This year marks 150 years since the publication of The Way We Live Now, Trollope’s sweeping satire of financial speculation, social ambition and public hypocrisy. First published in book form in 1875, the novel was written in response to the scandals of the 1860s and 70s. Its themes remain powerfully relevant in a world still grappling with political sleaze, media manipulation and corporate fraud.

At the centre of the story is Augustus Melmotte, a mysterious financier whose sudden rise to wealth and social prominence shakes London society. Around him swirl a host of characters, including noblemen short on funds and suitors chasing Melmotte’s daughter for her dowry. Trollope paints a vivid and often scathing portrait of a society in which status can be bought, reputations are fleeting, and money trumps morality.

From Sir Felix Carbury’s dissolute scheming to Lady Carbury’s tireless self-promotion, and from Mrs Hurtle’s sharp intelligence to Marie Melmotte’s unexpected independence, the novel exposes a world where appearances are everything and substance is in short supply. Its sharp-eyed critique of capitalism, gender roles, and political ambition has led many to consider it Trollope’s masterpiece. Robert McCrum ranked it number 22 in The Guardian’s list of the 100 Best Novels and described it as ‘Trollope’s masterpiece’.

Celebrate with the Trollope Society

To celebrate this major anniversary, the Trollope Society is marking the occasion with a special week of events:

• Wednesday 30th July: The Society’s London Seminar Group will meet for a discussion of The Way We Live Now. Dr Sati McKenzie will lead the meeting with an introduction to the novel.  This is the only event in the anniversary week where places remain available.
  Register to attend, tickets are £12.
• Thursday 31st July: A 150th Anniversary Dinner will take place at the Reform Club, held in partnership with the Thackeray Society, the arts and culture society of the Reform Club. The evening will include a talk by Professor Dinah Birch, author of Anthony Trollope: A Very Short Introduction. This event is fully booked.
• Friday 1st August: The celebrations conclude with a Lunch and Literary Tour of Kensal Green Cemetery. The day begins with lunch at The William IV pub, followed by a guided literary tour of Kensal Green Cemetery. The tour will include a visit to Trollope’s grave and introduce other notable Victorian literary figures buried nearby. This event is fully booked.

Find out more about The Way We Live Now

Want to explore further? We have brought together a collection of resources on the novel:

• Watch: The Way We Live Now Today – Alex Preston reflects on the novel’s continuing relevance.
• Revisit: The Way We Live Now BIG READ – Including an introduction and concluding lecture by Professor Francis O’Gorman.
• Read: Howard Gregg on The Way We Live Now – An article from Trollopiana No. 93 offering thoughtful insights into the novel.

We hope you will join us in celebrating one of Trollope’s greatest novels. Whether you are reading it for the first time or returning to it again, The Way We Live Now continues to speak urgently to the world we live in today.