"sku":"9780199538980","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780199538980_a63ebc18-6c52-400e-b0b6-544cba8f1faf.jpg?v=1786012825"},{"product_id":"9781554810314","title":"Travels Through France and Italy (1766)","description":"\u003cp\u003eTobias Smollett travelled through Europe with his wife in 1763-65 in a journey designed to recover his mental and physical health after the death of their daughter. The resulting travel narrative provoked controversy and anger in the eighteenth century, when it was often negatively compared to Laurence Sterne’s fictional European travels in \u003cem\u003eA Sentimental Journey through France and Italy\u003c\/em\u003e. Unlike Sterne’s sensitive hero, Smollett is argumentative, acerbic, and often contemptuous of local customs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn addition to a critical introduction, this edition provides extensive annotation and appendices with material on Smollett’s correspondence, the book’s reception in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, related travel writing, and Smollett’s infamous satirization as “Smelfungus” in Sterne’s \u003cem\u003eA Sentimental Journey\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56304589799797,"sku":"9781554810314","price":32.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781554810314_21949d31-0fcd-49ff-881e-c6a98c442be5.jpg?v=1786023475"},{"product_id":"9781847498083","title":"The Expedition of Humphry Clinker","description":"\u003cp\u003ePresented through an ingeniously overlapping and intertwining series of letters written by six very different characters, The Expedition of Humphry Clinker is the story of Squire Matthew Bramble and his family's journey across England and Scotland. From the gouty hypochondriac squire eager to take the waters in various spa towns to his malapropistic sister Tabitha, who is keenly looking for a husband, the characters recount their own experiences, desires and particular version of events, and in doing so introduce the reader to the extraordinary exploits of the ostler Humphry Clinker.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFull of decadence, drunkenness and debauchery, and littered with double entendres, bawdy puns and scatological references, The Expedition of Humphry Clinker, published only a few months before Smollett's death, is a biting and sharply observed satire of the luxury and licentiousness of eighteenth-century society.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308253622645,"sku":"9781847498083","price":6.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781847498083_efa7511f-9d73-47f9-9740-d4664893f534.jpg?v=1786029404"},{"product_id":"9789358018882","title":"The Adventures Of Ferdinand Count Fathom","description":"\"The Adventures of Ferdinand Count Fathom\" is a novel by Tobias Smollett. The story follows the titular character, a young man of unknown parentage who sets out to make his fortune in the world. Fathom is initially presented as charming and charismatic, but soon reveals himself to be a ruthless and deceitful opportunist. Fathom begins his adventures as a con artist, manipulating and swindling people for his own gain. He meets a variety of characters, including wealthy socialites, criminals, and members of the working class. Along the way, he engages in a variety of schemes, from gambling and forgery to seduction and murder. Despite his many misdeeds, Fathom manages to charm his way into the affections of several women, including a wealthy heiress and a virtuous young woman named Monimia. However, his schemes eventually catch up with him, and he is imprisoned and sentenced to death. In the end, he repents of his misdeeds and is spared from execution, but is left to live out his days in ignominy. \"The Adventures of Ferdinand Count Fathom\" is a darkly comic satire that explores the themes of deception, morality, and class in 18th century society. It is considered one of Smollett's most important works and a notable contribution to the literary genre of picaresque fiction.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56313339347317,"sku":"9789358018882","price":19.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9789358018882_2d64abbb-023f-4bd8-84d2-75a94db24075.jpg?v=1786032126"},{"product_id":"roderick-random","title":"Roderick Random","description":"Roderick is combative, often violent, but capable of great affection and generosity. His father had been disinherited and has left Scotland leaving his son penniless. After a brief apprenticeship to a surgeon, the innocent Roderick travels to London where he encounters various rogues.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57466825179509,"sku":"9780140433326","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780140433326.jpg?v=1785654897"},{"product_id":"humphry-clinker","title":"Humphry Clinker","description":"Matthew Bramble, a gout-ridden misanthrope, travels Britain with his nephew, niece, spinster sister and man-servant, the trusty Humphry Clinker. In poor health, Bramble sees the world as one of degeneracy and raucous overcrowding, and will not hesitate to let his companions know his feelings on the matter. Peopled with pimps, drunkards, decadents and con-men, Humphrey Clinker displays Smollett’s ferociously pessimistic view of mankind, and his belief that the luxury of eighteenth-century England existence was the enemy of sense and sobriety. Presented in the form of letters from six very different characters, and full of joyful puns and double entendres, Humphrey Clinker is now recognised as a boisterous and observant masterpiece of English satire.  Jeremy Lewis’s introduction examines why Smollett has become an unjustly neglected figure of English literature, and how the time in which he lived became a crucible for his work. This new edition contains notes, a chronology and suggested reading.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFor more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57481590702453,"sku":"9780141441429","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780141441429.jpg?v=1786089867"},{"product_id":"the-expedition-of-humphry-clinker","title":"The Expedition Of Humphry Clinker","description":"\"The Expedition of Humphry Clinker\" is a novel written by Scottish author Tobias Smollett and published in 1771. The book is a series of letters exchanged between members of a family during their travels through England, Scotland, and Wales. The novel offers a unique perspective on British society and politics during the 18th century, as the characters interact with people from all walks of life and observe the customs and traditions of different regions. The novel's titular character, Humphry Clinker, is a servant who accompanies the family on their journey. His observations and experiences, along with those of his employers and fellow travelers, paint a picture of a society that is both diverse and deeply interconnected. The book covers a wide range of themes, including family dynamics, class relations, and social change. One of the key features of the novel is its use of different narrative voices. Each letter is written by a different character, and their individual perspectives and writing styles provide a rich and varied portrayal of the world they inhabit. Smollett's wit and humor are also on display throughout the book, as he pokes fun at the foibles and follies of his characters.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57495515890037,"sku":"9789358018028","price":18.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9789358018028.jpg?v=1786618181"}],"url":"https:\/\/backstory.london\/collections\/author-tobias-smollett.oembed","provider":"Backstory","version":"1.0","type":"link"}