A ne'er-do-well exploits his gentle daughter's beauty for social advancement in this masterpiece of tragic fiction. Hardy's 1891 novel defied convention to focus on the rural lower class for a frank treatment of sexuality and religion. Then and now, his sympathetic portrait of a victim of Victorian hypocrisy offers compelling reading.
The First Experience series addresses situations that often make children feel frightened and uncertain. The gentle stories aredesigned to help parents reassurechildren by showing realistic examples and providing topics to discuss.