Laurence Sterne

It is the story of Sterne's fictional travel through both countries, particularly France. Sterne made two trips within the continent, in 1762-64 and 1765-66, but the book is not about his errands, but those of parson Yorick's (a character in "Tristram Shandy"). With a less acid and outrageous humor than in his previous work, Sterne anyway mixes the picaresque with an ironic and, frequently, hilarious philosophical irony. Yorick begins by trying to...

In my last, for want of something better to write about, I told you what a World of Fending and Proving we have had of late, in this little Village of ours, about an old-cast-Pair-of-black-Plush-Breeches, which John, our Parish-Clerk, about ten Years ago, it seems, had made a Promise of to one Trim, who is our Sexton and Dog-Whipper.-To this you write me Word, that you have had more than either one or two Occasions to know a good deal of the shifty...

"The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman", when originally published from 1759 to 1767, was an experimental novel far ahead of its time. The titular character, Shandy narrates the story of his life, beginning with his conception and focusing on his family, particularly his unconventional father Walter and his gentle Uncle Toby. One of the recurrent jokes in the novel, Shandy cannot explain anything concisely and Sterne utilizes many narrative...

Extrait: "Je l'ai toujours dit: il aurait été à souhaiter que mon père ou ma mère, et pourquoi pas même tous deux, eussent apporté quelque attention à ce qu'ils faisaient, quand il plut de me donner l'existence. Ils y étaient obligés. Eh! pouvaient-ils réfléchir trop mûrement sur les conséquences qui devaient résulter de l'important ouvrage dont ils s'occupaient en ce moment!" À PROPOS DES ÉDITIONS LIGARAN Les éditions LIGARAN...

Comically cursed at birth with the name Tristram, this gentleman relates every event in his life, from conception onward. Though everything occurs between parlor and garden, Tristram's excitable father, bewildered mother, and Uncle Toby provide ample opportunity for the digressions and madcap events that structure this seminal novel.