Laurence Sterne: The Later Years

Laurence Sterne's 1986 book Laurence Sterne: A Life follows the life and career of the author from the publication of Tristram Shandy to his death three weeks later. It explores his struggle to complete the novel, his relationships with his wife and other women, and his passion for Eliza Draper. The book is of interest to students of literature, literary history, and casual readers of Sterne's novels.

Format: Hardback
Length: 426 pages
Publication date: 30 November 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

First published in 1986, Laurence Sterne's novel follows the life and career of the renowned author from the moment his first two volumes of Tristram Shandy were successfully published, to the publication of A Sentimental Journey in 1768 and his untimely death just three weeks later. Sterne, a consumptive who was aware of his impending demise, was determined to cram as much writing, adventure, and play into his life as possible, believing that every time a man smiles, but much more so, when he laughs, it adds something to the fragment of life.

We see Sterne in various settings throughout the novel, including his study at Shandy Hall, among the philosophers in Paris, with his family in Toulouse and Montpellier, preaching before the villagers of Coxworld or before the Duke of York, and entertaining the bluestockings, intellectuals, wits, and rakes of 18th-century London. We witness Sterne's struggle to continue or complete his novel, as he grapples with the disintegration of his marriage, his secret affairs, his public sentimental flirtations, and his hopeless passion for Eliza Draper.

This book will be of interest to students of literature, literary history, and any casual reader of Sterne's novels. It provides a comprehensive and insightful portrayal of the author's life and work, offering a deeper understanding of his creative process and the societal and cultural context in which he lived.

Weight: 950g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032379500