Middlemarch
A Study of Provincial Life
by George Eliot · first published 1800
49% recommend51% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Realistic, psychologically grounded characters and a mature look at money, marriage, and living a life of integrity in a community; praised as writing for adults and suited to readers of the big classics.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Eliot’s epic of 19th century provincial social life, set in a fictitious Midlands town in the years 1830-32, has several interlocking storylines blended effortlessly together to form a fully coherent narrative. Its main themes are the status of women, social expectations and hypocrisy, religion, political reform and education. It has often been called the greatest novel in the English language.
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I decided to try reading the classic literature this year. The books that stood the test of time. I started with Brothers Karamazov by F.Dostoyevsky Middlemarch by G.Eliot After that I plan to continue with East of Eden by J.Steinbeck Ulysses by J.Joyce They all have incredible characters, deep thoughts, delicious language. Sure, not an easy read after…
on “Ask HN: Recommend one book I need to read this summer?” ↗Gotta second where it's been said before: - Middlemarch by George Eliot - War & Peace by Leo Tolstoy I read both of these aloud with my partner over long nights of bringing up our small children and it was the best bonding experience I could hope for. Both…
on “Ask HN: Great fiction books that have had a positive impact on your life?” ↗After you read Middlemarch by George Eliot, at least 90% of the other Western (incl. Russian, Spanish, etc translated to English) classics you read will seem stupid and pointless.
on “Why read Dostoevsky? A programmer's perspective” ↗…can learn to do those things as well, in the midst of a community. Besides, their are more great books than one can read in a lifetime. It's a resource that can't be spent. Some excellent examples: Middlemarch, by George Eliot Brothers Karamazov, or Crime and Punishment, by Dostoyevsky Madame Bovary by Flaubert, or Bel-Ami by Maupassant The Book of Jacob by Olga Tokarczuk Death of the Heart by Elizabeth…
on “Ask HN: Books that helped you become a better person?” ↗Eliot was a genius. If you haven't read it yet, Middlemarch easily earns its claim to be one of the greatest novels ever.
on “Ask HN: What are you reading these days?” ↗Middlemarch by George Eliot. Well worth a read, possibly the greatest English novel ever written.
on “Ask HN: What's your favorite book you've read?” ↗…film still is, for now. If the demand for your certain kind of writing vastly diminishes, it is your detriment. AI's supply effect is changing the demand. George Eliot already wrote a p99.99999% novel, Middlemarch. It is only thanks to massive population growth that the number of readers of her novel has increased or remained steady. As a proportion of the population, Middlemarch has no readership, and is a side…
on “The Suck Is Why We're Here” ↗Middlemarch by George Eliot
on “Ask HN: What's the "best" book you've ever read?” ↗Reading Middlemarch was a life-changing experience. Fun fact: George Eliot was not only a novelist, but also very well read in philosophy and even translated Spinoza into english. My favorite quote by her: “But the effect…
on “George Eliot: A genius who scandalised society” ↗I'm reading Middlemarch, a well-regarded novel about life in 1820s-30s England. What has stood out is how things are basically no different than they are now. This is not a technology or advancement issue, it is about our society's…
on “The human impact of having too few nurses” ↗…something. I went to university, but I feel I only got an education when I started reading and 4chan.org/lit was where I went to learn. This was in my mid-20s - this is where I learned about things like Middlemarch, The Book of Disquiet, If On A Winters Night a Traveler, etc. This (https://4chanlit.fandom.com/wiki/Recommended_Reading/sub) is amazing and can be found nowhere else. It's also an anonymous board with…
on “8chan Is a Normal Part of Mass Shootings Now” ↗All of the above, Life and Fate is essential, but also add Middlemarch: George Eliot - grown up problems, don't lie, be careful around money Bleak House: Charles Dickens - avoid lawyers, don't let money get to you More left field - Killing Time: The Autobiography of Paul…
on “Ask HN: Great fiction books that have had a positive impact on your life?” ↗…Karen Blixen would have been so obvious to include, but her works are still covered by copyright, so that would have taken some actual effort to get published. They have chosen some weird boring titles. Middlemarch is the only real interesting book in the collection.
on “‘George Eliot’ joins 24 female authors making debuts under their real names” ↗I had the pleasure of reading Middlemarch during my last semester at University. To paraphrase Rebecca Goldstein, reading her work is an enormous experience that can really enrich your inner and moral life. Btw, George Eliot was not only an…
on “Fans of George Eliot are celebrating her bicentenary” ↗+1 to both Middlemarch and Bleak House - I generally go for the Russians over the Brits when it comes to 19th century fiction, but those two are the exception. And both Eliot and Dickens certainly influenced Tolstoy, at least…
on “Ask HN: Great fiction books that have had a positive impact on your life?” ↗