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Four Complete Novels
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Includes the major works by one of the greatest names in literature. Namely, Great Expectations, Hard Times, A Christmas Carol and A Tale of Two Cities. This Library of Literary Classics edition is bound in padded leather with luxurious gold-stamping on the front and spine, satin ribbon marker and gilded edges. Other titles in this Library of Literary Classics series include: Charlotte & Emily Bronte: The Complete Novels; Edgar Allan Poe: Selected Works; Mark Twain: Selected Works; Jane Austen: The Complete Novels: Lewis Carroll: The Complete, Fully Illustrated Works; and William Shakespeare: The Complete Works.
Includes the major works by one of the greatest names in literature. Namely, Great Expectations, Hard Times, A Christmas Carol and A Tale of Two Cities. This Library of Literary Classics edition is bound in padded leather with luxurious gold-stamping on the front and spine, satin ribbon marker and gilded edges. Other titles in this Library of Literary Classics series include: Charlotte & Emily Bronte: The Complete Novels; Edgar Allan Poe: Selected Works; Mark Twain: Selected Works; Jane Austen: The Complete Novels: Lewis Carroll: The Complete, Fully Illustrated Works; and William Shakespeare: The Complete Works.
848 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1861
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About the author
Charles Dickens
12.6k books31.2k followersCharles John Huffam Dickens (1812-1870) was a writer and social critic who created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era. His works enjoyed unprecedented popularity during his lifetime, and by the twentieth century critics and scholars had recognised him as a literary genius. His novels and short stories enjoy lasting popularity.
Dickens left school to work in a factory when his father was incarcerated in a debtors' prison. Despite his lack of formal education, he edited a weekly journal for 20 years, wrote 15 novels, five novellas, hundreds of short stories and non-fiction articles, lectured and performed extensively, was an indefatigable letter writer, and campaigned vigorously for children's rights, education, and other social reforms.
Dickens was regarded as the literary colossus of his age. His 1843 novella, A Christmas Carol, remains popular and continues to inspire adaptations in every artistic genre. Oliver Twist and Great Expectations are also frequently adapted, and, like many of his novels, evoke images of early Victorian London. His 1859 novel, A Tale of Two Cities, set in London and Paris, is his best-known work of historical fiction. Dickens's creative genius has been praised by fellow writers—from Leo Tolstoy to George Orwell and G. K. Chesterton—for its realism, comedy, prose style, unique characterisations, and social criticism. On the other hand, Oscar Wilde, Henry James, and Virginia Woolf complained of a lack of psychological depth, loose writing, and a vein of saccharine sentimentalism. The term Dickensian is used to describe something that is reminiscent of Dickens and his writings, such as poor social conditions or comically repulsive characters.
On 8 June 1870, Dickens suffered another stroke at his home after a full day's work on Edwin Drood. He never regained consciousness, and the next day he died at Gad's Hill Place. Contrary to his wish to be buried at Rochester Cathedral "in an inexpensive, unostentatious, and strictly private manner," he was laid to rest in the Poets' Corner of Westminster Abbey. A printed epitaph circulated at the time of the funeral reads: "To the Memory of Charles Dickens (England's most popular author) who died at his residence, Higham, near Rochester, Kent, 9 June 1870, aged 58 years. He was a sympathiser with the poor, the suffering, and the oppressed; and by his death, one of England's greatest writers is lost to the world." His last words were: "On the ground", in response to his sister-in-law Georgina's request that he lie down.
(from Wikipedia)
Dickens left school to work in a factory when his father was incarcerated in a debtors' prison. Despite his lack of formal education, he edited a weekly journal for 20 years, wrote 15 novels, five novellas, hundreds of short stories and non-fiction articles, lectured and performed extensively, was an indefatigable letter writer, and campaigned vigorously for children's rights, education, and other social reforms.
Dickens was regarded as the literary colossus of his age. His 1843 novella, A Christmas Carol, remains popular and continues to inspire adaptations in every artistic genre. Oliver Twist and Great Expectations are also frequently adapted, and, like many of his novels, evoke images of early Victorian London. His 1859 novel, A Tale of Two Cities, set in London and Paris, is his best-known work of historical fiction. Dickens's creative genius has been praised by fellow writers—from Leo Tolstoy to George Orwell and G. K. Chesterton—for its realism, comedy, prose style, unique characterisations, and social criticism. On the other hand, Oscar Wilde, Henry James, and Virginia Woolf complained of a lack of psychological depth, loose writing, and a vein of saccharine sentimentalism. The term Dickensian is used to describe something that is reminiscent of Dickens and his writings, such as poor social conditions or comically repulsive characters.
On 8 June 1870, Dickens suffered another stroke at his home after a full day's work on Edwin Drood. He never regained consciousness, and the next day he died at Gad's Hill Place. Contrary to his wish to be buried at Rochester Cathedral "in an inexpensive, unostentatious, and strictly private manner," he was laid to rest in the Poets' Corner of Westminster Abbey. A printed epitaph circulated at the time of the funeral reads: "To the Memory of Charles Dickens (England's most popular author) who died at his residence, Higham, near Rochester, Kent, 9 June 1870, aged 58 years. He was a sympathiser with the poor, the suffering, and the oppressed; and by his death, one of England's greatest writers is lost to the world." His last words were: "On the ground", in response to his sister-in-law Georgina's request that he lie down.
(from Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
November 18, 2009
I was always averse to Dickens, thinking that his writing would be dry. And I have been wonderfully surprised to find such humor and wit in his writing. I absolutely love the characters of Joe and Pip, and I find Dickens' sense of humor contemporary and throughly enjoyable.
December 20, 2024
Excellent classics. I love to read a Christmas Carol at this time of year.
August 18, 2008
In my pursuit of literature on the French Revolution, A Tale of Two Cities is one of my favorites. While everyone knows Dickens can be verbose at times, he is very descriptive of these times and seasons, and of many historic locations (including the Bastille, which is no longer visible in Paris). I particularly enjoyed the story's intertwining of lives of families in both London and Paris. Sidney Cardon is my favorite character, who in the end, demonstrates the greatness of humanity, for which he is remembered for generations.
July 21, 2022
Enjoyed the story but had a difficult time with a few of the dialects. Dickens can be a bit preachy and this is the case if you study the setting that the story takes place in. Some lovable characters and some not so much.
August 27, 2020
This collection has convinced me that Dickens is easily one of the greatest authors who has ever lived. The only reason this is 4 stars instead of 5 is because of the deficiencies is this particular edition - it is rife with typos and was clearly just hastily thrown together with minimal editing (things like using the numeral "1" where there should be the letter "l"... random periods in the middle of words... and other similar mistakes).
As for the individual books:
Great Expectations - Probably the best of the bunch. Incredible and timeless story, and some of the best and most memorable characters in all of literary history (I can't think of a single character I've ever enjoyed more than Wemmick).
Hard Times - The story wasn't quite as engaging as the others imo, but the biting social commentary more than made up for it. It's incredible how timely this remains.
A Christmas Carol - I mean, what else needs to be said about this one?
A Tale of Two Cities - I now understand why this is essentially the greatest selling book of all time. Action, adventure, love, drama, crime, intrigue, betrayal, history... it's got everything. Not to mention the spectacular prose.
As for the individual books:
Great Expectations - Probably the best of the bunch. Incredible and timeless story, and some of the best and most memorable characters in all of literary history (I can't think of a single character I've ever enjoyed more than Wemmick).
Hard Times - The story wasn't quite as engaging as the others imo, but the biting social commentary more than made up for it. It's incredible how timely this remains.
A Christmas Carol - I mean, what else needs to be said about this one?
A Tale of Two Cities - I now understand why this is essentially the greatest selling book of all time. Action, adventure, love, drama, crime, intrigue, betrayal, history... it's got everything. Not to mention the spectacular prose.
September 1, 2020
From 0 to 4 Dickens novels! There was an INSANE amount of typos in this edition. Like every few pages. I really enjoyed these stories. I loved how totally melodramatic and soap opera-y they were. Also Hard times had a very similar plot line to the Wilmington massacre-set book I read recently. the dissolute rich squandering all their money then stealing and pinning it on the poor & oppressed. but of course they are found out and punished in the end. Super fun to read, all of them. AND THE NAMES. Pumblechook?? jeez louise. so good.
May 19, 2025
It's Dickens, what can I say? Highly recommended if you are a Dickens fan, highly not recommended if you are not. Except for A Christmas Carol. Every human being should read A Christmas Carol, once a year if possible.
I had not, believe it or not, read A Tale of Two Cities (omg, it's the plot, more or less, of Hair!) nor Hard Times. So now my education has gone one more step toward completion. One for Tale of Two Cities. Hard Times didn't stir a hair.
It didn't really take me five months to read this. I read dozens of other books at the same time. Can't help myself.
I had not, believe it or not, read A Tale of Two Cities (omg, it's the plot, more or less, of Hair!) nor Hard Times. So now my education has gone one more step toward completion. One for Tale of Two Cities. Hard Times didn't stir a hair.
It didn't really take me five months to read this. I read dozens of other books at the same time. Can't help myself.
August 11, 2025
I read these stories over time between other books. A Christmas Carol is my all time favorite story. I have read it multiple times. I loved Great Expectations as well. The other two were not as engaging for me. Hard Times got better toward the end but it won’t be on my re-read list. I don’t recommend buying this print version. So many grammar and spelling errors throughout. Messes with reading the story if you appreciate good grammar and appropriate spelling.
December 27, 2021
After watching many versions of "A Christmas Carol" on the screen and stage, I read the original. It is beautiful!
March 5, 2025
Final Rankings~
Great expectations 4.25 ⭐️
A Christmas Carol 4.25 ⭐️
Oliver Twist 4⭐️
A tale of two cities 4⭐️
I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed Dickens work.
Great expectations 4.25 ⭐️
A Christmas Carol 4.25 ⭐️
Oliver Twist 4⭐️
A tale of two cities 4⭐️
I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed Dickens work.
December 29, 2009
Of course we read this one in our group awhile ago, but I just found a great article for those of you who were with us back then, or have read it before. Thought you might enjoy!
Dickens vs. Darwin
A Question of Worldview
December 28, 2009
Two of the most famous books in the Western canon turned 150 years old in 2009—On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin, and A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens.
But these anniversaries were celebrated in vastly different ways. While Darwin’s book was honored around the globe with films and websites and much more, relatively few people took notice that Dickens’s book had reached the same milestone.
Why the difference? My colleague Gina Dalfonzo, in an article on BreakPoint Online, suggests that one reason might be “the difference in worldview.” Gina points out that Origin of Species is built on Darwin’s materialistic principles, while A Tale of Two Cities takes a more traditional and biblical view of things.
It’s easy to see how our educational and media elite would gravitate toward the work that more faithfully reflects their own views, even if they don’t fully realize why they’re doing it.
Both authors lived at a time when Western culture was transitioning from faith in God to faith in humanity and its progress. Darwin went along with the change, embracing materialism and seeing his own scientific studies in its light.
But Dickens resisted. His faith has been called “simple”—he was not openly interested in complex theological questions, and he did not always adhere to church doctrine. But he maintained his belief in a loving Creator to the end of his life.
Isn’t it interesting that it was Darwin who was swept up in some of the uglier trends of his day? Dr. Benjamin Wiker has recently pointed out Darwin’s interest in the theories of Thomas Malthus, who thought that the “surplus population”—the weak and the unfit—were holding humanity back. The influence of this belief can be seen in Origin of Species and in Darwin’s other works.
Personally, Darwin believed in helping the poor and sick, but his personal life did not fit with his actual ideas. His theory boiled down to “might makes right,” and that meant survival was the highest ethical good.
On the other hand, Dickens parodied Malthus in his works, and showed the moral bankruptcy of his theories. In A Tale of Two Cities, a novel about the French Revolution, Dickens shows a struggle for power between two families, a struggle that turns into a cycle of violence and revenge. Madame Defarge, a central figure in the cycle, has no mercy for her victims once she gets them in her power; in fact, you might call her a fully Darwinian figure.
In the end, the cycle of violence can only be broken, and Madame Defarge disarmed, by another character’s self-sacrifice—the kind of act that would have no place in a Darwinian view of the world. But in Dickens’ biblically influenced view, this act of love and selflessness signifies the highest good of which humanity is capable.
Both Darwin and Dickens were optimistic men, but in fundamentally different ways. Darwin’s vision of future perfection would be merely a race of physically and mentally strong beings. Dickens’ hope was for a fundamentally moral society where the sick and weak were cared for, not pushed out of the way.
As the 150th anniversary year comes to an end for these two books, it’s a good time to compare how these radically different worldviews worked out in practice. All you’ve got to do is look at the evidence of the last 150 years for a clear answer to which one was true.
Dickens vs. Darwin
A Question of Worldview
December 28, 2009
Two of the most famous books in the Western canon turned 150 years old in 2009—On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin, and A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens.
But these anniversaries were celebrated in vastly different ways. While Darwin’s book was honored around the globe with films and websites and much more, relatively few people took notice that Dickens’s book had reached the same milestone.
Why the difference? My colleague Gina Dalfonzo, in an article on BreakPoint Online, suggests that one reason might be “the difference in worldview.” Gina points out that Origin of Species is built on Darwin’s materialistic principles, while A Tale of Two Cities takes a more traditional and biblical view of things.
It’s easy to see how our educational and media elite would gravitate toward the work that more faithfully reflects their own views, even if they don’t fully realize why they’re doing it.
Both authors lived at a time when Western culture was transitioning from faith in God to faith in humanity and its progress. Darwin went along with the change, embracing materialism and seeing his own scientific studies in its light.
But Dickens resisted. His faith has been called “simple”—he was not openly interested in complex theological questions, and he did not always adhere to church doctrine. But he maintained his belief in a loving Creator to the end of his life.
Isn’t it interesting that it was Darwin who was swept up in some of the uglier trends of his day? Dr. Benjamin Wiker has recently pointed out Darwin’s interest in the theories of Thomas Malthus, who thought that the “surplus population”—the weak and the unfit—were holding humanity back. The influence of this belief can be seen in Origin of Species and in Darwin’s other works.
Personally, Darwin believed in helping the poor and sick, but his personal life did not fit with his actual ideas. His theory boiled down to “might makes right,” and that meant survival was the highest ethical good.
On the other hand, Dickens parodied Malthus in his works, and showed the moral bankruptcy of his theories. In A Tale of Two Cities, a novel about the French Revolution, Dickens shows a struggle for power between two families, a struggle that turns into a cycle of violence and revenge. Madame Defarge, a central figure in the cycle, has no mercy for her victims once she gets them in her power; in fact, you might call her a fully Darwinian figure.
In the end, the cycle of violence can only be broken, and Madame Defarge disarmed, by another character’s self-sacrifice—the kind of act that would have no place in a Darwinian view of the world. But in Dickens’ biblically influenced view, this act of love and selflessness signifies the highest good of which humanity is capable.
Both Darwin and Dickens were optimistic men, but in fundamentally different ways. Darwin’s vision of future perfection would be merely a race of physically and mentally strong beings. Dickens’ hope was for a fundamentally moral society where the sick and weak were cared for, not pushed out of the way.
As the 150th anniversary year comes to an end for these two books, it’s a good time to compare how these radically different worldviews worked out in practice. All you’ve got to do is look at the evidence of the last 150 years for a clear answer to which one was true.
April 27, 2008
No need to review this book. It is an icon of western culture. In my family, it was read aloud every year the week before Christmas until I left home.
It was probably the single most formative book in my life.
The most significant piece of the book....in my memory comes
at the end of the 3rd Stave
"The chimes were ringing the three quarters past eleven at the moment.
"Forgive me if I am not justified in what I ask," said Scrooge, looking intently at the Spirit's robe, "but I see something strange, and not belonging to yourself, protruding from your skirts. Is it a foot or a claw?"
"It might be a claw, for the flesh there is upon it," was the Spirit's sorrowful reply. "Look here."
From the foldings of its robe, it brought two children, wretched, abject, frightful, hideous, miserable. They knelt down at its feet, and clung upon the outside of its garment.
"O Man! look here! Look, look, down here!" exclaimed the Ghost.
They were a boy and girl. Yellow, meagre, ragged, scowling, wolfish; but prostrate, too, in their humility. Where graceful youth should have filled their features out, and touched them with its freshest tints, a stale and shrivelled hand, like that of age, had pinched and twisted them, and pulled them into shreds....
Scrooge started back, appalled. Having them shown to him in this way, he tried to say they were fine children, but the words choked themselves, rather than be parties to a lie of such enormous magnitude.
"Spirit! are they yours?" Scrooge could say no more.
"They are Man's" said the Spirit, looking down upon them. "This boy is IGNORANCE. This girl is WANT. Beware of them both, and all their degree, but most of all beware this boy, for on his brow I see that written which is Doom, unless the writing be erased.
"Have they no refuge or resource?" Cried Scrooge. "Are there no prisons?" said the Spirit, turning on him for the last time with his own words. "Are there no workshouses?"
The spirit then disappears and Scrooge is left to the last spirit.
This image of ignorance and want have shaped my belief system. They have made me less ready to blame individuals for their circumstances and ready to look at ways we can all help each other in this life. This scene foreshadows the writing on Scrooges tombstone -- can it be erased?
Dickens resoundingly says yes. It is not too late for Scrooge. It is not too late for humankind-- we can erase that which will lead to our Doom.
It was probably the single most formative book in my life.
The most significant piece of the book....in my memory comes
at the end of the 3rd Stave
"The chimes were ringing the three quarters past eleven at the moment.
"Forgive me if I am not justified in what I ask," said Scrooge, looking intently at the Spirit's robe, "but I see something strange, and not belonging to yourself, protruding from your skirts. Is it a foot or a claw?"
"It might be a claw, for the flesh there is upon it," was the Spirit's sorrowful reply. "Look here."
From the foldings of its robe, it brought two children, wretched, abject, frightful, hideous, miserable. They knelt down at its feet, and clung upon the outside of its garment.
"O Man! look here! Look, look, down here!" exclaimed the Ghost.
They were a boy and girl. Yellow, meagre, ragged, scowling, wolfish; but prostrate, too, in their humility. Where graceful youth should have filled their features out, and touched them with its freshest tints, a stale and shrivelled hand, like that of age, had pinched and twisted them, and pulled them into shreds....
Scrooge started back, appalled. Having them shown to him in this way, he tried to say they were fine children, but the words choked themselves, rather than be parties to a lie of such enormous magnitude.
"Spirit! are they yours?" Scrooge could say no more.
"They are Man's" said the Spirit, looking down upon them. "This boy is IGNORANCE. This girl is WANT. Beware of them both, and all their degree, but most of all beware this boy, for on his brow I see that written which is Doom, unless the writing be erased.
"Have they no refuge or resource?" Cried Scrooge. "Are there no prisons?" said the Spirit, turning on him for the last time with his own words. "Are there no workshouses?"
The spirit then disappears and Scrooge is left to the last spirit.
This image of ignorance and want have shaped my belief system. They have made me less ready to blame individuals for their circumstances and ready to look at ways we can all help each other in this life. This scene foreshadows the writing on Scrooges tombstone -- can it be erased?
Dickens resoundingly says yes. It is not too late for Scrooge. It is not too late for humankind-- we can erase that which will lead to our Doom.
December 28, 2016
While my husband was donning his paramedic uniform on Dec 23rd evening, I cued up Bugs Bunny's adaptation of Charles Dickens's Christmas Carol on our big screen so we could watch it together before he headed off for his nightshift. As we watched this short youtube cartoon together, I realized that I had never actually "read" this classic. Soon after I kissed my husband off to work, I logged on to amazon and downloaded Dickens's classic story on my iPad's kindle (for free) and started reading it immediately. As I was reading it's preface, "I HAVE endeavoured in this Ghostly little book, to raise the Ghost of an Idea, which shall not put my readers out of humour with themselves, with each other, with the season, or with me. May it haunt their houses pleasantly, and no one wish to lay it. Their faithful Friend and Servant, C. D. December, 1843", I realized that I actually had Dickens's book sitting on the shelf of one my home libraries. It didn't take me long to find it and cuddle with it beside the crackling logs in our fireplace.
The next morning, I welcomed my loving husband home from a quiet nightshift (thank you God) with a warm embrace, and we watched some of the 1984 film adaptation (from youtube) together. We managed to watch up to the Ghost of Christmas Present before my husband needed to rest from his nightshift. I was hooked on the story and "endeavoured" to read on from my book for a little while longer before guilt captured me (Christmas presents and prep needed my attention)
Well, after a busy and jolly holiday season, I finally managed to finish reading the story. I hope that my husband and I can find time to finish watching the 1984 movie together today.
What did I think of the story? Charles Dickens's writing is old english, and he did manage to raise the "Ghost of an Idea" which is that one can find happiness when one is kind to others.
The next morning, I welcomed my loving husband home from a quiet nightshift (thank you God) with a warm embrace, and we watched some of the 1984 film adaptation (from youtube) together. We managed to watch up to the Ghost of Christmas Present before my husband needed to rest from his nightshift. I was hooked on the story and "endeavoured" to read on from my book for a little while longer before guilt captured me (Christmas presents and prep needed my attention)
Well, after a busy and jolly holiday season, I finally managed to finish reading the story. I hope that my husband and I can find time to finish watching the 1984 movie together today.
What did I think of the story? Charles Dickens's writing is old english, and he did manage to raise the "Ghost of an Idea" which is that one can find happiness when one is kind to others.
December 4, 2007
Great Expectations
Book Review
Charles Dickens has written many of the most famous novels of this time. Born in February 1812 in Portsmouth, England Dickens is one of the best writers of the Victorian Era. His works include A Tale of Two Cities, Oliver Twist, and A Christmas Carol. Great Expectations is also one of his best pieces. This novel enlightens its audience by following a young orphan boy name Pip through his childhood and adulthood. The novel starts out with young Pip living with his sister and her husband, the blacksmith. Pip is then surprised by an escaped convict. As his life goes on Pip falls in love with a very cruel young lady. As he ages Pip gains a beneficiary and moves into the city of London. As he is living on an allowance, Pip’s beneficiary uncovers himself and troubles Pip. The events with the beneficiary lead Pip to move back to his rural home.
Even if no one has the right to criticize this novel, I must suggest that there are some weaknesses. First of all, for some people the plot of Great Expectations might be slightly bland. This book not one to read just to fall asleep. If a person is looking to read a book about murder and mystery then they should search elsewhere. Also, even though happy endings are nice some people prefer a melancholy ending. I am one of those people. Originally this novel was supposed to have the sad ending that I had so hoped for. With advice from a friend, Charles Dickens changed his unfortunate ending into one that people smile at. In literature and the arts, some stories are meant to have happy endings and some are meant to have sad endings. In my opinion one of little flaws of this book is the wrong choice in ending.
March 15, 2020
This omnibus of novels and novellas by Charles Dickens consists of Great Expectations, Hard Times, A Christmas Carol, and A Tale of Two Cities. Because I don't have the stamina or the patience to read all of these at one time, I decided to read each individually when the time is right. I will review each work as I finish it until I eventually have read them all. Below are links to my reviews for each of the works that I have read.
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens - Began 1/25/18 and finished 3/6/18, Rated 2/5
Hard Times by Charles Dickens - Began 2/19/2020 and finished 3/14/2020, Rated 1/5
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens - Began and finished on 12/1/2011, Rated 4/5
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens - Began 12/4/16 and finished 12/13/16, Rated 4/5
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens - Began 1/25/18 and finished 3/6/18, Rated 2/5
Hard Times by Charles Dickens - Began 2/19/2020 and finished 3/14/2020, Rated 1/5
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens - Began and finished on 12/1/2011, Rated 4/5
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens - Began 12/4/16 and finished 12/13/16, Rated 4/5
October 17, 2018
{old notes}
(535) Scrooge's Nephew:
(535) Scrooge's Nephew:
"Christmas... as a good time: a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on their journeys"
October 20, 2012
who knew a ghost story would become one of Christmas's best loved tales! A tale of two cities is Dickens best book in my opinion. One recommendation; first time you read it skim over the first chapter then come back and read it after you finish the book, It makes sence then. I first read great expectations with my Mother, great memories.
June 10, 2009
I only read A Tale of Two Cities from this collection. I loved the begining and ending lines! I was rather confused about the beginning, though. Maybe I will be able to understand this book after i have had more experience reading books from this time period.
July 9, 2008
Charles Dickens is my favorite author of all time. I just love the way he writes. He has the ability to be sarcastic in a classy way. A Christmas Carol is a favorite of mine. I read it every Christmas. I also love Oliver Twist.
March 10, 2010
WHY didn't I read this book when I was in highschool? It seems like I should have. Amazing. Hilarious. (Charles Dickens is one witty guy!)I totally love Pip's character development and the plot within the plot. Excellent classic. A must-read.
to-read-have
February 11, 2017This is actually the form in which I have Great Expectations, Hard Times, A Christmas Carol (one version, I have at least two others in book form one is paperback and the other is illustrated and annotated) and A Tale of Two Cities.
Want to read
December 5, 2007Just saw the play today at Phoenix's Herberger Theatre (a musical version, quite nice!) joined the 7th graders on field trip there!! One student expressed his intention to read this book!
December 21, 2007
The print is kind of small (hence the 4 stars), but it's Charles Dickens' best work. I have not yet read "Hard Times" but plan to.
Read
January 11, 2008Just finished reading Tale of two cities. It can really make you think.
Read
February 6, 2008i've only read great expectations out of the four in this collection. i intended to read them in order but couldn't get through the beginning of hard times. how fitting.
February 8, 2008
we should all be reading these classic novels more... great reminders of proper language and society.
March 5, 2008
Love A Christmas Carol. Liked Great Expectations. Suzanne is making me read a Tale of Two Cities, it is a little slow moving, as was Great Expectations. Have not read Hard Times.
December 8, 2022
A Tale of Two Cities had a big impact on me.
March 18, 2008
I read A Tale of Two Cities, hard read, but what a love story!!!
And of course the classic A Christmas Carol, I read that every other year.
And of course the classic A Christmas Carol, I read that every other year.
April 9, 2008
i have just read "great expectation" it is a real outstanding story.it is the most excitting story i have ever read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews