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Tom Jones, Volume 1 cover art

Tom Jones, Volume 1

By: Henry Fielding
Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
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Summary

Volume 1: Introduction and Books 1-6

Tom Jones is a splendid Hogarthian panorama of 18th-century English life and morals, encompassing both city and country, and comprising some of the greatest comic characters in British literature. First published in 1749, it was an instant success and has gone on to become a classic of its genre. Quite simply, there has never been anything like it.

This long, riotously hilarious novel begins in the country at the estate of Squire Allworthy. In a long, leisurely unwinding, we are introduced to all the characters and discover all the main plot elements. Tom has been adopted by the squire after being mysteriously discovered there as an infant. When he grows up, he falls in love with the beautiful Sophia Western from a neighboring estate.

After the initial introductory sections, the novel begins to unwind furiously as our hero, Tom Jones, finds himself embroiled in one moral dilemma after another. Mr. Allworthy's nephew, Blifil, conspires to turn the good squire against him, and Tom is disinherited and kicked out.

Meanwhile, Sophia's boorish father tries to force her to marry the priggish Blifil. She runs away at about the same time that Tom leaves home, and the rest of the novel essentially follows the adventures of Sophia and Tom as their stories join, separate, and intertwine repeatedly. The novel ends in London, where all the loose ends are tidied up and all the secrets are finally revealed. Tom Jones is essentially divided into three parts, with the first being set in the countryside, the second in various inns on the road to London, and the third entirely in London.

Tom Jones continues in Volume 2 and concludes with Volume 3.

Listen to the classics: don't miss Volume 2 and Volume 3 of Tom Jones.
Public Domain (P)2007 Audio Connoisseur

Critic reviews

"Fielding is generally agreed to be an innovating master of the highest originality....He devised what he described as 'comic epics in prose', which are in effect the first modern novels in English....[Tom Jones] is generally regarded as Fielding's greatest." (The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature)

What listeners say about Tom Jones, Volume 1

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Such a disappointment

This is one of my favourite books and I was looking forward to listening to it but I am getting no enjoyment at all as it is so badly read. Strange intonations, peculiar pronunciations - who chose this narrator? why? I don't expect to like every voice or to agree with the interpretation of every narrator but this one goes beyond the limits of what is acceptable. I cannot give it even one star.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Ugh!

I did not realise, when listening to the extract that this was the narrator that I had taken an aversion, so am disappointed by ny purchase. This is the man with the oddest, most irritating accent and skewed pronunciation that I have ever come across. Such a shame as I was looking forward to listening the story.

Does the narrator put you off the story? In my case he does.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Irritating delivery and pronunciation

Irritating delivery, idiosyncratic pronunciation, and inconsistent accents, make this almost impossible to listen to. One star is a compliment. It's a pity because the story is great. I shall not be spending my money on Volumes 2 and 3.

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2 people found this helpful