This is the last novel of the writer published in the United States in 1895. It describes the life story of a young man, Jude, a bricklayer from a small provincial town who dreams of becoming a scientist. The book has everything: passionate love as well as deep disappointment in feelings along with the death of the hero's children and suicide.

The novel and its author, Thomas Hardy, were subjected to sharp attacks by literary critics. Thus, it is not surprising that the book was withdrawn from many libraries of the country.