Works of George Meredith
1828
George Meredith occupies a peculiar position in English literature: too modernist for the Victorians, too Victorian for the modernists, yet endlessly rewarding for readers who seek prose that thinks alongside them. This comprehensive collection gathers his novels, poetry, and plays, showcasing a writer who practically invented the psychological comedy of manners and influenced everyone from Virginia Woolf to Evelyn Waugh. Here you will find "The Shaving of Shagpat," his witty mock-heroic tale of a barber's quest, alongside the biting social satire of "The Egoist" and the lyrical complexity of his verse. Meredith believed comedy to be the highest form of intelligence, and his work crackles with ironic precision, dissecting the absurd performance of daily life. His sentences demand attention, rewarding patience with insights into desire, vanity, and the endless negotiation between self and society. For readers who have worn through the obvious classics and hunger for something that still feels urgently modern, Meredith remains one of English literature's best-kept secrets.
