The Adventures Of Harry Richmond

By George Meredith. Designed and Edited with an Introduction by Colin Heston

The Adventures of Harry Richmond, first published in serial form between 1870 and 1871, then in full in 1871, occupies a fascinating place in the evolution of the English novel. A heady mixture of picaresque adventure, coming-of-age narrative, satire, romance, and psychological study, it is one of George Meredith’s most ambitious works. Beneath its surface as a lively and sometimes eccentric tale of a young man’s escapades lies an intricate meditation on the construction of identity, the conflict between appearance and reality, and the profound influence of family, class, and society. These themes connect the novel powerfully to concerns that dominate modern fiction.

At its core, Harry Richmond examines how identity is not simply inherited but assembled—through choice, resistance, deception, and chance. Harry Richmond is born into a web of conflicting influences: his father, Roy Richmond, is a charming but unscrupulous social climber whose life revolves around maintaining appearances and manipulating social structures; his grandfather, Squire Beltham, represents a rigid, landed English respectability that is both moralistic and emotionally cold. Caught between these poles, Harry’s life becomes a journey to define himself outside the narrow confines of these competing legacies.

Read-Me.Org Inc. New York-Philadelphia-Australia. 2025. 355p.