Wessex Tales Series: 18 Novels & Stories (Complete Collection) (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. Far from the Madding Crowd, Tess of the d'Urbervilles, Jude the Obscure, The Return of the Native…By Thomas Hardy
Length161h 30m
About this audiobook
Wessex Tales Series: 18 Novels & Stories (Complete Collection) gathers Thomas Hardy's fiction of the imagined yet topographically precise region he called Wessex, a landscape of farms, market towns, heathlands, and changing moral codes. Across novels and stories, Hardy combines pastoral realism, tragic irony, melodramatic incident, and psychological acuity, situating private desire within the pressures of class, custom, gender, and fate. The collection belongs to late-Victorian realism while repeatedly unsettling its assumptions through fatal coincidence, social critique, and a lyrical sense of place. Hardy, born in Dorset in 1840, drew deeply on the rural communities, architecture, dialects, and folklore of southwest England. Trained as an architect before becoming a major novelist and poet, he witnessed the erosion of traditional agrarian life under modernity, industrial capitalism, and institutional religion. These experiences helped shape his recurring concern with individuals whose instincts and aspirations are thwarted by inherited structures and indifferent circumstance. This collection is highly recommended for readers seeking the full breadth of Hardy's imaginative world. It offers not merely regional fiction, but a profound meditation on human vulnerability, social judgment, and the haunting beauty of place.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A comprehensive Introduction outlines these selected works' unifying features, themes, or stylistic evolutions.
- The Author Biography highlights personal milestones and literary influences that shape the entire body of writing.
- A Historical Context section situates the works in their broader era—social currents, cultural trends, and key events that underpin their creation.
- A concise Synopsis (Selection) offers an accessible overview of the included texts, helping readers navigate plotlines and main ideas without revealing critical twists.
- A unified Analysis examines recurring motifs and stylistic hallmarks across the collection, tying the stories together while spotlighting the different work's strengths.
- Reflection questions inspire deeper contemplation of the author's overarching message, inviting readers to draw connections among different texts and relate them to modern contexts.
- Lastly, our hand‐picked Memorable Quotes distill pivotal lines and turning points, serving as touchstones for the collection's central themes.
Audiobook details
GenreLiterary Classics, General Fiction
Length161 hrs 30 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateDec 20, 2023
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1Wessex Tales Series: 18 Novels & Stories (Complete Collection) (Annotated)
2Introduction
3Author Biography
4Historical Context
5Synopsis (Selection)
Show all chaptersShow less
6Under the Greenwood Tree
7Winter
8Spring
9Summer
10Autumn
11Conclusion
12Far from the Madding Crowd (pt. 1)
13Far from the Madding Crowd (pt. 2)
14Far from the Madding Crowd (pt. 3)
15Far from the Madding Crowd (pt. 4)
16Far from the Madding Crowd (pt. 5)
17Far from the Madding Crowd (pt. 6)
18Far from the Madding Crowd (pt. 7)
19The Return of the Native
20The Three Women (pt. 1)
21The Three Women (pt. 2)
22The Arrival
23The Fascination (pt. 1)
24The Fascination (pt. 2)
25The Closed Door (pt. 1)
26The Closed Door (pt. 2)
27The Discovery (pt. 1)
28The Discovery (pt. 2)
29Aftercourses
30The Mayor of Casterbridge (pt. 1)
31The Mayor of Casterbridge (pt. 2)
32The Mayor of Casterbridge (pt. 3)
33The Mayor of Casterbridge (pt. 4)
34The Mayor of Casterbridge (pt. 5)
35The Mayor of Casterbridge (pt. 6)
36The Woodlanders (pt. 1)
37The Woodlanders (pt. 2)
38The Woodlanders (pt. 3)
39The Woodlanders (pt. 4)
40The Woodlanders (pt. 5)
41The Woodlanders (pt. 6)
42The Woodlanders (pt. 7)
43Tess of the d'Urbervilles
44The Maiden (pt. 1)
45The Maiden (pt. 2)
46Maiden No More
47The Rally
48The Consequence (pt. 1)
49The Consequence (pt. 2)
50The Woman Pays (pt. 1)
The Well-Beloved: A Sketch of a TemperamentThomas Hardy7h 12m$1.99 · $0.00
The Complete Poetical Works of Thomas Hardy (Illustrated) (Annotated)Thomas Hardy21h 58m4.3 (2.8K)$2 · $0.00
Winter Words in Various Moods and Metres (Annotated)Thomas Hardy3h 22m4.6 (10)$2 · $0.00
THOMAS HARDY Ultimate Collection: 15 Novels, 53 Short Stories & 650+ Poems (Illustrated Edition) (Annotated)Thomas Hardy279h 42m4.6 (1.2K)$2 · $0.00
WESSEX TALES - Complete Series (Illustrated) (Annotated)Thomas Hardy161h 25m4.1 (5.4K)$2 · $0.00
Thomas Hardy: The Complete Novels (The Giants of Literature - Book 22) (Annotated)Thomas Hardy200h 48m4.3 (387)$2 · $0.00
FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD (British Classics Series) (Annotated)Thomas Hardy17h 41m4.1 (414.6K)$2 · $0.00
The Return of the Native (Annotated)Thomas Hardy17h 39m4.0 (74K)$2 · $0.00
The Complete Novels of Thomas Hardy (Illustrated) (Annotated)Thomas Hardy200h 48m$2 · $0.00
Life's Little IroniesThomas Hardy9h 9m3.9 (1.8K)$1.50 · $0.00
Tess of the d'Urbervilles: A Pure WomanThomas Hardy18h 4m4.0 (367.8K)$2 · $0.00
A Mere InterludeThomas Hardy2h 36m3.7 (572)$1 · $0.00
Satires of Circumstance, Lyrics and Reveries, with Miscellaneous PiecesThomas Hardy2h 21m4.1 (50)$2 · $0.00
Late Lyrics and Earlier, With Many Other VersesThomas Hardy2h 25m4.1 (33)$2 · $0.00
A Group of Noble DamesThomas Hardy7h 23m3.8 (569)$2 · $0.00
The Trumpet-MajorThomas Hardy12h 2m3.8 (6.7K)$2 · $0.00
The DynastsThomas Hardy12h 32m3.7 (62)$1 · $0.00
The Complete NovelsThomas Hardy200h 27m4.6 (2.5K)$1 · $0.00
Tess of the D'urbervillesThomas Hardy17h 4m4.0 (610.2K)$1 · $0.00
The Gulag Archipelago Volume 3Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn21h 56m4.7 (8.9K)$46 · $0.00
The Bark Canoes and Skin Boats of North America (Annotated)Howard Irving Chapelle, Tappan Adney13h 9m4.8 (150)$1.99 · $0.00
This Side of Paradise - The Original 1920 Edition (Annotated)F. Scott Fitzgerald11h 30m4.6 (1.6K)$2 · $0.00
The Great Gatsby: Original 1925 Edition (An F. Scott Fitzgerald Classic NovelFrancis Scott Fitzgerald4h 45m4.6 (9.3K)$18 · $0.00
Ivanhoe (Annotated)Walter Scott22h 52m4.8 (88)$2 · $0.00
The Fire Next TimeJames Baldwin2h 25m4.6 (159.1K)$15
The Complete Histories / History Plays of William Shakespeare (Annotated)William Shakespeare29h 42m4.6 (2.3K)$1.99 · $0.00
Braving the TruthRachel Held Evans11h 31m4.7 (359)$29 · $0.00
Richard Wagamese SelectedRichard Wagamese3h 14m4.6 (594)$15
The Old Man and the Sea (Annotated)Ernest Hemingway4h 27m4.6 (1.4K)$2 · $0.00
Twelfth Night (The Unabridged Play) + The Classic Biography (Annotated)William Shakespeare, Sidney Lee16h 38m4.6 (1.4K)$2 · $0.00
Henry V (The Play, Historical Background and Analysis of the Character in the Play)William Shakespeare, William Hazlitt8h 40m4.6 (1.3K)$1 · $0.00
Pathways to LightPrakash Amte7h 6m4.6 (1.3K)$8
These Vital SignsSayed Tabatabai3h 20m4.7 (215)$18 · $0.00
H. P. LOVECRAFT Ultimate Collection: Novellas, Short Stories, Poetry & Essays (Annotated)H. P. Lovecraft12h 28m4.6 (2.3K)$2 · $0.00
Time RegainedMarcel Proust15h 54m4.5 (10.6K)$2 · $0.00
Lessons in TruthH. Emilie3h 50m4.6 (1.4K)$4.70 · $0.00
TORAH - Bilingual Edition: English/Hebrew (Annotated)Max Margolis, JPS28h 26m4.6 (1K)$2 · $0.00
The Poetic EddaJackson Crawford6h 24m4.5 (19.8K)$17
Betty Crocker picture cooky bookBetty Crocker, Inc. General Mills2h 13m4.5 (6.5K)$1 · $0.00
Ethic IIAshley Antoinette9h 1m4.7 (8K)$20
RiversnowTess Thompson8h 11m4.7 (1.3K)$20
Supreme ClienteleAshley & JaQuavis8h 58m4.7 (3.4K)$20
Body Refinement in a Beast Tamer’s World, Book 1Seth Ring14h 7m4.7 (1.3K)$27
Desperate MeasuresBrenda Jackson8h 59m4.7 (669)$28 · $0.00
Searching For ThanksgivingS.E. Smith4h 24m4.8 (395)$20
Naughty 4Brenda Hampton7h 30m4.7 (726)$17
The Dance with Me TrilogyShelley Shepard Gray21h 44m4.7 (1.2K)$35
The DopemanJaQuavis Coleman5h 25m4.7 (3.8K)$20
BAEJahquel J.5h 22m4.7 (3.1K)$20
Dark RisingJeffrey Wilson, Brian Andrews13h 47m4.7 (1.3K)$27
WhistlerAnn Patchett10h 45m4.6 (4.6K)$29 · $0.00
Grand Opening 2Carl Weber9h 16m4.7 (2.4K)$20
Sons of Valor II: Violence of ActionBrian Andrews, Jeffrey Wilson12h 34m4.6 (3.6K)$23
Malevolent MagicMildred Abbott7h 13m4.7 (1.2K)$17
Bikes, Toys, and Hot BoyzGenesis Woods, Shantaé13h 9m4.7 (722)$23
This Side of Paradise - The Original 1920 Edition (Annotated)F. Scott Fitzgerald11h 30m4.6 (1.6K)$2 · $0.00
War LordBernard Cornwell13h 21m4.6 (33.1K)$33 · $0.00
Ghetto BastardK’wan7h 37m4.6 (2.9K)$20
The Great Gatsby: Original 1925 Edition (An F. Scott Fitzgerald Classic NovelFrancis Scott Fitzgerald4h 45m4.6 (9.3K)$18 · $0.00
You may also like
The Son of the WolfJack London5h 13m3.8 (1.7K)$2.30 · $0.00
The Way OutDevon O'Neil7h 24m4.3 (889)$24 · $0.00
Wandering WildLynette Noni9h 55m3.9 (4.1K)$23 · $0.00
Giants in the EarthOle Edvart Rølvaag19h 36m4.1 (11.5K)$34 · $0.00
Love of Life, and Other StoriesJack London5h 36m4.2 (1.3K)$2 · $0.00
The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe Daniel Defoe11h 31m3.9 (397.2K)Free
A Gentleman of Courage A Novel of the WildernessJames Oliver Curwood8h 54m4.2 (388)$2.30
An Antarctic MysteryJules Verne9h 9m3.8 (2.4K)$2.30
A Voice in the WildernessGrace Livingston Hill10h 58m4.1 (2.7K)$0.60 · $0.00
A Daughter of the SnowsJack London9h 43m3.6 (2K)$2.30
Ride the Moon DownTerry C. Johnston18h 44m4.3 (496)$35
Denali’s HowlAndy Hall7h 22m4.2 (5.1K)$20
A Runner’s HighDean Karnazes7h 7m4.1 (4.6K)$24 · $0.00
The Bulletin Story BookAlfred George Stephens11h 29m$2 · $0.00
JAMES OLIVER CURWOOD: 20 Western Classics & Adventure Novels, Including Short Stories, Historical Works & Memoirs (Illustrated) (Annotated)James Oliver Curwood154h 15m4.4 (11)$1.99 · $0.00
The Tales of the North: Jack London's Edition - 78 Short Stories in One Edition (Annotated)Jack London46h 56m$2 · $0.00
The Sea BrideBen Ames Williams9h 3m4.1 (23)$1 · $0.00
CHASING LOVE IN WILDERNESS (3 Western Romance Novels)Grace Livingston Hill24h 26m$2 · $0.00
Wild Sports in the Far WestFriedrich Gerstäcker10h 28m4.5 (98)$1 · $0.00
Hawtrey's DeputyHarold Bindloss11h 38m$2 · $0.00