Reading Group - The Trumpet Major

Hardy's only historical novel, The Trumpet Major is a shrewd and bittersweet, tale of a dignified and intelligent young woman's pursuit by three contrasting men, set against a dark background of looming war. Bearing witness to its author's life-long fascination with the Napoleonic period, the book is too often overlooked in Hardy's generally sombre output and shows him handling characteristic themes with rich humour and subtle psychological insight.  RPJ