{"product_id":"2026200006578-secondhand-wessex-tales","title":"Wessex Tales","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCondition remarks:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBook: Good                          \u003cbr\u003eJacket: N\/A\u003cbr\u003ePages: Good                  \u003cbr\u003eMarkings: Previous owner\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA masterwork of Victorian short fiction, Wessex Tales presents Thomas Hardy's richly imagined rural England through a collection of stories steeped in tragedy, folklore, and the quiet drama of ordinary lives. Hardy chronicles the struggles of farmers, soldiers, and village women caught between tradition and change, illustrating how fate and social convention conspire against even the most earnest human desires. Each tale is grounded in the landscapes and customs of Dorset — Hardy's beloved fictional Wessex — lending the collection an atmospheric authenticity that feels both timeless and deeply regional. Written with Hardy's characteristic blend of lyrical prose and unflinching realism, the stories carry a melancholic undertow, reminding readers that passion, loyalty, and ambition are as often punished as rewarded in the world he portrays. A foundational work for any admirer of Hardy's novels, Wessex Tales stands as a powerful introduction to the moral and emotional terrain that defines his entire literary vision.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Secondhand Stock","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48820245135579,"sku":"2026200006578-SECONDHAND","price":15.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0523\/7646\/9701\/files\/830b8f51-af0b-493c-bd9a-e7dd09b6a498.png?v=1780055541","url":"https:\/\/bookgrocer.com\/products\/2026200006578-secondhand-wessex-tales","provider":"Book Grocer","version":"1.0","type":"link"}