'Rosemary Sumner's close reading of Thomas Hardy, D.H. Lawrence and Virginia Woolf as companions in innovation makes us rethink glib distinctions between the Victorian and the modern novel, discover new definitions of modernism and appreciate afresh the intelligent, original and radical imagination of Thomas Hardy.' - Barbara Hardy, Professor Emeritus, University of London 'Rosemary Sumner has assembled ... Read morean unusual grouping of authors to offer a fresh route into modernism. In a multi-faceted argument, she links Hardy even to later developments such as surrealism and Samuel Beckett, and brings out Hardy's own startling, jagged originality. In contrast to much philosophical debate around modernism, this study brings out less-noticed commonalities of spirit, theme and language by staying close to its texts. The value of this study lies in its constantly shifting comparisons, its exemplary readings, and its ready accessibility to students'. - Michael Bell, Professor of English, University of Warwick '...provides many insightful close readings which indeed lure us back to the original works themselves...' - English Language Teaching Show Less