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Thomas Hardy. Far From the Madding Crowd. 1874. 431 pp.

This reminded me a lot of Adam Bede. Competence seems the great value here in Gabriel Oak (as in the title character of the Eliot novel), who finally wins over the unlucky in love Bathsheba.

I read this book about 12 years ago, so this is another re-read. At this rate I won't read 100 in a year.