Staff Pick
Adam personifies goodness, but he's in love with the shallow, self-obsessed Hetty. She is only interested in the material luxuries that the egomaniacal Arthur can give her. This unfortunate love triangle leads to a tragedy none anticipate. Eliot has a perfect ear for dialect. Beautifully written and emotionally satisfying. Recommended By Dianah H., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
The Clarendon edition of Adam Bede (1859) is the first critical edition of the work that established George Eliot's reputation. Its extensive textual apparatus lists manuscript and first edition variants from the copy-text, which is the corrected eighth edition of 1861--her last revision of the book. The introduction locates the genesis of the novel in Eliot's family history, her travels, and her reading of literature and biography, and describes the composition process, including her debate with the publisher John Blackwood about the suitability of the subject-matter for a family audience.
Review
"[A] superb scholarly edition.... Key to this volume is the 158-page introduction, which is full of erudition, packed with information, and concludes with a descriptive listing of editions of Adam Bede.... An indispensable purchase for all academic libraries and large public libraries."--Choice
Table of Contents
Introduction
Descriptive List of Editions
ADAM BEDE
Commentary