Tom Brown's School Days
Thomas Hughes
MP3 CD
(IDB Productions, Sept. 3, 2016)
Tom Brown is an energetic young lad who is kindhearted and more inclined toward developing his athletic skills, rather than studying. As he is transferred mid-term to Rugby School due to an epidemic of fever in the area of the private school he was initially assigned to, Tom finds himself in a brand new, challenging environment, where he can make great new friends, as well as a troublesome bully for a rival.Tom Brown's School Days is a novel inspired by Thomas Hughes' own experience at a public school for boys known as Rugby School. In fact, one of the most prolific headmasters of the school, Tom Arnold,is actually featured in the book under his own name, Hughes painting a very accurate and positive picture of the influence he had on the boys.As for Tom Brown's own experiences, he is the maincharacter of a highly engaging plot, where, together with his friends, he is able to best his rival and nemesis, the bully Flashman.Later in the novel, Tom is introduced to a young boy who is more inclined toward the intellectual pursuits of being at school, and together,they manageto become a remarkably positive influence on their peers.The school itself, the children and the teachers, and particularly the genuine atmosphere of the engaging and unexpected events that constantly unfold around Tom, are all representative of his ability to build his own unique character and make his own choices. Hughes masterfully presents and tackles the complex psychological issues that the boys are facing, and shows exactly how the challenges they go through lead them toward the experience of growing into bring young lads.The blend between Thomas Hughes' enjoyable writing style and his ability to bring to life the complex psychological traits of his young characters make this book truly special.