The Good Soldier (Signet classics) - Softcover

Ford, Ford Madox

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0451525531 ISBN 13: 9780451525536

Publisher: Penguin, 1991

Synopsis

A chronicle of the tragedies in the lives of two seemingly ''perfect couples'' whose lives are far from perfect, this novel was loosely based on two real-life incidents of adultery and on Ford's own messy personal life. Using pre-First World War Europe as its stage, The Good Soldier is the unforgettable story of Edward Ashburnham, his wife Leonora, and their friends, John and Florence Dowell. The eponymous Good Soldier, Edward embodies upper-class English values but behind closed doors carries on a long-running affair with Florence. When Florence’s husband, John, discovers the affair, he sets in motion a series of events both tragic and unavoidable.

About this title

Review:

"The narrative casts a mesmeric spell... intelligent, beautifully written, heartfelt and true, and a great book" (Sunday Times)

"I would rather have written Ford Madox Ford's novel than all the books I have written. After reading it a dozen times, I still find a mystery at its heart... an exercise in elegance and a triumph of structure. I am always imitating it and always failing. The prose makes my heart ache with envy" (Ruth Rendell Guardian)

"An astounding novel" (The Times)

"Sometimes the best presents come in small packages...masterful" (Daily Telegraph)

"A central figure, artistically and influentially, in the modern movement...a masterpiece of Impressionism, as well as of intricate plotting, technical manipulation and powerful irony" (Guardian)

Book Description:

A brilliant and heart-rending evocation of destructive passion.

About this edition

• Publisher: Penguin
• Publication date: 1991
• ISBN 10: 0451525531
• ISBN 13: 9780451525536
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 224