A Tale of Two Cities with Related Readings

by Charles Dickens, John Elliot, Ruth Glancy

Contains:

A tale of two cities by Charles Dickens
Outline of the Revolution (historical nonfiction) by John Elliot
from A tale of two cities: Dickens's revolutionary novel (literary criticism) by Ruth Glancy
The details of life (social history) by Olivier Bernier
Letter to Madame Elizabeth of France (letter) by Marie-Antoinette
The heirs of Madame Guillotine (magazine article) by David Lawday

375 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 2001

About the author

Charles 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)

Reviews

[Joy Nicholas · Rating 5 out of 5]

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???)

[Jemima · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first two books were so slow and boring but book three is way better.