The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling facts for kids
Title page from the 1749 edition
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| Author | Henry Fielding |
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| Original title | The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling |
| Country | England |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Novel |
| Publisher | Andrew Millar |
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Publication date
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28 February 1749 |
The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, often just called Tom Jones, is a funny story written by the English writer Henry Fielding. It's a special kind of novel called a Bildungsroman, which means it's about a character growing up and learning about life. It's also a picaresque novel, meaning it follows a clever, adventurous hero who travels around and gets into all sorts of situations.
This book was first published on February 28, 1749, in London. It's one of the very first English books that people started calling a "novel." In fact, a famous writer named W. Somerset Maugham thought it was one of the ten best novels in the world!
Discovering Tom Jones
This long story is actually very well put together. A poet named Samuel Taylor Coleridge even said that Tom Jones has one of the "three most perfect plots ever planned." He put it in the same league as famous plays like Oedipus Tyrannus and The Alchemist.
Why Was Tom Jones So Popular?
When Tom Jones first came out, it was a huge hit! It became a best-seller right away. In its first year alone, four different versions of the book were printed because so many people wanted to read it.
The Legacy of Tom Jones
Today, Tom Jones is generally seen as Henry Fielding's best work. It's also considered a very important and influential English novel. It helped shape how novels were written for many years after it was published.
