Cover of The Adventures of Roderick Random

The Adventures of Roderick Random

by Tobias Smollett

First published
1748
Reading level
Fairly demanding
Price
Free

About the book

"The Adventures of Roderick Random" by T. Smollett is a picaresque novel published in 1748. Born to a Scottish gentleman and cast out by his family, young Roderick Random must survive by his wits alone in eighteenth-century Britain. From London to the West Indies, he encounters malice, deception, and hypocrisy at every turn while pursuing wealthy women and seeking his rightful place as a gentleman. Drawing on Smollett's own naval experience, this satirical tale exposes the brutality and corruption of its age.

  • Sea stories
  • England
  • Picaresque literature
  • Rogues and vagabonds
  • Sailors
  • Warships

Updated September 2026. Public domain in the USA. Text and summary from Project Gutenberg eBook #4085. The Adventures of Roderick Random on Wikipedia.

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