The History of the Life of the Late Mr. Jonathan Wild the Great

by Henry Fielding

"The History of the Life of the Late Mr. Jonathan Wild the Great" by Henry Fielding is a satirical novel published in 1743. It tells the story of Jonathan Wild, a notorious London underworld boss who worked as a thief-taker while secretly managing a criminal network. Fielding uses Wild's life to satirize English society and political corruption, particularly targeting Prime Minister Robert Walpole. The novel blends criminal biography with romance and social commentary in a darkly ironic portrait of "greatness."