I'm going to hop into my first discussion in this club because I read this earlier this year! My English degree focused on William Faulkner, so I did not read much of this period beyond what was required of me. I tend to find the men ridiculous and the women trapped, and this book did not change that opinion.
However, I did find this book immensely funny. I was aided by an
excellent librivox
recording by Tadgh Hynes, who is an absolute Irish delight. He knew that some of the characters were shallow and idiotic and wasn't ashamed to make them sound like it.
There is also an
excellent anecdote from Samuel Johnson about the publication of the book that gives it more color as well:
Quote:
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I received one morning a message from poor Goldsmith that he was in great distress, and, as it was not in his power to come to me, begging that I would come to him as soon as possible. I sent him a guinea, and promised to come to him directly. I accordingly went as soon as I was dressed, and found that his landlady had arrested him for his rent, at which he was in a violent passion: I perceived that he had already changed my guinea, and had a bottle of Madeira and a glass before him. I put the cork into the bottle, desired he would be calm, and began to talk to him of the means by which he might be extricated. He then told me he had a novel ready for the press, which he produced to me. I looked into it and saw its merit; told the landlady I should soon return; and, having gone to a bookseller, sold it for sixty pounds. I brought Goldsmith the money, and he discharged his rent, not without rating his landlady in a high tone for having used him so ill.
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Perhaps Goldsmith was more like his characters than I knew...