Henry Fielding

Tom Jones (King's Classics) Henry Fielding

Tom Jones was abandoned as a baby by his mother. When Tom falls in love with Sophia Western, their union is vehemently opposed by her wealthy father. In despair, Tom joins the army for a brief duration, finds a servant in a barber-surgeon named Partridge, beds two older women, and very nearly kills a man in a duel. Eventually the secret of Tom's birth is revealed, giving him one more chance at love with Sophia.

Tom Jones is among the earliest English prose works describable as a novel. Though lengthy, the novel is highly organised; with critics declaring that it has one of the most perfect plots ever planned. The book became a best seller, with four editions being published in its first year alone. Tom Jones is generally regarded as Fielding's greatest book, and as a very influential English novel.