Dr Andrew Norman

Synopsis:

In the days when labouring classes worked long hours and, for the majority, material comforts were few, Christmas was a time (aside from the formalities of necessary religious observance) for the exchanging of news, folklore, legend, and jokes. For those fortunate enough to be invited to the Hardys' cottage on Christmas Eve, there was the added bonus of food and drink to feed the body, and music - home-made of course - to lift the spirits and nourish the soul. This then, is the story of Thomas Hardy at Christmas, of what this greatest of all Christian festivals meant to him, and of how his beliefs changed as the years progressed. 'A CONCISE, WELL-RESEARCHED, AND THOUGHT-PROVOKING READ' - THE HARDY SOCIETY JOURNAL.