Rating: 
Summary: A thoroughly good read that still has relevance today.
Review: "Conscience is a coward, and those faults it has not strength enough to prevent, it seldom has justice enough to accuse." So ends chapter 13 in this delightful novel by Oliver Goldsmith, his only novel by the way.Oliver creates a pious character in the form of the vicar, Dr Primrose, that suffers from that most deadly of the 7 deadly sins, Pride. The problem is he doesn't know it. As a result he is brought down peg by peg, and made a thorough fool of in the process, in a way that is comical and warm to the reader. The vicar becomes a most beloved character by way of his suffering and in the end I'm sure will have earned from even the most hard hearted reader that most cherished gift a reader can bestow upon any flawed character, redemption. Oliver also creates villiany, more like evil incarnate, in the form of Mr. Thornhill. Thornhill is central to the most severe of the hardships suffered by the vicar and his family. A very meddlesome and self-centered character indeed!! Written in the 1750's, it has it all. Greed,envy,lust,unjust imprisonment, even prostitution. Yes, It's hard to believe a novel written in the 1750's could even touch on the subject, but nevertheless it is central to the plot. Combine all this with some of the finest wit in English literature and you've got a great way to spend a weekend. The book is less than 200 pages and moves along at nice pace from page one. Well worth everyone's time.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Triumphs
Review: A delightful tale of the calamities that beset an 18th century English vicar. The story is fast moving and told with wit and humor. The language is archaic but this adds to the charm of the story rather than being an annoyance.
Rating:
Summary: A billiant novel written by a brilliant man!
Review: Although Goldsmith was brilliant, he was not an easy man to know and to like, and his egoism and unevenness of character does come out in this book. He was always misunderstood, as geniuses often are. This book has assured Goldsmith a place high up in the literature food chain. The theme of the book resembles somewhat the Book of Job from The Bible. Our hero is a good and innocent man who remains steadfast in faith and unbroken in courage as he faces numerous disasters. It is a story about the family Primrose and its fall from it's a place of comfort and security. The family consists of a mother and father and six children. Mr. Goldsmith's genius is in characterization, as well as his ability to evoke a pure goodness of heart and warmth and generosity of people of simple faith and warm generosity. This little book is truly a masterpiece.
Rating:
Summary: Faith and Family
Review: Goldsmith's only novel, The Vicar of Wakefield, is, as another reviewer pointed out, a modern (1766) version of the book of Job. In the book of Job, Satan attempts to make a fool of God and at the same time attack Job. Satan accomplishes this by arguing that the godliness of Job, who is God's beloved, is motivated by self-interest alone. God allows Satan to test Job in order that God and Job be vindicated. In Goldsmith's story, Dr. Primrose is a priest with a loving wife and 6 wonderful children. They have an elegant house, the respect of their neighbors and the means to help others less fortunate. We are barely introduced to Dr. Primrose and his family when they are beset by misfortune. Their wealth is stolen and they must give up their family home and move to a distant village. From this point on, a series of ever increasing calamities occur. Through it all we know that Dr. Primrose and family will persevere even if we can't anticipate all the twists and turns in the story. With that said, Dr. Primrose is not perfect. The introduction makes clear that he is possessed of intellectual pride. This measure of sin lends the story an air of authenticity that would be missing if Dr. Primrose was perfection personified. As a side note, the Penguin edition of this book does have a useful introduction which helps to frame the issues Goldsmith was trying to communicate as well as providing context for the times. The end notes are also of tremendous help. The ending may be unlikely but the message of faith and family love endures. Don't let the age of this classic novel prevent you from enjoying its wit and wisdom.
Rating:
Summary: Faith and Family
Review: Goldsmith's only novel, The Vicar of Wakefield, is, as another reviewer pointed out, a modern (1766) version of the book of Job. In the book of Job, Satan attempts to make a fool of God and at the same time attack Job. Satan accomplishes this by arguing that the godliness of Job, who is God's beloved, is motivated by self-interest alone. God allows Satan to test Job in order that God and Job be vindicated. In Goldsmith's story, Dr. Primrose is a priest with a loving wife and 6 wonderful children. They have an elegant house, the respect of their neighbors and the means to help others less fortunate. We are barely introduced to Dr. Primrose and his family when they are beset by misfortune. Their wealth is stolen and they must give up their family home and move to a distant village. From this point on, a series of ever increasing calamities occur. Through it all we know that Dr. Primrose and family will persevere even if we can't anticipate all the twists and turns in the story. With that said, Dr. Primrose is not perfect. The introduction makes clear that he is possessed of intellectual pride. This measure of sin lends the story an air of authenticity that would be missing if Dr. Primrose was perfection personified. As a side note, the Penguin edition of this book does have a useful introduction which helps to frame the issues Goldsmith was trying to communicate as well as providing context for the times. The end notes are also of tremendous help. The ending may be unlikely but the message of faith and family love endures. Don't let the age of this classic novel prevent you from enjoying its wit and wisdom.
Rating: 
Summary: Don't read this book while operating heavy machinery.
Review: Holy god, don't buy this book. It is intensely bad and over-appreciated. 1000 words cannot even begin to do justice to the extent of this book's worthlessness. Clearly, 18th Century vernacular is a hurdle in any book, but I doubt Garrison Keillor could rework this story into something bearable. The story is an exercise in description and banality. There is virtually no inertia or direction to the plot, and characterization is hopelessly shallow. Seriously, don't get this book. I'm warning you. I love great literature, and I hate this book. Ok..."hate" is a little rough, but I really, really don't like it. Try something more enjoyable; like stapling your hand to your eyelid. Ok, just so I have not wasted all your time, read anything by Wilde or Kafka instead. Read some freaking Mark Twain, for goodness sake. Just lay off the Goldsmith.
Rating:
Summary: An 18th Century essential
Review: I agree with the reviewers who've described this as a slow read. No argument there. But it's also a very important 18th Century work and one essential to anyone interested in the literature of the period. If you read the book with an ironical slant it's much easier to see that there is actual humor in the often improbable situations. Granted, it may not be laugh out loud humor, but it is there. The poor vicar is modeled on the biblical Job, to a very exaggerated extent. It's so exaggerated that the modern reader will likely be rolling his eyes, I know. If you're looking for tight plot and fast pace this won't be your book, but those reading 18th Century literature will realize the novel was much different at the beginning that it is now. You don't read THE VICAR OF WAKEFIELD for the plot. You read it for the study. It remains an important book.
Rating:
Summary: loverly story
Review: i found the book in a car boot sale it is over a hundred years old ,it was a bit hard with the text,being old ,i had to read the book twice for it to sink in ,what a story best one yet,especialy that it was written so long ago,i havent read the new version, but if its like mine you will enjoy it happy reading .
Rating:
Summary: Good 18th Century Novel
Review: Oliver Goldsmith's 1766 novel, "The Vicar of Wakefield" offers the trials and tribulations of Primrose, an ecclesiastic living in the English countryside. Primrose is content in his life, with a faithful wife, and lovely, if somewhat distracted children. Hearing that his banker has gotten into trouble and fled the country, Primrose and his family begin a series of adventures which test the strength of Primrose's convictions. Among the issues which Goldsmith addresses in the novel are social ambition in a rigid class system, the drawbacks and benefits of a relatively liberal household, and the admittedly imperfect nature of the British legal system. Sprinkled throughout the novel are various discourses on the notion of liberty, the primacy of the monarchy, and a wealth of interesting references to British imperialism and colonial slavery. Regarding the class system, Primrose seems throughout the novel, to eschew the idea that social or economic mobility is possible, or even desirable. He posits, in a way that follows Aristotle and Edmund Burke, that people are fit for certain stations by their very nature; and that such social partitioning is right and should be maintained. Primrose also appears as a latter day Horace, championing the virtues of simple, rustic life. This pastoral life is directly associated in the novel with the laboring classes, who, not without faults themselves, manage to avoid the intrigues and excesses of the consistently vilified city folk. Goldsmith's writing style is fast-paced, with clear, direct language, wonderfully rendered characters, and a surprising number of plot twists for so short a work. Primrose and his eldest son George are the two finest characters in the novel. Both exhibit a picaresque tendency to wander and interact - Primrose with the intellectual/philosophical elements, and George with the material/experiential elements in the world. This is altogether a wonderful, spirited novel, and Stephen Coote's introduction to this Penguin edition is excellent in its explication of the novel's major themes and concerns.
Rating:
Summary: "It is no easy matter to get into the families of the great"
Review: The plot of the 18th century novel, "The Vicar of Wakefield" makes the book sound like a soap opera. It's the tale of a sweet, unworldly vicar--Dr Primrose--who leads a simple but satisfying life with his large family. When the book begins, Primrose is cognizant of his good fortune. He loves his wife, he's proud of his six children, and they live "in a state of much happiness." And indeed, Primrose's description of his family life certainly does sound rather enviable. Even such minor tribulations as Mrs. Primrose's "custards plundered by cats" seem amusing. Just as we are introduced to the delights of the Primrose family, their fortunes change rapidly. It seems that the merchant company holding Primrose's fortune is bankrupt. Things go downhill for the Primroses from here on. At first they move to a small country vicarage where Primrose also plans to manage a farm. They meet Squire Thornhill, and he appears to be a perfect gentleman. Squire Thornhill is soon a frequent visitor at the Primrose home, and he is clearly an admirer of the eldest, beautiful daughter, Olivia. Mrs. Primrose is practically rubbing her hands with glee at the prospect of marrying her penniless daughter off to the Squire. In her case, the desire for social advancement--or wishful thinking--undermines whatever common sense she was born with, and Mrs. Primrose ignores some rather obvious danger signals. "The Vicar of Wakefield" is a delightful example of the 18th century novel. The novel has a certain cosy feel to it, and the characters--especially the vicar--are endearing. The novel is loaded with wisdom generally delivered through the character of the poor, much-put-upon Primrose. Primrose, for example, cautions both his wife and his daughters against encouraging a social relationship with the Squire. Primrose believes that "disproportioned friendships ever terminate in disgust," but the Vicar's wish is overridden and hence the drama begins. For a reader not used to 18th century language, Goldsmith's style needs some getting used to, but it's really worth the effort. "The Vicar of Wakefield" incidentally, includes three of Goldsmith's poems within the text of the novel. These three poems are "The Hermit: or Edwin and Angelina," "When Lovely Woman Stoops to Folly," and "Elegy on the Death of a Mad Dog."--displacedhuman
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