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The Adventures of Roderick Random

Tobias Smollett

Book Overview: 

I am Roderick Random. This is the contemporary story of my struggle against the adversity of orphan-hood, poverty, press gangs, bloody duels, rival fortune hunters, and the challenge to be well-dressed through it all. In the course of recounting my adventures to you, dear reader, I will give you a front row seat to the characters of English eighteenth century life including highway robbers, womanizing monks, debt-laden gallants, lecherous corrupt officials, effeminate sea captains, bloodthirsty surgeons, and my dear friend Miss Williams, a reformed prostitute. Educated in the classics, armed with a confident conscientious attitude and my long-suffering sidekick, Strap, I fight the good fight staying, on the whole, morally upstanding throughout. Today, if there be such a thing as true happiness on earth, I enjoy it -- and without having spent a fortune on college either. After hearing me out, I expect you'll be as wonderfully transported as one dear wealthy gentleman who listened to my whole story and then blessed God for the adversity I had undergone, which, he said, enlarged the understanding, improved the heart, steeled the constitution, and qualified a young man for all the duties and enjoyments of life much better than any education which affluence could bestow. Summary by Arthur Krolman.

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Book Excerpt: 
. . .t the time appointed was owing to a peremptory message I received from a certain lady, whom, harkee! (but this is a great secret) I am to marry very soon. You think this strange, perhaps, but it is not less true for all that—a five thousand pounder, I'll assure you, besides expectations. For my own part, devil take me if I know what any woman can see engaging about me—but a whim, you know—and then one would not balk one's good fortune. You saw that footman who dined with us—he's one of the honestest fellows that ever wore livery. You must know it was by his means I was introduced to her, for he made me first acquainted with her woman, who is his mistress—ay, many a crown has he and his sweetheart had of my money—but what of that? things are now brought to a bearing. I have—(come a little this way) I have proposed marriage, and the day is fixed—she's a charming creature, and writes like an angel! She can repeat all the Englis. . . Read More

Community Reviews

'Roderick Random' was Smollett's first novel, and it is his best. It is a brawling, picaresque romp, like Fielding crossed with Dickens: less polished than Fielding, much coarser than Dickens, but always great fun. It is a fascinating insight into the society of its day, and demonstrates Smollett's

Compared to Humphrey Clinker, RR is a bit lacking. Compared to all the world's other novels, though, it's great. As ever with the 18th century, you need to adjust your expectations: the characters are 'flat,' there's no psychologizing, the plot meanders with little internal purpose, and there's no p

Not as entertaining as some of the other novels I’ve read from this era (when a novel really was novel) but still quite enjoyable. The author clearly enjoyed Don Quixote and wanted to make his own version. It mostly works. He shares with Cervantes some actual experience in going to sea which lends a

Ίσως λίγο φλύαρο και αφελές για τα σημερινά δεδομένα.

Έχω μεγάλη συμπάθεια για βιβλία αυτού του στυλ. Ανάλαφρα, με την πλοκή να ρέει συνέχεια αλλά ταυτόχρονα καθόλου επιφανειακά. Το συγκεκριμένο έχει αρκετά vibes από Ιστορία του Ζιλ Μπλας ντε Σαντιλιάν και Η ζωή και οι απόψεις του Τρίστραμ Σάντι, κυρίου από σόι.

Σε αφήνει με ένα περίεργο συναίσθημα: απ

Though not into reading this likely drudge at first, it proved overtime a funny collection of foul tricks played at Roderick's expense. The language and amusing use of nicknames prevents it from being a mere harrowing account of misfortunes but turn it into a jumble of errands, sprinkled with wit!

Re

I’m wondering if there used to be something wrong with me, or perhaps if I’ve got thicker over the years, because I took great pleasure in reading Smollett’s ‘Humphrey Clinker’ when I was an undergraduate but I’ve just found ‘Roderick Random’, which I’ve been eager to read for years, a bit of a slog

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