The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman

"The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman" by Laurence Sterne is a novel written in the early 18th century. This work is notable for its unconventional narrative style, blending humor with philosophical digressions. It follows the life of Tristram Shandy, a man reflecting on his existence and the whimsical nature of life, often delving into the lives of his eccentric family members, particularly his father and uncle. The opening of the novel immediately introduces us to Tristram Shandy's contemplative and humorous voice. He reflects on the circumstances of his conception and birth, expressing a whimsical regret that his parents did not take greater care in their actions. His father’s obsession with winding a clock at a particular time becomes a humorous metaphor for the futility of fixing one's fate. Through a series of anecdotes and asides, Sterne sets the tone for a narrative that will explore both the absurdities of life and the intricacies of character, inviting readers to join Tristram on a journey filled with digressions and humorous observations about his family and society. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Laurence Sterne was an Anglo-Irish novelist and Anglican cleric who wrote the novels The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman and A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy, published sermons and memoirs, and indulged in local politics. He grew up in a military family, travelling mainly in Ireland but briefly in England. An uncle paid for Sterne to attend Hipperholme Grammar School in the West Riding of Yorkshire, as Sterne's father was ordered to Jamaica, where he died of malaria some years later. He attended Jesus College, Cambridge on a sizarship, gaining bachelor's and master's degrees. While Vicar of Sutton-on-the-Forest, Yorkshire, he married Elizabeth Lumley in 1741. His ecclesiastical satire A Political Romance infuriated the church and was burnt.