However, it wavers and meanders to the point that, by the. The sot weed factor ebook by john barth rakuten kobo. Free download or read online the sotweed factor pdf epub book. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. The project gutenberg ebook of the sotweed factor, by ebenezer. Boisterous, hilarious, satirical, epic frolic set in seventeenth century london and colonial marylanda goodreads buddy described this book as a rollicking tale. However, it wavers and meanders to the point that, by the 34 point, it loses much of its spark. This page contains details about the fiction book the sotweed factor by john barth published in 1960.
The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 756 pages and is available in paperback format. The sotweed factor is the beginning of barths interest in weaving together the real with the fictional, and so is the start of his engagement with the postmodern genre. From the foreword i learned that the sotweed factor was originally published in the summer of 1960, when barth was just 30, exactly 50 years before i finally came to it. I already knew barth was a formidable and unique writer, since id read and loved lost in the funhouse a long time ago. The book is a bareknuckled satire of humanity at large and the grandiose costume romance, done with meticulous skill in imitation of such eighteenthcentury picaresque novelists as fielding, smollett and sterne. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus. Whereas his earlier fiction considered these questions in a contemporary context, barths third novel introduces an existential perspective into lateseventeenthcentury colonial america. The sotweed factor has acquired the status of a modern classic.
A satirical epic of the colonization of maryland based on the life of an actual poet, ebenezer cooke, who wrote a poem of the same title. In which is describd the laws, government, courts and constitutions of the country, and also. The sotweed factor paperback tattered cover book store. Set in the late 1600s, it recounts the wildly chaotic odyssey of hapless, ungainly ebenezer cooke, sent to the new world to look after his fathers tobacco business and to record the struggles of the maryland colony in an epic poem. The sotweed factor returns to barths earlier exploration of the existentialist notions of action, choice, and value. The sot weed factor is a 1960 novel by john barth that satirizes picaresque novels such as tristram shandy and tom jones. Mar 18, 2017 john barths third book, the sotweed factor, is an epic in nearly every sense of the word including the poetic. The sotweed factor 1 the poem stands as one of our earliest examples of debunking and disillusionment2, in the most exact sense of that word. The sot weed factor is an eighteenthcentury satirical poem written in hudibrastic couplets about an englishman who travels to the new american colonies to make his fortune trading in sot weed tobacco only to be shocked by the vulgar behaviors of both the colonists and natives, and flees back to his native land after being robbed blind. The sotweed factor was a literary quantum leap, an 800page mock epic of the colonization of maryland based on an actual poet, ebenezer cook, who wrote a poem of that name. For various reasons, one of them being the need to lure and recruit settlers to populate exploitable territories, a spate of bonanza or comeon literature appeared, promotional tracts. Considered by critics to be barths most distinguished masterpiece, the sot weed factor has acquired the status of a modern classic.
The novel marks the beginning of barths literary postmodernism. The time is late seventeenth century, the reign of william and mary. Some of the chiefest pleasures in a lifetime of reading fiction are those moments when you stumble upon a gem of a book you somehow. Some adventures of captain simon suggs, johnson hooper 1845 we do not know a great deal about ebenezer cook. Set in the late 1600s, it recounts the widely chaotic odyssey of hapless, ungainly ebenezer cooke, sent to the new world to look after his fathers tobacco business and to record the struggles of the maryland colony in an epic poem.
In which is describd the laws, government, courts and constitutions of the country by ebenezer cooke. The laws, government, courts and constitutions of the country, and also the buildings, feasts, frolicks, entertainments and drunken humours of the inhabitants of that part of america. Introduction its a good thing to be shifty in a new country. Ebenezer cooke, an innocent like candide, was born in maryland but raised in 17th century england.
The sot weed factor 1 the poem stands as one of our earliest examples of debunking and disillusionment2, in the most exact sense of that word. Critics lev grossman and richard lacayo pick the 100 best englishlanguage novels published since 1923the beginning of time. The main characters of this fiction, historical story are. The sot weed factor is a very unusual novel, and it took me some time to finish it.
An incredibly complex plot and some 1100 pages take him to the new world to manage his. Dense, funny, endlessly inventive and, ok, yes, longwinded this satire of the 18thcentury picaresque novelthink fieldings tom jones or sternes tristram shandy is also an earnest picture of the pitfalls awaiting innocence as it makes its unsteady way in the world. In which is describd the laws, government, courts and constitutions of the country, and also the buildings, feasts, frolicks, entertainments and drunken humours of the inhabitants of that part of america. The sot weed factor was what northrop frye called an anatomya large, loosely structured work, with digressions, distractions, stories within stories, and lists such as a. It is written in the linguistic style of the eighteenth century, an historical, satirical novel, a parody of the 18thcentury picaresque novel. As barth is wont to do, the sotweed factor is not only the title of this book, but it is also the title of a poem in the book which is penned by the lead character, who is himself a sotweed factor sot weed being a slang term for tobacco, and a factor being an agent.
The sot weed factor was a literary quantum leap, an 800page mock epic of the colonization of maryland based on an actual poet, ebenezer cook, who wrote a poem of that name. John barths third book, the sotweed factor, is an epic in nearly every sense of the word including the poetic. The sotweed factor by telling him that, like all of barths books, this one is both. The sotweed factor 2005 read online free book by john. This book is the 556th greatest fiction book of all time as determined by. Its essentially a satirical epic which probably doesnt accurately express the character of the book, but ive seen it aptly described as a rollicking good tale. As barth is wont to do, the sotweed factor is not only the title of this book, but it is also the title of a poem in the book which is penned by the lead character, who is himself a sotweed factor sot weed being a slang term. The sotweed factor is a very unusual novel, and it took me some time to finish it. Nevertheless, it was an entertaining, funny, and witty read. The sotweed factor by john barth discussion i just finished this book, first off, for anyone who hasnt read it i couldnt recommend it enough. Read the sot weed factor by john barth available from rakuten kobo. From the appearance in 1956 of the floating opera, his first published book. You can also read the full text online using our ereader.
The sotweed factor is a 760 page historical novel written by the national book award winning author john barth and first published in 1960. This book is available for free download in a number of formats including epub, pdf, azw, mobi and more. John barth, quote from the sotweed factor the difference here twixt simple and witty folk, if the truth be known, is that your plain man cares much for what stand ye take and not a fart for why ye take it, while your smart wight leaves ye whateer stand ye will, sobeit ye defend it cleverly. The sot weed factor returns to barths earlier exploration of the existentialist notions of action, choice, and value. John barths 1960 masterpiece, the sot weed factor, keeps.
A factor is a middleman who buys something to resell it. It rarely rambles or dithers, and there is always something happening. The first edition of the novel was published in 1960, and was written by john barth. Jul, 2010 from the foreword i learned that the sot weed factor was originally published in the summer of 1960, when barth was just 30, exactly 50 years before i finally came to it.
The sotweed factor 1960, by john barth alltime 100. The sotweed factor was what northrop frye called an anatomya large, loosely structured work, with digressions, distractions, stories within stories, and lists such as a. To most of us he is the protagonist of a contemporary novel, the sotweed factor, by john barth. Though sometimes serious, it is frequently no, most of the time hilarious, tongue in cheek, bawdy. The sotweed factor is a 1960 novel by the american writer john barth. Set in the late 1600s, it recounts the widely chaotic odyssey of hapless, ungainly ebenezer cooke, sent to the new world to look after his fathers tobacco business and to record the struggles of the maryland colony. In which is describd the laws, government, courts and constitutions of. I also learned that the novel sprang from an actual satirical poem of the same title published in 1706 by an actual man named ebenezer cooke. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The sotweed factor by john barth and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Its the late 17th century and ebenezer cooke is a poet, dutiful son and determined virgin who travels. The sotweed factor american literature barth, john on. The sotweed factor, picaresque novel by john barth, originally published in 1960 and revised in 1967. Free audio book that you can download in mp3, ipod and itunes format for your portable audio player.
A parody of the historical novel, it is based on and takes its title from a satirical poem published in 1708 by ebenezer cooke, who is the protagonist of barths work. I already knew barth was a formidable and unique writer, since id read and loved lost in. The book is a rich, bawdy, bellylaugh of a book which has an incredible pace for a book this size. A sotweed factor, was a tobacco agent or supercargo. The sotweed factor is what northrop frye called an anatomy a large, loosely structured work, with digressions, distractions, stories within stories, and lists.
Published march 1st 2005 by atlantic books uk first published 1960. The sotweed factor is an eighteenthcentury satirical poem written in hudibrastic couplets about an englishman who travels to the new american colonies to make his fortune trading in sotweed tobacco only to be shocked by the vulgar behaviors of both the colonists and natives, and flees back to his native land after being robbed blind. Time included the novel in its time 100 best englishlanguage novels from 1923 to 2005. The project gutenberg ebook of the sotweed factor, by. John barth books biography and list of works author of.
Click to read more about the sotweed factor by john barth. While i think that this statement is horribly reductive and does the great and beautiful and moving novel a huge disservice, one can still understand where he was coming from. A sot weed factor, was a tobacco agent or supercargo. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. The sotweed factor by john barth the novel is set in the 1680s and 90s in london and on the eastern shore of the colony of maryland. Buy a cheap copy of the sotweed factor book by john barth. The sotweed factor goodreads meet your next favorite book. Considered by critics to be barths most distinguished masterpiece, the sotweed factor has acquired the status of a modern classic.
His initial difficulty is that his tutor teaches him to make a game of learning so that later he can find no reason to choose between philosophies, careers or simple actions during the thirty years to follow. The sotweed factor by john barth the 556th greatest. Complete summary of john barths the sotweed factor. This modern classic is a hilarious tribute to all the most insidious human vices, with a hero who is one of the. But we have never seen this rare book, published twentytwo years after the sot weed factor was first issued in england, and know nothing of its character or. The sotweed factor is a 1960 novel by john barth that satirizes picaresque novels such as tristram shandy and tom jones. To most of us he is the protagonist of a contemporary novel, the sot weed factor, by john barth. Complete summary of john barths the sot weed factor.