Thomas Hardy

' Gibson is the magister ludi of Hardy studies. . . Gibson brings to Hardy' s life the weight of his own history, expertise and variegated Hardy knowledge. The book is continually alive with interest, matured judgement and sheer delight in a novelist and poet whom Gibson dearly loves. ' - Dennis Taylor, The Thomas Hardy Journal

' What makes the reading of Gibson' s book even more arresting is the author' s sure grasp of the artist' s multi-layered universe. He is the authoritative guide confidently leading the reader along the many literary and biographical pathways that converge and separate along the vast panorama of a life fully lived. ' - Francesco Marroni, Rivista di Studi Vittoriani

' . . . this, of all the biographries, is the one to recommend to students, this being our Literary Life. ' - Professor Michael Irwin, Oxford Reader' s Companion to Thomas Hardy