Thomas Hardy was as successful a writer as he was a prolific. In the Wessex novels which won him fame is affection for the country way of life into which he was born. At the cottage in Bockhampton we can experience something of this simple, rural childhood. At Max Gate, which he designed and built to live in with his wife, Hardy wrote his greatest works. At both properties Hardy’s presence is palpable. Featuring photographs old and new and quotes from some of his poems, this book is an enlightening introduction to Thomas Hardy and to the two very different homes that shaped his life and art. Beautiful bird’s-eye views of each property, as well as a walk from Hardy’s Cottage to Max Gate, bring both places vividly to life. The book includes an insightful foreword by Claire Tomalin, author of Thomas Hardy: The Time-torn Man.