"Funny, human, highly learned and literary, sexy, and filled with
psychological nuances that remain unrivaled at the hands of any other
psychological writer." --André Aciman
A Penguin Classic
A Sentimental Journey is a novel without a plot, a journey without a
destination. It records the adventures of the amiable Parson Yorick, as
he sets off on his travels through France and Italy, relishing his
encounters with all manner of men and women--particularly the pretty
ones. Sterne's tale rapidly moves away from the narrative of travel to
become a series of dramatic sketches, ironic incidents, philosophical
musings, reminiscences, and anecdotes; sharp wit is mixed with gaiety,
irony with tender feeling. With A Sentimental Journey, as well as his
masterpiece, Tristram Shandy, Sterne forged a truly original style and
established himself as the first of the stream-of-consciousness writers.
This Penguin Classics edition features an introduction that discusses
the novel in relation to Sterne's other writing and places it within the
context of "sentimental" literature. Also included are a chronology,
suggestions for further reading, and full explanatory notes.
For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of
classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,800
titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works
throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the
series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and
notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as
up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
