A Tale of Two Cities
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"I've come to prefer Oxford's editions of my texts because of the usefulness of the explanatory notes and above all the inclusion of vital contextual information about publishing practices (serialization dates, etc.) and historical background that are essential to my nethod of instruction."--Prof. Martha Holmes, Univ. of Colorado
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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With an exclusive introduction by Peter Ackroyd, these out of print editions are brought back to life with a fresh and timeless new look.
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First Sentence
It was the best of times,' it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way - in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
It was the best of times,' it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way - in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
33 of 33 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I will never, the rest of my life forget these two sentences. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness...." and at closing "It is a far, far, better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to, than I have ever known."
Wow, this is not your usual Dickens. No quirky characters with strange names and laugh out loud moments, just a darn good story -- the story of two cities, London and Paris. It is difficult to put the plot into words, but when the book begins you are in London at the time of the American revolution and spies (or suspected spies) abound, and the story eventually switches to France prior to and during the French revolution.
Dickens does a marvelous job (as always) of building his story one step at a time and slowly peeling back the layers one at a time. This is not a put down and pick it up a week later kind of a book, it is very intense and complicated and you have to pay close attention. I was just floored at how he sucked me in with his descriptions of the mobs, terror and the madness of the revolution leading you to a nail biting finish. I admit to holding my breath during those last few pages!
Highly recommended, and well worth the time to discover (or rediscover) an old classic.
Wow, this is not your usual Dickens. No quirky characters with strange names and laugh out loud moments, just a darn good story -- the story of two cities, London and Paris. It is difficult to put the plot into words, but when the book begins you are in London at the time of the American revolution and spies (or suspected spies) abound, and the story eventually switches to France prior to and during the French revolution.
Dickens does a marvelous job (as always) of building his story one step at a time and slowly peeling back the layers one at a time. This is not a put down and pick it up a week later kind of a book, it is very intense and complicated and you have to pay close attention. I was just floored at how he sucked me in with his descriptions of the mobs, terror and the madness of the revolution leading you to a nail biting finish. I admit to holding my breath during those last few pages!
Highly recommended, and well worth the time to discover (or rediscover) an old classic.
58 of 61 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The period from 1775 - the outbreak of the American Revolution - to 1789 - the storming of the Bastille - is the turbulent setting of this uncharacteristic Dickens novel. It is his only novel that lacks comic relief, is one of only two that are not set in nineteenth-century England and is also unusual in lacking a primary central character. London and Paris are the real protagonists in this tale, much as the cathedral was the 'hero' of Hugo's Notre Dame de Paris. Dickens was writing at a time of great turmoil in his personal life, having just separated from his wife, and no doubt the revolutionary theme was in tune with his mental state.
The result is a complex, involving plot with some of the best narrative writing to be found anywhere, and the recreation of revolutionary Paris is very convincing. The device of having two characters that look identical may seem hackneyed to modern readers, but it is here employed with greater plausibility than in Twain's Pudd'nhead Wilson or Collins's The Woman in White.
Dickens was inspired to write this story by reading Carlyle's newly published history of the French Revolution. Those events and their aftermath stood in relation to their time much as World Wars I and II do to ours, that is, fading from living memory into history, yet their legacy still very much with us. In many nineteenth-century novels, especially Russian and British works, you get a sense of unease among the aristocracy that the revolution will spread to their own back yard. In the case of Russia, of course, it eventually did.
I have often recommended A Tale of Two Cities as a good introduction to Dickens for younger readers. This is based on my own experiences, because it was a set book in my English Literature class when I was 15 and I remember thoroughly enjoying it. Yes, it is challenging, with its somewhat archaic language and its slow development, but you cannot progress to an enjoyment of great literature without being challenged.
57 of 60 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
In most of his novels, Charles Dickens sticks to one central theme - love. "A Tale of Two Cities" faithfully adheers to this principle, yet, as with every Dickens book, retains a certain individuality and freshness.
The story is perhaps a little slow to start, but that matters little. Not only is it difficult to stop reading the novel after a while, given the many little mysteries Dickens hints at throughout, but it is next to impossible not to be absorbed into the lives of the central characters and feel a certain closeness to them. It also notable that the devoted love displayed by so many of the novels cast does not seem at all implausable or out of place, despite the cold and uncaring backdrop used - the French Revolution
"A Tale Of Two Cities" leaves you feeling both thourghly happy and extremely sad, such is the skill with which Charles Dickens - beyond any doubt a master of his craft - tells this moving tale.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Dickens as good as ever
Always wanted to read this, as saw the film years ago with the wonderful Dirk Bogard. Having studied other of Dickens work as part of a degree subject I am thoroughly enjoying... Read more
Published 1 hour ago by Libby
Eek - Well that was hard work
Sorry I'm late reviewing this one folks - have been a bit busy of late. Having read Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol and Great Expectations recently I was looking forward to this. Read more
Published 5 days ago by The Honey Monster
Facinating and emotionally charged
As is probably true of most people, I am familiar with Dickens' work and have seen countless of his books dramatised on TV and in films. Read more
Published 20 days ago by subject2status
Hard Work
Now that I have a Kindle I thought it was time I read some of the classics. Good thing about this is that it was a free download but boy is it hard work trying to follow the story. Read more
Published 29 days ago by Salmoncard
A fantastic read.
This item arrived on the appointed day. As with all Wordsworth classics it is fantastic value for money, and a brilliant read aswell. What more can you ask.
Published 1 month ago by Pete
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
Since childhood I have loved the work of Charles Dickens and re-reading a Tale of Two Cities after many years has confirmed my affection for his work. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Janet
One of Dickens' best
This has to be one of the best books that Charles Dickens wrote. It's so unlike any of the others, so if you think you know Dickens, read this ... and think again! Read more
Published 1 month ago by EssexBoy
The best of Dickens
I almost resolved never to read Dickens again after reading the laborious spoon-feeding that is Hard Times. Read more
Published 1 month ago by P. Mcconnell
Excellent!
I normally read far more modern books, particularly crime thrillers. Occasionally I enjoy a complete change and read a "classic". Read more
Published 1 month ago by Sue H
Very Poor edition
Look, these novels are first class but this transcript is so full of errors. Miss Havisham is refered to as Miss Hawisham in G.E! Very poor indeed. I got a refund.
Published 2 months ago by Ange L
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