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A Tale of Two Cities and Related Readings
A shrewd observer of the 19th-century London, Charles Dickens filled his novels with vivid characters from every rung of the social ladder --- bankers and lawyers, clearks and butchers, waifs and criminals. Dickens's striking portrayals of his troubled society made him an influential social critic and champion of the exploited. Dickens drew from his own life in his writing, and the injustices suffered by many of his characters reflect his own painful experiences. The specter of imprisonment haunted Dickens's own childhood.
Tale of two cities. / Charles Dickens --
A short "history" of the French Revolution. / Olympe de Gouges ... [et.] --
from Hind Swarj or Indian rule. / Mohandas K. Gandhi --
from Guillotine: its legend and lore. / Daniel Gerould --
Five men. / Zbigniew Herbert --
The Pit and the pendulum. / Edgar Allan Poe --
from Darkness at noon. / play by Sidney Kingsley based on the novel by Arthur Koestler --
The Strike. / Tillie Olsen.
Tale of two cities. / Charles Dickens --
A short "history" of the French Revolution. / Olympe de Gouges ... [et.] --
from Hind Swarj or Indian rule. / Mohandas K. Gandhi --
from Guillotine: its legend and lore. / Daniel Gerould --
Five men. / Zbigniew Herbert --
The Pit and the pendulum. / Edgar Allan Poe --
from Darkness at noon. / play by Sidney Kingsley based on the novel by Arthur Koestler --
The Strike. / Tillie Olsen.
552 pages, Paperback
Published February 28, 1997
2 people are currently reading
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About the author
Charles Dickens
12.2k books31.1k 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 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 23, 2014
I loved this book. The commentary on Heroism, Compassion, Vengeance, and Suffering are captured fantastically in this wonderfully dynamic novel. Dickens' approach to storytelling in this novel is oddly done in a sneaky way with language that challenges.
March 23, 2017
I actually have no words for the end of this book. It completely took my breath away and was astoundingly beautiful. I will admit, the book was shaky and confusing in some parts but was an incredible read.
January 14, 2023
Citizeness Defarge + The Vengeance....quite possibly the best villain and hench[wo]man combo in classic literature. Yet again Dickens characters do not fail to make a reader's skin crawl and nauseate them with disgust for these most coldhearted of b*tches....and i say that with infinite respect for Dickens as the legendary writer he was. i hated them so good...if yall know what i mean. Its like the opposite of the feeling your adolescent & (pre?)pubescent self got when you became convinced that your feelings for either Hermione Granger or Ron Weasley were "like so freaking real." My hatred for Mme Defarge runs deep and true...so much so that I think I would have liked the work as a whole MUCH LESS if she won out in any sort of way. (Ms. Pross, the real MVP, amirite???)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 29, 2011
4.5.
That last few chapters that contained Sydney carton made the book. If it had been executed differently, I wouldn't have enjoyed it. The book ended on a beautifully bittersweet note.
That last few chapters that contained Sydney carton made the book. If it had been executed differently, I wouldn't have enjoyed it. The book ended on a beautifully bittersweet note.
March 7, 2014
The first two books were so slow and boring but book three is way better.
April 1, 2015
Wow. The ending blew me away! It was so hard to get into at first. Sydney Carton is probably one of my favorite characters of all times.
June 28, 2021
Quite the journey to read let me tell you that.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews