It's taking me a while to work my way through this one-Henry Fielding was a big fan of using lots and lots of words, apparently. A friend and I picked this for our online book club, and at first it was our January selection; then we made it our Jan/Feb selection, and finally, it became our Feb/Mar selection (I fudged it a little on our runboard message board and picked The Magicians, which we'd both already read but differed greatly on opinion, for our January selection-I couldn't stand to have it look like we were taking 3 months to read one book).

That wordy introduction aside, I really enjoy Fielding's sense of humor. His social observation reminds me of Jane Austen's. While I find her books more devourable, I do think this is worth the time I'm spending on it.

I haven't read it - but saw a very good TV adaptation a few years ago....

I have read perhaps the first third. Took it out of the library twice and renewed it both times, but have not finished it. Since it downloads for free to iPad I have downloaded it. But still haven't finished it. The length is probably similar to DG, but very wordy without progressing the story. A problem with many "classics". Started it because Jamie had read it and told the story to his Ardsmuir men : )

I'm sort of treating it homework-I read so many pages a day, a small number, with a goal of finishing it about mid-March. That way I can still have quicker reads going too. I don't have a problem quitting books-that's not why I'm sticking with it-I just think the good stuff is worth slogging through the blather. I'm not sure Henry Fielding would have appreciated that little review...

Well, at least he might have appreciated your brutal honesty!!!!!

There are several bits and passages in this book that stuck to my ribs.

This is one of my favorites:

(Mrs. Fitzpatrick to Sophia)....
......"What is the reason, my dear, that we who have understandings equal to the wisest and greatest of the other sex so often make choice of the silliest fellows for companions and favorites? It raises my indignation to the highest pitch, to reflect on the numbers of women of sense who have been undone by fools."

The TV version was broadcast in the UK in 1997 and was very risqué .. I recall that the actor Max Beesley played the part of Tom and rarely had his clothes on !!

Yes! I'm just to the part where Mrs. Fitzpatrick tells Sophia her tale of woe. I thought that was a great line too.

I also loved when Sophia's aunt told her "You are to consider me child, as Socrates, not asking your opinion, but only informing you of mine."

Interesting take on the Socratic method.

I think I saw that miniseries, if it was marketed in the US as an A&E production-about 5 hours long? I plan to rewatch when I finish this tome. Tom does have a way of landing in the ladies' beds. It's interesting, though, that it's always presented as his being seduced, rather than being the seducer. Makes him seem like kind of a dolt and makes me wonder if this is a reflection of Henry Fielding's thoughts on young men "sowing their wild oats" not really being responsible for their actions, or if he's commenting on a more general social attitude of the time.