Author:Laurence Sterne,Steven Pacey

Penguin Classics presents Laurence Sterne's The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, adapted for audio and available as a digital download as part of the Penguin English Library series. Read by Steven Pacey.
'I am got, I know not how, into a cold unmetaphorical vein of infamous writing, and cannot take a plumb-lift out of it for my soul; so must be obliged to go on writing like a Dutch commentator to the end of the chapter, unless something be done ...'
Laurence Sterne's great masterpiece of bawdy humour and rich satire defies any attempt to categorize it. Part novel, part digression, its gloriously disordered narrative interweaves the birth and life of the unfortunate 'hero' Tristram Shandy, the eccentric philosophy of his father Walter, the amours and military obsessions of Uncle Toby, and a host of other characters, including Dr Slop, Corporal Trim and the parson Yorick. A joyful celebration of the endless possibilities of the art of fiction, Tristram Shandy is also a wry demonstration of its limitations.
Part of a series of vintage recordings taken from the Penguin Archives. Affordable, collectable, quality productions - perfect for on-the-go listening.
A smashing book. It's so rare to find a writer who makes you chuckle and think, and who can strike a balance between laughter and integrity...David Wilson has done it brilliantly and touchingly
—— MAVIS CHEEKWarm-hearted, suspenseful, entertaining
—— THE TIMESWitty, perceptive, observant, provocative, wise; funny but never played just for laughs; the best book I've read this year
—— TOM HOLTAmusing, poignant, challenging...it is more than just a comic read, no ordinary passing-of age novel and certainly not a male menopause rant... In truth, it probably deserves to be in a class of its own
—— SUNDAY EXPRESSTragic, funny, sensitive, raging against the modern world, and proof that an ordinary middle-aged bloke really does have feelings
—— MICHELLE HANSONAn enjoyable, funny, touching novel.
—— THE TIMESA nice first-timer from Wilson... Lots of lovely cameos and wit... Great fun.
—— MANCHESTER EVENING NEWSTom Wolfe...remains The Dude when it comes to surveying the crazed, bracing absurdities of our national life… Back to Blood is marked by both Wolfe’s stylistic freneticim and his formidable reportorial gifts… Beginning his ninth decade, Tom Wolfe has brio to burn.
—— Douglas Kennedy , The TimesMr Wolfe’s satirical aim at the debauchery and landscape of avarice and arrogance is gleefully accurate.
—— The Economist[A] huge, very loud [new novel], MOSTLY IN CAPITALS, from Tom Wolfe, Back to Blood.
—— Justine Jordan , GuardianHe is, still, at his best in the thick of a crowd, a master of group dynamics, at once in breathless close-up and sudden wide-angle.
—— Tom Adams , ObserverFor Christmas, I will give to dinner party conversationalists:... Tom Wolfe’s Back to Blood.
—— Fay Weldon , Daily TelegraphWhat really drives all this is Wolfe’s extraordinary style.
—— Robert Murphy , MetroAs broad and panoramic as ever.
—— Craig Brown , Mail on SundayThere are some dazzling satirical riffs and politically incorrect laughs.
—— Jake Kerridge , Sunday ExpressWolfe’s prose is as punchy as ever.
—— Time OutEnergetically set against the deco licentiousness of Florida’s steamiest party capital.
—— VogueClass, family, wealth and corruption are all themes in this examination of life in Miami.
—— Sunday Business Post[Tells] us about the way we live now... enjoyable.
—— Wynn Wheldon , SpectatorClassic Wolfe. A delight
—— William Leith , Evening StandardEpic, hectic, satirical… It’s scathing, funny, and has great set-piece scenes
—— Brandon Robshaw , Independent on SundayContemporary Miami gets the Wolfe treatment in a grand, sweeping satire on race, class, lust and immigration
—— Sunday Telegraph






