哈代是19世纪英国文学史上最重要的作家之一。他的作品通常围绕英国农村展开，讲述19世纪后期崛起的工业社会对传统社会的冲击。与许多作家不同的是，哈代的作品中很少出现皆大欢喜的结局。《远离尘嚣》是哈代第一部得到一致赞扬的长篇小说。在这部小说里，田园诗的气氛已经消失，远离尘嚣的穷乡僻壤也和人烟稠密的喧闹城市一样，在演出人生的悲剧。女主人公芭丝谢芭是一个农场主，美丽聪慧，但爱慕虚荣。她先后为三个男子所追求，但选择了一个金玉其外、败絮其中的青年军官特罗伊。最后虽然小说在芭丝谢芭与加布里埃尔的圆满爱情中结束，但全书中悲剧气氛多于喜剧气氛，已透露出作者创作中的悲剧性主题。

本书为“外国文学经典”系列中的一本，保持了英文版的原汁原味，值得一读。

美丽、高傲的芭思希芭来到威瑟伯里继承她叔叔的农场。忠诚能干的奧克对她一见钟情，但遭到了拒绝。家境殷实的农场主波德伍德因为一次误会不断地向芭思希芭求爱。而芭思希芭却与英俊的中上特洛伊结了婚。然而，浪漫的爱情到结婚后便告终结。几番风波之后，波德伍德开枪打死了特洛伊，自己则向警方自首。失去了丈夫的芭思希芭同时又面临着失去农场的可能。这时奥克来到她的身边，给故事一个皆大欢喜的结局。

CHAPTER 1

DESCRIPTION OF FARMER OAK:AN INCIDENT

CHAPTER 2

NIGHT : THE FLOCK : AN INTERIOR :ANOTHER INTERIOR

CHAPTER 3

A GIRL ON HORSEBACK : CONVERSATION

CHAPTER 4

GABRIEL'S RESOLVE : THE VISIT :THE MISTAKE

CHAPTER 5

DEPARTURE OF BATHSHEBA :A PASTORAL TRAGEDY

CHAPTER 6

THE FAIR : THE JOURNEY : THE FIRE

CHAPTER 7

RECOGNITION : A TIMID GIRL

CHAPTER 8

THE MALTHOUSE : THE CHAT : NEWS

CHAPTER 9

THE HOMESTEAD : A VISITOR :HALF-CONFIDENCES

CHAPTER 10

MISTRESS AND MEN

CHAPTER 11

OUTSIDE THE BARRACKS : SNOW :A MEETING

CHAPTER 12

FARMERS : A RULE : AN EXCEPTION

CHAPTER 13

SORTES SANCTORUM : THE VALENTINE

CHAPTER 14

EFFECT OF THE LETTER : SUNRISE

CHAPTER 15

A MORNING MEETING :THE LETTER AGAIN

CHAPTER 16

ALL SAINTS' AND ALL SOULS'

CHAPTER 17

IN THE MARKET-PLACE

CHAPTER 18

BOLDWOOD IN MEDITATION : REGRET

CHAPTER 19

THE SHEEP-WASHING : THE OFFER

CHAPTER 20

PERPLEXITY : GRINDING THE SHEARS :A QUARREL

CHAPTER 21

TROUBLES IN THE FOLD : A MESSAGE

CHAPTER 22

THE GREAT BARN AND THE SHEEP SHEARERS

CHAPTER 23

EVENTIDE : A SECOND DECLARATION

CHAPTER 24

THE SAME NIGHT : THE FIR PLANTATION

CHAPTER 25

THE NEW ACQUAINTANCE DESCRIBED

CHAPTER 26

SCENE ON THE VERGE OF THE HAY-MEAD

CHAPTER 27

HIVING THE BEES

CHAPTER 28

THE HOLLOW AMID THE FERNS

CHAPTER 29

PARTICULARS OF A TWILIGHT WALK

CHAPTER 30

HOT CHEEKS AND TEARFUL EYES

CHAPTER 31

BLAME : FURY

CHAPTER 32

NIGHT : HORSES TRAMPING

CHAPTER 33

IN THE SUN : A HARBINGER

CHAPTER 34

HOME AGAIN : A TRICKSTER

CHAPTER 35

AT AN UPPER WINDOW

CHAPTER 36

WEALTH IN JEOPARDY : THE REVEL

CHAPTER 37

THE STORM : THE TWO TOGETHER

CHAPTER 38

RAIN : ONE SOLITARY MEETS ANOTHER

CHAPTER 39

COMING HOME : A CRY

CHAPTER 40

ON CASTERBRIDGE HIGHWAY

CHAPTER 41

SUSPICION : FANNY IS SENT FOR

CHAPTER 42

JOSEPH AND HIS BURDEN : 'BUCK'S HEAD'

CHAPTER 43

FANNY'S REVENGE

CHAPTER 44

UNDER A TREE : REACTION

CHAPTER 45

TROY'S ROMANTICISM

CHAPTER 46

THE GURGOYLE : ITS DOINGS

CHAPTER 47

ADVENTURES BY THE SHORE

CHAPTER 48

DOUBTS ARISE : DOUBTS LINGER

CHAPTER 49

OAK'S ADVANCEMENT : A GREAT HOPE

CHAPTER 50

THE SHEEP FAIR : TROY TOUCHES HIS

WIFE'S HAND

CHAPTER 51

BATHSHEBA TALKS WITH HER OUTRIDER : ADVICE

CHAPTER 52

CONVERGING COURSES

CHAPTER 53

CONCURRITUR : HORae MOMENTO

CHAPTER 54

AFTER THE SHOCK

CHAPTER 55

THE MARCH FOLLOWING : "BATHSHEBA BOLDWOOD"

CHAPTER 56

BEAUTY IN LONELINESS : AFTER ALL

CHAPTER 57

A FOGGY NIGHT AND MORNING :CONCLUSION