How long does it take to read The Well-beloved?
a sketch of a temperament
The Well-beloved by Thomas Hardy takes about 4 hours 22 minutes to read at 250 words a minute.
About 4 hours 22 minutes
A weekend read
First published 1897. 238 pages, about 65,450 words.
9 days at 30 minutes a day
Estimate based on 275 words per page.
At other speeds
| Slow, 150 words a minute | 7 hours 16 minutes |
| Average, 250 words a minute | 4 hours 22 minutes |
| Fast, 400 words a minute | 2 hours 44 minutes |
The page count is the median across 71 editions, so your copy may differ. How we calculate.
About the book
Jocelyn Pierston, a sculptor of growing fame, is determined to find his ideal in womanhood, a quest that has led to many fruitless encounters. For just as it seems he has found his heart's desire, disillusionment sets in and his burning love turns to ashes. Returning to Portland, his birthplace, he meets young, innocent Avice Caro. They are betrothed until a fateful meeting with the self-assured Marcia Bencomb changes the course of his life yet again. Please Note: This book is easy to read in true text, not scanned images that can sometimes be difficult to decipher. The Microsoft eBook has a contents page linked to the chapter headings for easy navigation. The Adobe eBook has bookmarks at chapter headings and is printable up to two full copies per year. Both versions are text searchable.
Subjects: Fiction, Man-woman relationships, Sculptors, Mothers and daughters, English fiction, Historical Fiction
