Tess of the d'Urbervilles: A Guide to Reading and Reflecting (Read and Reflect with the Classics)

Karen Swallow Prior has once again delivered an excellent edition of on the classics. He’s knowledge & wisdom shine clearly though her introduction & questions interspersed throughout the novel.

To a degree, this book left me speechless. This is my first time reading Tess of the d’Urbervilles, so every part of it took me by surprise. It was well written and captivating, though I didn’t enjoy the ending. It had a distinctly male voice, though centered on a female protagonist (Tess).I appreciate Dr. Prior’s commentary, footnotes, and questions because they have helped me process the book as I have been reading and now that I’ve finished. The last set of questions truly gave great food for thought. If you’ve read Dr. Prior’s On Reading Well, then you know her philosophy of pulling out theological concepts in reading literature. Her annotations here help put that philosophy into action. If you haven’t read any of her books, I would start with On Reading Well, then turn to the annotated classics (although they could be read on their own without needing ORW). I would recommend this edition of Tess of the d’Urbervilles to those who are interested in getting deeper into the text. It would also be perfect for a book club or if you’re teaching English literature.

The only person who could get me to read "Tess of the D'Urbervilles" again is Karen Swallow Prior. I had read the book in high school and disliked it so much that I had told other book-loving people not to read it. I am now repenting and urging them to pick up Prior's new edition with A Guide to Reading & Reflecting. This is the fourth of Prior's books in the six-volume set of reissued classics that I've read, and it's been my favorite. Now I'm not only telling people to read Tess but to read this edition. And it’s got a great cover!