The life and opinions of Tristram Shandy, gentleman

by Laurence Sterne

"The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman" by Laurence Sterne is a humorous novel published from 1759 to 1767. The work presents itself as a memoir, but narrator Tristram Shandy begins with his own conception and doesn't describe his birth until the third volume. Through endless digressions, he recounts four accidents that supposedly doomed him to unhappiness, while depicting conflicts between his irritable father and gentle Uncle Toby. The novel features sexual innuendo, unfinished sentences, and surprising visual elements including blank pages and censored paragraphs.