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An Autobiography

and Other Writings

Second Edition

Anthony Trollope
Edited by Nicholas Shrimpton

Oxford World's Classics

The only autobiography of a major Victorian novelist, Trollope's work is fascinating for the insight it gives into Trollope's creative process, his thoughts on fiction and fiction writers, and his daily writing life.
This edition includes a selection of Trollope's critical writing about the novel, supplementing his observations in An Autobiography and establishing the seriousness with which he thought about the novel's form as well as the practice of novel-writing.
Nicholas Shrimpton's introduction considers the ways in which Trollope shapes An Autobiography and argues for its importance as a classic of the genre.
Comprehensive notes, up-to-date bibliography, and index

New to this Edition:

The inclusion of a selection of Trollope's critical writing about the novel which supplement his discussion of fiction within the Autobiography and confirm the seriousness of his thinking about the creative and theoretical aspects of his work.
Introduction by Nicholas Shrimpton that reassesses the compelling narrative of the Autobiography and Trollope's approach to his craft.
New Select Bibliography and comprehensive notes.
New Chronology and Note on the Text.
Uses the 1883 first edition text and not that of the manuscript.

An Autobiography

and Other Writings

Second Edition

Anthony Trollope
Edited by Nicholas Shrimpton

Description

'I hated the office. I hated my work...the only career in life within my reach was that of an author.'

The only autobiography by a major Victorian novelist, Trollope's account offers a fascinating insight into his literary life and opinions. After a miserable childhood and misspent youth, Trollope turned his life around at the age of twenty-six. By 1860 the 'hobbledehoy' had become both a senior civil servant and a best-selling novelist. He worked for the Post Office for many years and stood unsuccessfully for Parliament. Best-known for the two series of novels grouped loosely around the clerical and political professions, the Barsetshire and Palliser series, in his Autobiography Trollope frankly describes his writing habits. His apparent preoccupation with contracts, deadlines, and earnings, and his account of the remorseless regularity with which he produced his daily quota of words, has divided opinion ever since.

This edition reassesses the work's distinctive qualities and includes a selection of Trollope's critical writings to show how subtle and complex his approach to literature really was.

ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

An Autobiography

and Other Writings

Second Edition

Anthony Trollope
Edited by Nicholas Shrimpton

Oxford World's Classics

Introduction
Note on the Text
Chronology
An Autobiography
Trollope on Jane Austen
'On English Prose Fiction as a Rational Amusement'
from Thackeray
from 'The Genius of Nathaniel Hawthorne
from 'A Walk in the Wood'
Appendix: passages omitted from the Manuscript
Explanatory Notes
Index

An Autobiography

and Other Writings

Second Edition

Anthony Trollope
Edited by Nicholas Shrimpton

Oxford World's Classics

Author Information

Anthony Trollope

Edited by Nicholas Shrimpton, Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford

Nicholas Shrimpton is the editor of Trollope's The Prime Minister (2011) and The Warden (2014) for Oxford World's Classics.

An Autobiography

and Other Writings

Second Edition

Anthony Trollope
Edited by Nicholas Shrimpton

Oxford World's Classics

Reviews and Awards

"Trollope is one of my favourite authors & his autobiography is a portrait of a lovable man who survived a miserable childhood & created a happy life for himself, both personally & professionally as a novelist." - I Prefer Reading

An Autobiography

and Other Writings

Second Edition

Anthony Trollope
Edited by Nicholas Shrimpton

Oxford World's Classics

From Our Blog

How well do you know Anthony Trollope?

Next week, 24 April 2015 marks the bicentenary of one of Britain's great novelists, Anthony Trollope. He was an extremely prolific writer, producing 47 novels, as well as a great deal of non-fiction, in his lifetime. He also worked for the Post Office, and introduced the pillar box to Britain. So, do you think you know Anthony Trollope? Test your knowledge with our Trollope bicentenary quiz.

Posted on April 16, 2015

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Anthony Trollope on literary criticism

Literary criticism in the present day has become a profession,'but it has ceased to be an art. Its object is no longer that of proving that certain literary work is good and other literary work is bad, in accordance with rules which the critic is able to define. English criticism at present rarely even pretends to go so far as this.

Posted on November 17, 2014

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