Product Description
Hugely admired by Tolstoy, David Copperfield is the novel that draws most closely from Charles Dickens's own life. Its eponymous hero, orphaned as a boy, grows up to discover love and happiness, heartbreak and sorrow amid a cast of eccentrics, innocents, and villains. Praising Dickens's power of invention, Somerset Maugham wrote: "There were never such people as the Micawbers, Peggotty and Barkis, Traddles, Betsey Trotwood and Mr. Dick, Uriah Heep and his mother. They are fantastic inventions of Dickens's exultant imagination...you can never quite forget them."

This Modern Library Paperback Classics edition includes a new Introduction by Pulitzer Prize finalist David Gates, in addition to new explanatory notes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (41)

The World According to Dickens
There's not much I can add to the other five-star reviews here except to say that when you read David Copperfield, you're not reading a novel, you're entering a fully-formed world.I'm a slow reader, but this was one of those books where I was able to read a hundred pages or more in a sitting.Furthermore, I can think of few books that have as many memorable characters as David Copperfield, characters that will stay with you for twenty, thirty, forty years.This was Dickens' most personal, most autobiographical novel, and because of this, the reader is rewarded.A nearly perfect novel!

Powerful Dickens work is still resonant one hundred sixty years later
Charles Dickens' 1850 novel "David Copperfield" is an audacious masterpiece, blending the personal and the universal elements of the author's voice so seamlessly the affect is stunning.Dickens examines his title character through various viewpoints of other characters who want to either aid or harm him.While this writing method does take David Copperfield out of his own story to a degree, it is an incisive commentary on the need to be wise observers in life.

Like virtually all novels by the author, "David Copperfield" contains a very large amount of characters.Every single character contributes to what is really a compact story, despite a page count that is well over 800 pages.A brilliant psychological undertone is evident, as many characters mirror a certain emotional state for David.His loyal and wise second mother Clara Peggotty represents unwavering security and love he does not get from his emotionally fragile biological mother, also called Clara.The characters of Edward Murdstone and James Steerforth encapsulate differing ways to torment David, whether Murdstone brutally beats him, or Steerforth coolly uses David's genuine devotion to destroy his childhood dreams of love.Other characters offer invaluable assistance, like David's Aunt Betsey Trotwood and her wise friend Mr. Dick.

This book draws the reader in with a power that is uncommonly strong, even by Dickens' standards.In this title character, who by Dickens' own admission is based on himself, the reader truly feels the immediacy of a life fictionalized in writing.It is a rare accomplishment from Mr. Dickens and an absolutely wonderful book.

It's in it
This is what I would call "Prego" book, from the old Prego spaghetti sauce commercial---whatever you want, it's in it.Wonderful characters representing human nature such as loyalty, dignity, resilience, cruelty, frailty, vengefulness, spuriousness,---it's in it.Exciting developements of events---hardships, romance, betrayal, friendship, perseverance--it's in it.The guilty pleasure of fast paced drama, it's in it.Deep morals and beautiful prose, such as "there can be no disparity in marriage like the unsuitability of mind and purpose",--it's in it. This is a superb book and I LOVED it.

Easy to enjoy this masterpiece
I've read "A Tale of Two Cities", "A Christmas Carol", "Great Expectations" and "Oliver Twist", and now this book."David Copperfield" stands so far as Dicken's masterwork - but don't let that scare you off.It is extremely readable, the plot moves along quickly and the characters walk right off the page.Many have suggested that this book is autobiographical and I think that is very apparent.As you are reading the adventures of David Copperfied you can hear the voice of Dickens in the relationships and situations. You will be very moved by this book and also get a couple of laughs.And last but not least, you will get to meet Uriah Heep, one of the great characters in English literature.

Enjoying a re-run
I am reading David Copperfield as an adult for the second time. It is as if I've never read it before! Whenever I put it down and go back again, especially if I've lost my place marker, I find re-reading the previous pages just as enjoyable as before. This doesn't happen with other books, as I usually find losing my place a huge irritation. Not so with Dickens.I now plan to read or re-read the rest of Dickens' works.

... Read more

Product Description
A Tale of Two Cities was written by Charles Dickens and first published in 1859. As per its title, the novel is set in the two cities of London and Paris before and during the French Revolution. It details the plight of the French peasantry under the demoralization of the French aristocracy in the years leading up to the revolution, the corresponding brutality demonstrated by the revolutionaries toward the former aristocrats in the early years of the revolution, and a number of unflattering social parallels with life in London during the same time period. The novel tracks the lives of several lead characters during this period, including Charles Darnay, a former French aristocrat who falls victim to the wrath of the revolution despite his virtuous nature, and Sydney Carton, a British barrister who attempts to redeem his ill-spent life out of love for Darnay's wife, Lucie Manette. A Tale of Two Cities is truly a classic, being one of the most famous works of fiction ever printed. This publication of A Tale of Two Cities is part of the Qualitas Classics Fireside Series, where pure, ageless classics are presented in clean, easy to read reprints. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (521)

The Uses of Hyperbole
Mr. Jarvis Lorry of Tellson's Bank is traveling in the Dover Mail, 1775.Men from the bank frequently travel from London to Paris.He receives a message when the Dover Mail is stopped, and he learns he is to escort Lucie Manette to a reunion with her long-lost father.In Paris he encounters Monsieur Defarge and his wife, Madame Defarge.It seems that Dr. Manette has taught himself to be a shoemaker and that he doesn't remember his old banker, Jarvis Lorry.An issue arises as to whether Dr. Manette is fit enough for the journey to England.

In 1780 Tellson's Bank is still old-fashioned.Mr. Charles Darney is a defendant is a court proceeding and Mr. Lorry and Miss Manette testify to having seen him five years previously in the vicinity of Calais.He is acquitted.Dr. Manette has started to receive patients again.Jarvis Lorry spends many Sundays with Dr. Manette and Lucie.At times Charles Darnay and Sydney Carton are part of the company.Darnay and the Manettes are voluntary exiles from France.Mr. Stryver, a barrister, and Mr. Darnay seek Lucie's favor.Lorry warns Stryver he may not succeed.

There is so much color in a Dickens novel, street scenes, grotesque names, (Cruncher), so many roles assumed, (Barsad, spies), and so many droll ways of telling a story, (an officiating undertaker),a reader is overcome with admiration for the author's craft.Dickens is comparable to Shakespeare in terms of breadth of subject matter.

I don't think historical writing is Dickens's strong suit, but, in any event, Dickens is Dickens, and the momentum given to him through Carlyle's work carries him to the end.In his personal life Dickens was in a sensitive and overwrought state, and this shows through in his portrait of Dr.Manette.Manette,for reason of his incarceration, seems to be afflicted with post-traumatic stress disorder.

timeless classic wrought w/ mistakes (publisher review)
The back cover does not match "look inside" picture - I received a condensed version of Dickens' story consisting only of train/mistress story.Last line:"His affair with Nellly eventually cost his his marriage."Their typos, not mine.
Title heading on every page inside reads "A Tail of Two Cities."Once again, their mistake (spelling), not mine.
So what else is wrong with this printing?I don't know this book well enough to risk finding out...
Also there is no publishing page in the book - is this a legal copy?

Overrated "classic"
Sure, the story has some twists at the end, but I find the language arcane as well as archaic. The story-telling is cumbersome and sometime confusing; there are large chunks of narratives about irrelevant details (such as the chapter "The lion and the jackal", it does little to advance the plot). The dialogues are pretentious and unnatural -- the characters speak with a lot of parenthesized texts. The actions of the people are also to some extent unexplained and unexplainable: why does Carton sacrifice himself to save Darnay? Because of his love for Lucie? At the end he is portrayed as some larger-than-life hero and martyr, but I find some hollowness and unbelievability in that.

Dickens' contemporaries and French counterparts, Victor Hugo and Alexander Dumas, who also wrote a few books using the same backdrop (the French Revolution). I think they are both better writers and story-tellers.

Never read this in high school or college
I don't think I can say anything about this book that hasn't been said.I thought the characters, the plot and the historical backdrop were terrific.I'm not sure why I never read this in school, even as an English major.This is the kind of book that will stay with me forever.

Having said that, I don't think most high schoolers could ever fully appreciate this book.I read this at the same time as my 10th grader, who did not enjoy it.I think it's a struggle for most younger readers to understand the plot and Dickens' writing style.If you have to read it for school, try to appreciate it and think about reading it again when you are older - it is very much worth the effort!

Histoical Sentimental Trivia
This novel was published in weekly installments. I think Dickens was a bit absentminded in the first two books, because the plot is quite weak and flickering. In book three the intensity grows and resembles more a normal novel. The content of this novel is the most commonplace sentimental trivia. But apparently it has met the tastes of the audience at the time. Dickens is supposed to be a great writer, right? It's quite amazing that he could pour out this kitchy sentimental romantic trivia. Was he just calculating on the limited minds and romantic dispositions of his female audience to increase his sales? Or was he, after all, not that great a writer? ... Read more

Product Description
A terrifying encounter with an escaped convict in a graveyard on the wild Kent marshes; a summons to meet the bitter, decaying Miss Havisham and her beautiful, cold-hearted ward Estella; the sudden generosity of a mysterious benefactor - these form a series of events that change the orphaned Pip's life forever, and he eagerly abandons his humble origins to begin a new life as a gentleman. Dickens' haunting late novel depicts Pip's education and development through adversity as he discovers thetrue nature of his 'great expectations'.Amazon.com Review
Dickens considered Great Expectations one of his"little pieces," and indeed, it is slim compared to suchweighty novels as DavidCopperfield or NicholasNickleby. But what this cautionary tale of a young man raisedhigh above his station by a mysterious benefactor lacks in length, itmore than makes up for in its remarkable characters and compellingstory. The novel begins with young orphaned PhilipPirrip--Pip--running afoul of an escaped convict in a cemetery. Thisterrifying personage bullies Pip into stealing food and a file forhim, threatening that if he tells a soul "your heart and your livershall be tore out, roasted and ate." The boy does as he's asked, butthe convict is captured anyway, and transported to the penal coloniesin Australia. Having started his novel in a cemetery, Dickens then upsthe stakes and introduces his hero into the decaying household of MissHavisham, a wealthy, half-mad woman who was jilted on her wedding daymany years before and has never recovered.Pip is brought there toplay with Miss Havisham's ward, Estella, a little girl who delights intormenting Pip about his rough hands and future as a blacksmith'sapprentice.

I had never thought of being ashamed of my hands before; but I began toconsider them a very indifferent pair. Her contempt for me was sostrong, that it became infectious, and I caught it.

Customer Reviews (262)

There's a reason Dickens is read 150 years later
This is a book worth reading, and it's a shame my first experience with it was having it force-fed to me 22 years ago as a high school sophomore or junior.I only wish I could find the crappy, soulless joke of a book report I regurgitated from Cliff's Notes to please my teacher and get that all-important "A."Suffice to say that if I found it I would not post it here.

Having re-read the book, I now can say with certainty that Dickens is a brilliant writer and storyteller.His use of language is phenomenal, and his characters tell a deep emotional tale.I suspect it is the tale of Dickens' own childhood dilemma:an emotionally abandoned boy seeking greatness and knowing at some level that he was born for it---and that fate somehow picked him out for it.

Pip is a multidimensional character, with hopes and charm and honesty and flaws.He is utterly sympathetic, as I'm sure little Charles Dickens once was himself.

Pip, an abused and undefended boy, is picked out rather randomly by a near stranger (seemingly the idealized parent for whom every child secretly hopes) to become a gentleman---to rise above the meagre expectations for which his limited birth has chosen him.Even his closest childhood ally, Joe the blacksmith, does nothing (read that:nothing) to defend him against Joe's abusive wife, Pip's older sister.To Dickens' discredit, I felt that he over-defended Joe's weakness as a non-defender.But, by the same token, Dickens' rendering of Joe's all-too-realistic weakness is quite honest and common:after all, so few adults really do stick their necks out to defend the child.I am only left to suspect that in Dickens' own childhood none did either.I would guess that like Pip, Dickens was surrounded entirely by adults who were weak, sadistic, self-centered, or manipulative.My guess is that only his talent, hard word, and patience allowed him to rise above.

My only real criticism of the book (and it's not a big one) comes near the end, when Pip tries to help Magwitch escape England and thus find safety.Granted, Dickens' treatment of this situation does assist the flow of the novel, and does allow him to show just how much Pip has grown to care for his benefactor, but it still left me shaking my head.(And I'm not spoiling the plot, because in the version I read the editor's footnotes spoil the plot anyway early on in the reading, as clearly the editor assumes that the reader knows the story beforehand.Then again, maybe the editor is spoiling the plot to give himself some power.I felt some of his footnotes, which are otherwise quite helpful for background, suggest that he was in an annoying sort of competition with Dickens to show his own greatness.)

So although the plot device works for Dickens' purpose, it just didn't strike me as sufficiently realistic to keep my disbelief suspended.My reason:Magwitch is a hardy, intelligent, cunning world traveler, who suddenly, for no good enough reason, puts all his trust for escape from England (and thus his life) into the hands of a complete novice, Pip, who creates a foolhardy plan for escape that ends up getting Magwitch captured and sentenced to death.

In reality, given what Dickens' shows us about Magwitch's character, here's what I think would have really happened had Magwitch heard Pip's plan:

Magwitch:"Pip, thank you for creating a plan to rescue me, but I think I'll pass.I'll go off into the night on my own, and leave England the same way I came to it:on my own."

Magwitch would have traveled onward with less hurrah, more stealth, and far more privacy.And as the result he would have likely left England safe and sound, and continued to keep up his benefactor relationship with Pip.

But that wouldn't have suited Dickens' purposes for the plot, so the more realistic ending was avoided.

That said, the book was still great.I couldn't put it down.Kudos to Dickens!And to hell with my high school teacher for nearly ruining my regard for this great writer.

a masterpiece
All that can be expected from great English classic is here.This is arguably the best piece written by Dickens

a true classic, but a bit wordy
Witty, clever, and full of great characters and images.Laughed out loud a number of times. The plot was compelling and kept my interest, though at some point things began to bog down a bit.The chatty, meandering prose put me off at times.I thought I read Dickens was paid by the word for some novels, and I did get the sense that GE would have worked better as a shorter novel.Still, an enjoyable read.

Keep a dictionary handy to deal with some of the antiquated and/or vernacular language.

Good
The package arrived on time and was what was expected. The package did ship from Britain which caught my grandma's fancy.

Redemptive Themes are Always Among my Favorites in Books
Pip, the main character in Charles Dickens's Great Expectations, writes the story in first person as a middle aged man looking back on his life. Pip's parents die when he is young making him an orphan.Pip is "brought up by hand" by his sister, who treats him with scorn. His sister's lack of love, however, is tempered by her husband Joe, a blacksmith. Joe is a simple, uneducated man and Pip's only "friend" during childhood. Pip commiserates with Joe about his sister's verbal thrashings, trying to make the best of his unhappy upbringing.

Early in the story, Pip has an encounter with a convict in the cemetery among the marshes near his home. Unbeknownst to him, this man would be the source for his "Great Expectations" later in life.
One day Pip is invited to the home of Ms. Havisham. Ms. Havisham is a single, eccentric, old woman who stopped living in the real world many years earlier when she was spurned by her lover on her wedding day.
Ms. Havisham has adopted the beautiful Estella, and from the moment Pip meets her, he is infatuated with her beauty.Estella represents wealth, education, success, and opportunity--things Pip values but thinks he will never have.
Dissatisfaction within himself grows as he wants to be more in life than a partner with Joe in the forge. Pip becomes unhappy not only with himself, but also with Joe, who represents what he does not want to be--uneducated and simple. Failing to appreciate Joe's moral character, Pip's world view begins to change as he sees education as something to be attained--the sure way out of his wretched life and the means by which he could woo the object of his unmerited affections, Estella.

Pip's life changes dramatically when he is visited by a well respected and fiercely admired lawyer, Mr.Jaggers, who brings him an unusual message. Mr. Jaggers tells Pip he is to receive "Great Expectations," but the benefactor is to remain anonymous until and only if they choose to reveal their identity. Pip mistakenly assumes the benefactor is Ms. Havisham, and the manipulating, self serving woman does nothing to dissuade him from his incorrect assumptions.
The story takes Pip to London where he lives a life of excess and discards many virtues from his childhood. He no longer wants anything to do with Joe and believes his future course has been immutably set--that he is to marry the beautiful Estella. He shares his indulgences with his new friend, Herbert, whose acquaintance he had made years earlier at Ms. Havisham's place. The two of them rack up excessive debt as Pip sees himself as "a man in waiting" for all his fortunes to come to pass.

Things are not what they seem, however. It is eventually revealed that the benefactor is not Ms. Havisham but the convict, Mr. Magwitch, whom Pip had met in the cemetery many years earlier when he was a young, impressionable boy.
Pip is confronted face to face with the despised convict, hounded by the remembrances of him torturing him in the cemetery, dreams that lingered, causing him much consternation. But now he has to accept the undeniable truth that his turn of fortune is not because of Ms. Havisham's provision, but the despicable convict's desire to make him a gentleman. The convict wants his life to be redeemed for something good and chooses Pip to be that vehicle.
Through a series of events, Pip acknowledges the inexcusable way he has treated Joe and wants to make amends. Before he can accomplish this, however, other happenings complicate his life. The convict, now in England, needs Pip's protection. Pip must make a way for Magwitch to leave England without being discovered.

While Pip hides him with a trusted friend, Pip comes to realize that the convict he had earlier despised has more redemptive qualities than Pip has within himself. As he makes provision for the convict's escape, Pip sees Magwitch change for the better, and in so doing, Pip also changes. Instead of hating the convict, Pip grows to love him. The self centeredness of Pip's indulgences is replaced with care, not only for the convict, but in growing degrees, for others.
In the process of trying to escape, the convict is attacked by his long-time archrival and enemy. As a result, Magwitch is severely injured, discovered by the authorities, put on trial and convicted, but dies from his injuries before his death sentence can be carried out. Magwitch's estate is turned over to the authorities to make restitution for past wrongs. Pip is left penniless and obligingly accepts that his Great Expectations and source of income have dissipated into nothing. Meanwhile, Estella marries someone else--a man whom Pip despises.

A few years earlier, Pip had secretly made arrangements for his friend Herbert to have a small expectation out of his "Great Expectations," amounting to a sizable sum of money. When it becomes known to Pip that he will lose his "Great Expectations" to the authorities, his only thought is for his friend. Pip returns to visit Ms. Havisham and requests, in a show of repentance for the wrongs she had done to him, a sum of money that Pip could again secretly provide to Herbert.
Herbert wisely uses this money to successfully buy into a business venture. He later marries and moves overseas in his business pursuits--none of which would have been possible without Pip's anonymous provision to Herbert.
Pip credits this as the only redeeming thing he has accomplished, reflecting on all the other things he did or didn't do that could have been used for good.

Pip falls ill following the death of his convict friend, Magwitch, and Joe comes to England to care for him until he is well. Joe surreptitiously leaves early one morning when Pip is sufficiently recovered, and when Pip wakes up, he discovers Joe has paid off all his creditors. Pip immediately returns home in penitence to confess to Joe all his past wrongs, realizing that Joe is a better man than he. He recognizes in his now humble state that his "Great Expectations" deceived him into using it as a source of pride against Joe.

Upon arriving home, Pip's expectations are not what he envisioned. His sister who raised him by hand has long since died as a result of an attack on her by the evil Orlick. His childhood friend and confidant, Biddy, has just married Joe. In the end, redemption works its way for good. Joe and Biddy are happily married and the sore memories of Pip's sister are forgotten.
Pip returns to London and within a month, leaves England and joins Herbert's firm, Clarriker and Company, overseas. Pip lives abroad with Herbert and his wife, and after successfully making partner, eleven years later, returns to his boyhood home in England. He discovers Joe and Biddy now have a son who reminds him of himself.
Before bidding Joe and Biddy a final farewell, Pip makes one last trip to the Havisham place, the old woman having died many years earlier. Pip discovers Estella in the garden, a chance meeting since she no longer lives there. The old house and brewery have been torn down and sold off except for the garden enclosed by the ivy covered wall.
Years of a stormy, failed marriage have softened Estella's vindictive, prideful nature, and she confesses that "suffering has been stronger than all other teaching and has taught me to understand what your heart used to be."
The reader is left to ponder whether Pip and Estella ever marry because Pip says, "I saw no parting from her."

In the end, Pip learns much about what matters--wisdom he would not have possessed if he had stayed working at Joe's forge. As a middle aged narrator looking back, there is sadness but sweetness about what he has lost because of what he has gained. Perhaps the reader is the real winner, having seen redemption on so many levels within each character. In the end, if we are honest, we can identify these shortcomings in ourselves. If Pip can work out his "Great Expectations" to bring redemption, perhaps we can, also--that is, again, if we are honest.Our sinful nature will always be there, but if we look for good, God will not disappoint us. Maybe "Great Expectations" will not only find us, but redemption will be there, too, just as it was in Pip.

Lorilyn Roberts
Children of Dreams andThe Donkey and the King ... Read more

Product Description
The Letters of Charles Dickens - Vol. 2, 1857-1870 is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by Charles Dickens is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of Charles Dickens then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

Product Description
Fully entitled "Barnaby Rudge: A Tale of the Riots of 'Eighty," this novel was Dickens' first attempt at a historical novel. As such, it is the precursor to his more famous "A Tale of Two Cities," in which his exploration of mob violence, and especially the effect of public events on individual lives, becomes apparent. This work centers on Barnaby Rudge, a mentally simple son, and his loving mother, who are a part of the small village of Epping Forest, just outside of London. This community displays both ties of enmity and love between its members, but all is threatened when the misguided Lord George Gordon arrives in the village with his followers. Their lives are disrupted and caught up in riots that incite destruction in London. This tangle of events leads to misunderstandings that wrongly sentence Barnaby to mount the scaffold. The climactic conclusion of the novel attests to Dickens' early skill as a writer and makes "Barnaby Rudge" a worthy part of his body of works. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (28)

Absorbing and Still Politically Relevant
I had read most of the Dickens novels, some more than once, but I'd always overlooked Barnaby Rudge. When I finally read it I was amazed it had taken me so long. It turned out to be a lot more fun than I expected from the blurb on the book.

Like all Dickens' novels, the characters are drawn to show the nature of human beings, and he does it so well, the characters could be set in modern day and the story would still work. We see the shifty lecherous rogue who covets the beautiful young lady, the dedicated hangman, and the patriotic family man. We see troubled family relationships: mother and son, father and daughter, and father and son. Most important of all, we see the title character, a golden-hearted idiot whose simple-minded exuberance makes him a ready-made pawn for the devious and evil manipulators who stand to profit from division and resentment between Catholics and Protestants.

Perhaps the most timeless thing about this novel is the willful manufacturing of resentment between the two primary social political groups of the time. You could simply replace the terms Catholic and Protestant with Liberal and Conservative and you'd be telling our modern story. Turn on the nightly news and you will see a modern-day Barnaby Rudge there enthusiastically reciting the talking points of some divisive talk-show host, all the while completely oblivious that he is but a pawn dutifully serving a sinister master. I'm glad I waited until now to read this tale of Dickens because it's such a timely reminder of human impulse toward the mob mentality.

Barnaby Rudge is an ever present reminder that if we lose our ability to think to think critically, we our own identity and our values will be consumed to serve the desires of someone else.

Boundless Profundity
The Raven dialog drives this novel.I specifically enjoyed the nibbling, figurative and literal, upon Barnaby's shoulder.A delicious pile of words.

One of his lesser works, I'm told
I've never read Charles Dickens before, outside of having read "A Christmas Carol" in school. I decided, a year or so ago, to read some Dickens and see what I thought. This book wouldn't have hooked me, but I'd already read enough stuff to know that this isn't his best. Though it wasn't that good, there were elements of it that were interesting, and that kept me going long enough that I finished it.

Barnaby Rudge is a simple man with a talking crow. His mother looks after him. He lives in a world full of people who are more or less friends, or at least acquaintances. Among these are a tavern keeper and his son, a locksmith and his wife and daughter, the locksmith's apprentice, and the locksmith's maid. The book spends several hundred pages on exposition of these characters, with you getting to know more and more about them as the story progresses. The interplay of the characters, with the author interweaving so many plotlines, is apparently a trademark of Dickens, and he puts it on display here, using it for all it's worth. At about the halfway point of the book the plot begins to form, as one of the secondary characters, a British nobleman named Gordon, decides to foment anti-Catholic sentiment because it will bring him political prominence. Of course riots will result, of course people will be killed, and of course Gordon thinks nothing of this, because he's advancing his political career at the same time. Barnaby and the other central characters in the book are caught up in the riots, and their aftermath, and that forms the main plot of the story.

I generally enjoyed this book, but I thought the exposition too long (by modern standards anyway) the plot itself too wordy, and the ending I'm afraid was predictable. What saves the book is the characters. On that logic alone I might recommend it.

Dickens talent lives on
I began to read Charles Dickens when I was in my teen years.There is very few authors with such incite in to human character, and the ability to paint a scene that puts our current crop of authors to shame.The present day secular media from film, and books can never compete with a genius for the true art of literature.There are some authors today that might present a popular novel but they usually fall flat and unfulfilling once the book is read.There are always a few whose talent trancend politics, sensuality, and sensationalism.When you get tired of popularism Dickens is the author that fills your mind with memorable scenes and characters who go beyond the present politically correct novel.Dickens brings to life the morality, nobleness, and virtues that an author who lives beyond his century passes on.This novel is one of those that will be one that you will read again, maybe even more than a couple of times. G.K. Chesterton wrote the most profound and honest critisms of Dickens works.I suggest reading Chesterton for incite into Dickens.Barnaby Rudge could be a good start for a reading habit of honestly absorbing and entertaining literature.Put Patterson or Clancy aside and learn to enjoy the talent that will out live both of them.

Important Dickens work for today
This year, 2010, the Riverside, CA Dicken's Festival has selected Barnaby Rudge as its featured work for its weekend-long presentation. In my view, nothing could be more timely.
Most people have not read this book which was never as popular as some of Dickens' other novels, such as Oliver Twist or David Copperfield.However, this historical novel of a tragic period in English history of the late 18th century, was early on a project Dickens wanted to present.Work on it predated his widely popular Pickwick Papers, on a much more serious subject.
It was the religious riots of 1780, precipitated by an unstable member of the House of Lords, Lord George Gordon, who wanted to suppress catholicism, even among members of his own monied class.The cause of "No Popery" was taken up by mob rule which resulted in a horrendous amount of death and loss of property among all the people of London, including the burning of Newgate prison, Bedlam, the hospital for the insane, and many houses of rich and poor alike.
As in all Dickens books, there is a cause that the author wants to present and explore.And this one seems to be an analysis of how mob rule occurs and how people who have little factual information destroy and disrupt both the rule of law and the faculty of common sense.If this were only a historical condition, the novel might be of interest.But, we can easily see how today around the world, the incitement of a few with dubious motives can destroy and disorient the lives of the many.Find a discussion group and read it together! ... Read more

Product Description
Reason, Facts, and statistics...

Dickens’ scathing portrait of Victorian industrial society and its misapplied utilitarian philosophy, Hard Timesfeatures schoolmaster Thomas Gradgrind, one of his most richly dimensional, memorable characters. Filled with the details and wonders of small-town life, it is also a daring novel of ideas—and ultimately, a celebration of love, hope, and limitless possibilities of the imagination. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (76)

Moving
The book itself is nicely down by Everyman's Library, a nice attractive volume. As for the story...a classic of course, on the plight of the poor, industrialism, etc., in England.Great charatcters.

So-so
I totally didn't get this book. Ordinarily I like Dickens but now I simply couldn't figure out what each event had to do with each other, nor did I understand the end. However the single segments, especially those with Louisa in them, were interesting. It is even funny reading the beginning of the book when Mr. Gradgrind teaches that imagination is useless and only facts are important. If you want a fluid book that is more this type of story,read Great Expectations,which is not my favorite book but it certainly makes more sense. Personally, my favorite Dickens is Oliver Twist.

Hard Times
Book was in excellent condition and service was excellent. It's not the seller's fault that the book is boring.

Outstanding Audio Book
This review is for the audio book narrated by Martin Jarvis.This is one of the better audio books I've listened to in a while from the perspective of the narrator doing excellent voice characterizations.Jarvis was able to make each character sound distinct and they each sounded just like I would have imagined.Bounderby was thunderous, Tom Gradgrind sounded like a whelp, and Blackpool sounded meek and humble.It made for an enjoyable listen that made it very easy to follow the characters.

I've always been a fan of Dickens and have read most of his books, but this was my first time through "Hard Times".As with most of Dickens novels, the characters are almost caricatures, but this method does a good job of pointing out human strengths and weaknesses.This is a short novel for Dickens, but still did a good job exploring the impact of what would happen if science is emphasized too much over emotional education.

He once again highlighted the problems with class distinctions in English society at that time.I like how his humble characters have more wisdom than those that are rich or of high social position.

I highly recommend this audio book as a great way to be introduced to Dicken's "Hard Times".

Zzzzzzz
I found Hard Times to be a particularly boring novel.I also purchased the matching audiobook which I listened to on a long drive.There should be a warning label!The darn thing puts you to sleep faster than listening to Stephen Hawking all day...anesthetized!Why not one star?I like Dickens, what can I say? ... Read more

Product Description
Charles Dickens’ beloved Christmas story is a perennial favorite, and now it comes alive in Robert Ingpen’s masterfully illustrated version. Re-creating the look and atmosphere of nineteenth-century London, Mr. Ingpen, winner of the Hans Christian Andersen Medal, produces some of the finest art of his career, and gives us an edition that is at once classic and timeless. Also included is a bonus Dickens story, “The Christmas Tree.” Here is a sumptuously designed book that will make the perfect Christmas gift. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

you know the story- but the illustrations make this edition
We all know the story of Dickens' Christmas Carol.I chose this edition because the description indicated that it had good illustrations.We weren't disappointed at all- the paper is nice, heavy, with a touch of cream in the color.The illustrations are all in full color, and found on just about every page.Finding the short story "The Christmas Tree"at the end of the book was a nice surprise too!Overall, an excellent addition to our Christmas library.

Dickens Book
This is a wonderful book. The drawings alone are worth the price of the book. Each drawing is beautifully done and follows along with the story. This is the unabrdged edition which I personally prefer; however, be aware that there will be an occassional paragraph with old English words and references that will be difficult to understanad unless you are an English scholar. These are infrequent and do not detract from the story - in fact, it adds charm and authenticity. Better than having some editor arbitrarily determining what you should read and what should be cut out. I believe the Amazon price for this book was $12.00 - an amazing bargain. Ingpen, the artist, has illustrated many other "childrens" books and we will be buying them. Highly recommended. Arrived quickly and in good condition.

Dicken's A Christmas Carol
This is truly a beautiful book. The illustrations are excellent with lots of detailed drawings. It was interesting also to read about Charles Dicken's. Most enjoyable!
Elizabeth A. Lovic Monroeville, PA ... Read more

Product Description

Charles Dickens's other Christmas classic, with a new introduction by Dickens's great-great-grandson, Gerald Charles Dickens.

Charles Dickens wrote The Life of Our Lord during the years 1846-1849, just about the time he was completing David Copperfield. In this charming, simple retelling of the life of Jesus Christ, adapted from the Gospel of St. Luke, Dickens hoped to teach his young children about religion and faith. Since he wrote it exclusively for his children, Dickens refused to allow publication.

For eighty-five years the manuscript was guarded as a precious family secret, and it was handed down from one relative to the next. When Dickens died in 1870, it was left to his sister-in-law, Georgina Hogarth. From there it fell to Dickens's son, Sir Henry Fielding Dickens, with the admonition that it should not be published while any child of Dickens lived.

Just before the 1933 holidays, Sir Henry, then the only living child of Dickens, died, leaving his father's manuscript to his wife and children. He also bequeathed to them the right to make the decision to publish The Life of Our Lord. By majority vote, Sir Henry's widow and children decided to publish the book in London. In 1934, Simon & Schuster published the first American edition, which became one of the year's biggest bestsellers.Amazon.com Review
Charles Dickens wrote The Life of Our Lord around thesame time he was finishing up David Copperfield,but to readers raised on a diet of Dickensian wit and indignation, hisrendering of Jesus' life may come as something of a surprise. Youwon't find even the shadow of a Micawber or a Mrs. Gamp anywhere inthis brief volume; no Pecksniffs, Podsnaps, or Mulberries,either. Instead, Dickens approaches his subject with simple reverence,retelling the New Testament in a manner suitable for his own youngchildren--who were, in fact, his only intended audience. Indeed, hestrictly forbade publication of The Life during his lifetimeand begged his sister to make sure that they "would never even handthe manuscript, or a copy of it, to anyone to take out of the house." It wasn't until the death of Dickens's last living son that themanuscript was finally published in 1934. Though he left his trademarkcomedy behind, Dickens's liberal social conscience is still evident inwhat he chooses to emphasize about Jesus: "My Dear Children," hebegins,

I am very anxious that you should know something about theHistory of Jesus Christ. For everybody ought to know about Him. No oneever lived who was so good, so kind, so gentle, and so sorry for allpeople who did wrong, or were in any way ill or miserable, as Hewas.

Customer Reviews (12)

Beautiful book!
My daughter really enjoyed reading this book.I started reading it to my two girls (8 and 3) and at the end, my now 9-year-old finished reading it on her own.Really nice way to introduce Bible stories into your child reading.

Great Book
This is a great book for children and even adults.It is written in simple language (non-Dickens).

Written so they understand
One of the greatest authors of our time, writing the greatest story of our time, so that children can read it and understand the greatest love and sacrifice of all time.

Excellent Testimonial from Charles Dickens
This is an excellent book for teaching children, ourselves, or anyone who wants to know about Christ in simple terms. My wife gave a copy to each of our married children.

NOT the Gospel!
I made the big mistake of borrowing this book from a friend at church, and starting to read it to my children.From page one, Dickens shows his hand as a liberal Christian of the moralist stripe.In reading three chapters, and scanning the rest of the book, I could find no indication that Dickens believed that Jesus was actually divine; literally the son of God.

Read the "Search Inside!" excerpt, and you can see for yourself.Page 18 (second page of the narrative) Dickens says "His father's name was Joseph, and His mother's name was Mary."No mention of the virgin birth, conception by the Holy Spirit, or any hint of divine genesis.At the bottom of the same page, the angels announce: "There is a child born to-day in the city of Bethlehem near here, who will grow up to be so good that God will love Him as His own Son."Over and over, Dickens throws out these creepy euphemisms that seem to avoid any assertion that Jesus is God incarnate.

I searched the end of the book, and could find no connection between the cross and forgiveness; although Dickens narrates the Passion and Resurrection, the closest (I could find) to an understanding of WHY, is that the Pharisees wanted to kill him because they were jealous of his following.

"Search Inside!" this book for "sin" (rest assured, there are very few occurrences), and you will get to the last page, where you will find this entirely unhelpful definition:

"Remember! -- It is Christianity TO DO GOOD always -- even to those who do evil to us.It is Christianity to love our neighbors as ourself, and to do to all men as we would have them do to us.It is Christianity to be gentle, merciful, and forgiving, and to keep those qualities quiet in our own hearts, and never make a boast of them, or of our prayers or of our love of God, but always to show that we love Him by humbly trying to do right in everything.If we do this, and remember the life and lessons of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and try to act up to them, we may confidently hope that God will forgive us our sins and mistakes, and enable us to live and die in peace."

In other words, Dickens' definition of Christianity is "If you try hard (enough), God will forgive you for your shortcomings."Check this out: the word "sin" appears 5 times in the whole book, three of which are simply quoting Jesus."The word "faith" appears a grand total of ZERO times!The only two occurrences that show up are from the Front Flap and Front Matter (i.e. not part of what Dickens himself wrote)!

I don't know how anybody could think they have defined Christianity without ever using the word "faith", but I'm pretty sure that any such attempt would be "another gospel", and it should be anathematized.

So if you don't believe that the co-eternal Son of God is the word made flesh; if you think it is silly to believe in conception by the Holy Spirit and the Virgin birth; if you don't want to focus on sin and redemption; if you just want your kids to think of Jesus as a good man, good teacher, and good example, then by all means buy this book.

But if you're a Christian, stay away. ... Read more

Product Description
When Arthur Clennam returns to England after many years abroad, he takes a kindly interest in Amy Dorrit, his mother’s seamstress, and in the affairs of Amy’s father, William Dorrit, a man of shabby grandeur, long imprisoned for debt in the Marshalsea. As Arthur soon discovers, the dark shadow of the prison stretches far beyond its walls to affect the lives of many, from the kindly Mr. Pancks, the reluctant rent-collector of Bleeding Heart Yard, and the tipsily garrulous Flora Finching, to Merdle, an unscrupulous financier, and the bureaucratic Barnacles in the Circumlocution Office. A masterly evocation of the state and psychology of imprisonment, Little Dorrit is one of the supreme works of Dickens’s maturity. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (37)

Comparison between the 2003, 2008, and 2009 book versions
Thia review will focus on the differences between the 2003 (Penguin ISBN: 978-0141439969), 2008 (BBC Books ISBN: 978-1846076008), and 2009 (Penguin ISBN: 978-0143115878) book versions of Little Dorrit that are the most recent versions of the novel.Many of the other reviewers have provided adequate summaries of the storyline of the novel so I will skip that in my review.The 2003 version is a revised edition of Penguin's 1998 version of the novel.It expanded on the supplementary material from the earlier version that were provided by Stephen Wall and Helen Small.When comparing the most recent three versions, the 2003 version is the most comprehensive. The 2008 version does not have any supplemental material (nor the H. K. Browne (Phiz) illustrations) other than an introduction by the 2008 Little Dorrit TV screenwriter, Andrew Davies.The 2009 version only has the Notes after the novel and all of the H. K. Browne (Phiz) illustrations (except for the very last illustration titled "The Third Volume of the Registers").

The 2003 version has the following that is missing from the later 2008 and 2009 versions.

A Dickens Chronologyvii
Introductionxi
Further Readingxxviii
A Note on the Textxxxiii
Appendix IThe Denouement of Little Dorritpage 861
Appendix IIThe Number Planspage 863
Appendix IIIThe Marshalseapage 906
Appendix IVMap of Londonpage 912
Appendix VRunning Headlines from the 1868 Charles Dickens Editionpage 914

The BBC Books 2008 version is also missing the H. K. Browne (Phiz) illustrations and Notes.The Penguin 2009 version is missing the very last H. K. Browne (Phiz) illustration in the final chapter (most likely an oversight by the publisher).With these differences, the obvious choice of many readers would be to select the version with the most material.However, there is one "warning" about the 2003 edition that may make the reading of that version less satisfying for someone new to the novel.Anyone who reads the Stephen Wall introduction of this version will know much of the storyline BEFORE you even begin reading the novel.This is one rare case where the introduction to the novel provides major "spoilers" about the plot.I was surprised when I read it and thought that it should have been located as an epilogue and not as an introduction.I thought that the most helpful of all of the supplemental material in this version was Appendix I.It provided an explanation of the past events before the beginning of the novel, so as to provide a more clearer picture of the entire story time line.Some viewers of the recent BBC/WGBH production of Little Dorrit were unclear about how the Dorrits and Clennams were tied to each other.Appendix I helped to "unravel" the confusion.

Here are my pros and cons of each edition.

2003 - Pros - lots of supplemental material, contains all Phiz illustrations;Cons - Introduction provides too many "spoilers"
Little Dorrit (Penguin Classics)

2008 - Pros - Commentary from Andrew Davies, the screenwriter for the TV version of Little Dorrit, cast of characters and their description list, attractive glossy cover, the companion edition to the BBC TV broadcast in the UK;Cons - missing all H. K. Browne (Phiz) illustrations and supplemental material
Little Dorrit

2009 - Pros - Attractive outer cover (feels more durable), no Introduction that could spoil it for readers, the companion edition to the PBS TV broadcast in the USA; Cons - missing nearly all of the supplemental material except for the Notes and also missing the very last H. K. Browne (Phiz) illustration.
Little Dorrit

Unfairly overlooked classic from Dickens, great story about what truly being "rich" is
It's easy to see why Charles Dickens would write a novel like Little Dorrit. His father spent fourteen years in the Marshalsea prison for debt and much like the lead character, Amy Dorrit, Charles spent time going to the prison to visit and care for his father. Like many Dickens novels, Little Dorrit explores poverty, wealth, society, and the separation of classes, but it has a darker feel to it than many of his other works. Of all his writings, I found the plot of Little Dorrit to be the most interesting and engaging, despite the novel's length.

The theme of imprisonment is at the forefront of Little Dorrit. There are the physical prisons in life, but there are also the prisons we create for ourselves. William Dorrit, Amy's father, is one character who experiences such a prison. Being enclosed in the walls of the Marshalsea is stifling to him; however, it isn't until he has newly found wealth and is released from the Marshalsea that he experiences true imprisonment. Blinded by ambition to be thought of a highly genteel and respectable, he goes to such lengths to prove that he isn't "common" that he loses sight of what is important. Wealth and freedom have such a debilitating effect on Mr. Dorrit that he not only loses touch with old friends at the Marshalsea (Arthur Clennam, John Chivery), but also familial bonding (he doesn't want Amy to care for him, or speak of old times at the Marshalsea). William Dorrit creates a façade of his identity, forgets his past, and this leads to his delusion. Mrs. Clennam, Arthur's mother, is another character who has a physical confinement within the walls of the house of Clennam, but also refuses to divulge to Arthur any information about family secrets, thereby distancing herself from the one person who wants to help her.

The concept of wealth is also investigated, but the line between wealth and poverty is eschewed, not always being as obvious as one would expect. Physical wealth and money have detrimental effects,often leading to character's downfalls (Merdle, William Dorrit, Fanny Dorrit, and Rigaud). Characters who are in debt aren't necessarily "poor"; Amy Dorrit and Arthur Clennam, the protagonists, are clear examples of spiritual wealth being vastly superior to monetary gain, as they are happier when all is lost financially.

Dickens brings in an assortment of odd, eccentric characters from various stations in life and with a variety of personalities. Here is a brief description of some of the more interesting ones:
--Amy Dorrit, the "child of the Marshalsea" who cares for her father and is not affected by the family's new found wealth, forms a bond with Arthur
--Arthur Clennam, emerges as the main protagonist, selfless and caring to the Dorrit family, wants to discover the secrets behind the House of Clennam
--Mrs. Clennam, Arthur's mother, cold, icy personality, reclusive, hides family secret
--William Dorrit, Amy's father,"tragic hero", cannot shut out his sense of entitlement to being part of "upper class and elite"
--Mr. Panks, debt collector and probably the most humorous character in novel, helps Arthur on his quest to find the truth behind the Dorrits, the Clennams, and the villain Rigaud
-- Rigaud, villain, liar, thief, murderer, tries to blackmail Mrs. Clennam in order to get a sum of money
--Mrs. General, a so-called expert on "Society", who is as delusional as Mr. Dorrit
--Mr. Merdle, highly regarded member of Society whose apparent wealth and power literally control the fates and wealth of many.

Little Dorrit, while it takes awhile to get into, is one of the more rewarding novels I've read. The plot, though quite intricate and complex, was highly entertaining and worked well with the serial format Dickens uses. Although much of the novel deals with death, poverty and prisons, Dickens as usual finds a way to add some comic relief, and ultimately this is an uplifting story with morals about what being "rich" is. Some readers may be put off by the vast amount of characters, the several subplots, and the lengthy descriptions of the Circumlocution Office (you could probably skip these), but, if you can get to the plot at hand, it is a fun read. Little Dorrit doesn't get the fanfare that other novels like Great Expectations, A Tale of Two Cities, Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, or A Christmas Carol get, but it probably should. Now, with the new adaptation of this classic out on DVD, perhaps this novel will get its due.

Highly recommended!

Madoff anticipated!
Why read "Little Dorrit"? After all, there is a fine BBC series that tells the tale pretty well. And it's a lengthy novel, one that will quickly demand, in a pleasurable way, your time and attention. I know this well. I came to the novel via insomnia---that is, I began to read it on an iPhone (conveniently backlit) at that silent 2 a.m. hour when I sometimes read for a while. "Little Dorrit" turned out to be not so good for insomnia, however, as it quickly became too interesting. The next thing I knew, I was reading in the daylight, on a Kindle, and by the time I was done, I wished I had had a print copy with notes, the better to follow up on a few obscure references.

Where had this novel been all my life? It wasn't on the reading list of the Dickens seminar I took way back in grad school. Maybe it was waiting for the financial crises of 2008-09 and, in particular, the Madoff scandal, since that's what it's all about, circa mid-19th century. The only difference is that in "Little Dorrit" the villain is named Merdle. Otherwise it is all the same. The victims, as they were for Madoff, are often sensible, sober types, like the protagonist, Arthur Clennam.There are investments too good to be resisted,the idolization of the wizard who produces them, and, inevtitably,the crash.

What struck me in particular about this novel is the way the desire for social status is portrayed as a disease, infecting even the most likeable characters, like Mr. and Mrs. Meagles, who see the faults of their superior (socially) but worthless son-in-law and yet are still blinded by the glory of his relatives. It infects Mr. Dorrit and two of his three children, despite their residence in the Marshalsea prison for debtors, and condemns Fanny, the younger daughter, to a life of psychological warfare against her socially superior mother-in-law, Mrs. Merdle (aka The Bosom). In another lifetime, characters like these would be driving giant SUV's emblazoned with the colleges attended by the owners' offspring. Social striving and social envy are, in "Little Dorrit," so pervasive and irresistible that only an extraordinary person like Amy Dorritis immune. Another recurrent image in "Little Dorrit"of the pursuit of social status is that of a prison (the novel is full of them) from which only a very few have the freedom to exit the gates.

Dickens's satire of government bureaucracy (the Circumlocution Office) run by whole families of the Tite Barnacle clan is also wonderful, although one would have to say that the idea in "Little Dorrit" of agencies dedicated to "How Not To Do It" has been replaced, in our age, by corporations whose computerized phone menus are devoted to the same thing. The various Barnacle functionaries do sound amazingly like the do-nothing voice that intones, "Your call is important to us....".

Read "Little Dorrit."It's astonishingly how little has changed.
M. Feldman

a gem of 19th century literature
Oh, so that's why everyone loves Dickens! The best book I've read since Jane Austen; the best book of the year not in the least because it took me a quarter of the year to read it. A book of extraordinary, beautiful, hilarious prose that I want to roll in. A book with a genius eye for human psychology and character with its huge and brilliant cast of the most hateful and the most loveable of characters (and everyone in-between). A book of sociological commentary that rings truth to this day with its commentary on the haves and have-nots, on the meaning of society and wealth and bureaucracy, on sin and righteousness, on debt and prison and the meaning of freedom. A book of entertaining humor and mystery and drama and romance all rolled into one. A book that has completely reversed my opinion of Charlie Dickens and has turned me in a devotee. An absolute gem of 19th century literature. Grade: A+

Excellent but not as good as Bleak House
This is a great novel simply teeming with wonderful characthers and institutions fromm Clennam, a decent bloke, William Dorrit, a man who regards himself as immensely distinguished, Henry Gowan, an upper-class lay-about with little or no talent, Edmund Sparkler, a dozy upper class brainless twit who reminds one of PG Wodehouse's Gussy Finknottle. Little Dorrit herself, a lady of beautiful and loving temperament, Flora, the boozy former love of Clennam whose sentences are incomprehensible, Mr Merdle, the financier who reminds one of the key characthers in Trollope's "The Way we live now", itself a splendid novel. And, the institutions, the circumlocution office, perhaps a forerunner of the department of administrative affairs in BBC's "yes minister", the Prison, which has a place as important as the key characthers. And with all great novels, when one comes to finish, one's heart aches - the characthers have become almost friends, their lives have become our cares. Yes, a wonderful novel rich in humour and rich in understanding of the immutability of human nature. Now, one crticisim is that it could be said that the novel was one of 2 halves, the first being superior to the second, but that would be to quibble. Personally, I have a preference for "Bleak House", it was somewhat darker and the ending was somewhat contrived - the way the two halves of the novel were brought together with the denoument involving Rigaud. ... Read more

Product Description

THIS ENRICHED CLASSIC EDITION INCLUDES:

• A concise introduction that gives the reader important background information

• A chronology of the author's life and work

• A timeline of significant events that provides the book¼s historical context

• An outline of key themes and plot points to guide the reader's own interpretations

• Detailed explanatory notes

• Critical analysis, including contemporary and modern perspectives on the work

• Discussion questions to promote lively classroom and book group interaction

• A list of recommended related books and films to broaden the reader¼s experience

Customer Reviews (2)

Great Classic
This is a great classic that everyone should read.I won't say to much to give away everything the book has to offer.Highly recommended to read to get the classic review of great classical writings.

MY FAVORITE CLASSICAL AUTHOR
I really enjoyed this story and the standard paperback format of ENRICHED CLASSICS made it an excellent take along book that was light enough to be read comfortably while lying in bed.
Mr. Dickens has been accused of creating unrealistic and idealized cheracters, and in my opinion he does, yet he remains my favorite classical author.His books are rich in social commentary and he uses these idealized cheracters masterfully to illustrate his point.
Lets face facts if I wanted reality I would read the newspaper. ... Read more

Product Description

THIS ENRICHED CLASSIC EDITION INCLUDES:

• A concise introduction that gives the reader important background information

• A chronology of the author's life and work

• A timeline of significant events that provides the book's historical context

• An outline of key themes and plot points to guide the reader's own interpretations

• Detailed explanatory notes

• Critical analysis, including contemporary and modern perspectives on the work

• Discussion questions to promote lively classroom and book group interaction

• A list of recommended related books and films to broaden the reader's experience ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Essential Dickens
Hard Times is unique in Charles Dickens' vast canon - a compact, concise novel from a writer known for epic, sweeping ones and a thoroughly serious, highly didactic work from an author known for light-hearted, sentimental ones. It was an immediate bestseller and has always been widely read, but its differences have long meant that Hard has not been as widely popular as his more famous works. Conversely, some who are usually hard on Dickens - notably F. R. Leavis - think it his best, or even his only truly great, work. I think it is somewhere between - well below Dickens' best but not with his least significant work. Opinions will surely continue to vary widely, and all must make their own decision.

Though sometimes unfairly criticized as lightweight, all Dickens' novels are sociopolitically conscious - a trait that became ever more pronounced. This mid-career work was his first overtly sociopolitical novel, and he never again made such an obvious attempt - or, according to many, such a successful one. It has two main targets:the extremes of capitalism and utilitarianism. Hard was written when the Industrial Revolution was in full swing; factories were spreading swiftly, beginning to dominate skylines and having an environmental effect. More noticeably and immediately, they were starting to monopolize the economy; the poor had come almost to depend on them. This gave them (just barely) enough to get by, but their lives were otherwise wretched:dirty, cramped, and in every other way meager. Hard's fictional Coketown is a highly accurate, vividly detailed version of the industrial cities that had come to have a strong presence. They were in one way impressive - clear proof of advancing technology. However, they were also an eyesore and had an adverse effect on many areas of society. Dickens memorably shows what made them so horrid - the dirt, stink, and other viscerally putrid factors plus the more important human elements. This last comes mostly via his usual set of highly memorable, fully sympathetic characters. Hard unflinchingly depicts the truly miserable working conditions of the era's laborers, and Dickens paints their plight so engagingly, emotionally, and thought-provokingly that we feel with and for them. Behind all this are of course greedy capitalists who cynically fed off such wretches without caring for their condition and the corrupt, apathetic politicians who let them. Dickens does not focus on them directly, doubtless because it would draw less sympathy from the average reader, but the perceptive can sense their presence. We also see how the poor lived outside work and get a ghastly overall glimpse of mid-nineteenth century England's seedy lower class life. As all this suggests, Dickens essentially laments the same miseries as Marx - though of course with a far different emphasis and endgame.

Utilitarianism was a popular philosophical antidote, but Dickens thought it hardly better than the problem. Hard is arguably misleading, or even unfair, in that it focuses only on the system's most utterly extreme manifestations; one might even call it a caricature. However, the aspects it viciously satirizes did exist. Dickens deals mostly with educational implications. The incredibly daunting educational regimen forced on the book's children seems near-unbelievable but is actually a reduced - yes, reduced - version of that inflicted on Utilitarian John Stuart Mill. Dickens knows that proponents of such things had good intentions, satirizing them relatively lightly in the book's only real comic segments, but shows their effects on children to be disastrous. High-minded as such utilitarians may have been, they were absurdly impractical, robbing children of childhood without even knowing it and arguably teaching them fewer real skills than more conventional methods could have if correctly applied.

It is to Dickens' credit that he does all this without heavy-handedness. His points come across quite forcefully; he powerfully tugs at our hearts and minds, and his super-popular works may have even had a hand in reform. Yet he never loses sight of the story, which is engaging and relatively fast-paced, full of suspense and twists. As always with Dickens, the book is highly emotional, and the characters are strong. Even those not keen on the unconventional elements will appreciate these traditional strengths.

All told, Hard is recommended more for those not usually fond of Dickens than for fans, though the latter should also read it. They may not like it as much as they will expect, but Dickens was such a strong writer that everything he wrote can be enjoyed and appreciated; whatever else we think of Hard Times, it is certainly not hard reading.

Hons and Rebs
The delivery took much longer than necessary.I found 2 weeks for delivery unacceptable.The book arrived in acceptable condition, but clearly old and used.

CERTAINLY ONE OF MY FAVORITES.There have been so many readings, this one is like an old friend.
Arguably, Dickens could be classified as the greatest of all English speaking novelists...of all times.There are very few writers that can offer his consistency, novel after novel, story after story.Yes, many have written works that perhaps equal any of his given works, but few if any have been able to turn out such a volume of pure quality.Very, very few authors have had such a large portion of their work pass the test of time.Dickens gains new readers year in and year out and there is a reason for this!

Over the past 50 or so years I have heard this particular work referred to as "not Dickens' best," and "A minor work by Dickens," and other comments along those lines. I am really not in a position, nor do I have the ability to proclaim or rank this author's work one way or the other.Dickens for me is like any other author...I either like it or I do not like it; it either is a joy to read or it is not.Now I have read this short novel at least five times over the years and listen to several versions on CD and Tape.The best, minor Dickens' work, timeless classic, not pertinent in today's world, a mere political rant?Well I don't know.I do know that it is one of my favorites and do look forwarded to reading it again down the road.I am one of those horrid and probably misguided individuals who sort of make their own mind up about anything I read, and more or less ignore the pontifications of those that are suppose to know about such things.All that being said though, I cannot look you in the eye and state that I have ever read one story; one word by this author that I did not enjoy right down to the tip of my toes. He delights me.

The setting of course is in Victorian England and the Industrial Revolution is in full tilt.Make no mistake; Dickens makes no pretenses of not being of the extreme left ilk...a good little Socialist through and through.This work, like many others make his feeling well known.Like much of his work, there is no in-between here.The characters portrayed here are either very, very evil or they are very, very good.The author handles social situations in much the same way he handles his characters in this work.All are exaggerated to a certain extent, all are black and white and there is little middle ground to be found.The Capitalists are truly pigs and the working classes, the proletariat, are all Saint like creatures.For what the author is attempting here, this is quite appropriate.

Now let it be know right here that I have spent a lifetime trying my best of completely ignore the effete yammering from the left and the bellicose braying from the right in all matters.I am one of those creatures who simply do not care and more or less chose my own road.I read this story and others like it, for the sheer joy of soaking in the written words of a maters story teller. While the political and social message here is not lost on me, I simply choose to ignore it.That is just me though and it certainly makes me feel nothing less of those that take the political message and run with, or reject it... more power to them.

As with all of his other work, Dickens has created some unforgettable, if exaggerated characters in this work; my favorite Gradgrind (who, I must admit, sort of reminding me of my own father), his children Tom and Louisa, the young girl Grangrind has taken to raise, Sissy Jupe and of course the completely obnoxious cad Bounderby.Even the location; the city of Coketown is more like a character than a place displaying many of the characteristics of a human, rather than that of a town or village.Dickens is able todescribe these people and places in such a way that they become close friends...even the evil ones, soon after they are introduced....well, maybe not friends, but certainly people you know and will want to revisit from time to time at the very least.

The term "hard times," while a good title for this work is a bit misleading in a way, as there is plenty of humor injected throughout the book.Seldom does a chapter pass that I find myself not chuckling over the bits of ironic humor and scathing satire the author inserts here and there.The opening tirade of Bounderby is an absolute hoot even to this day, as it certainly was at the time it was written.

And the plot!While it is simple at first glance in this work, there is never-the -less many little side plots going constantly, with personalities created an thrown in here and there to add flavor and spice to the overall story.The author skillfully blends these side paths he takes us upon and before the end of the story, brings us back to the main road.I like this!In many ways simple; in many ways so complex.I suppose the reader will find what they want.

As with all of Dickens' work, the reader must at all times keep in mind when, where and why it was written.Time and place are quite important in the understanding of this particular author and to not consider these things, much will be lost to the modern mind.

Highly recommend this one and I hope it brings others the same reading joy it has brought to be over the years.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks

Hard Times, easy, rewarding read.
Over decades since college I've read and re-read my way through Dickens' masterworks while unnecessarily slighting "Hard Times." I enjoyed it at least as much as any of his pointedly social commentaries and much more than some ("Bleak House," for example). Dickens' fans know what to expect - when a character is good, their virtue is saintly, and when they are bad, they are horrid. Each reaches their apotheosis, damnation, or belated enlightenment, as their character deserves, making this a deliciously brisk Dickens read and perfect literary snack. There's nothing difficult about "Hard Times," which makes it a delight.

The despatch of 'Hard Times' byCharles Dickens
Thank you very muchindeed for your excellent service - I received the novel within only a few days of my order.

Bruce Berry (Dr.) ... Read more

Product Description
"The Cricket on the Hearth" is Charles Dickens 1845 novella, which marks the third of five Christmas books written by the author between 1843 and 1847. It is the story of John Peerybingle and his family who are visited by a guardian angel in the form of a cricket who is constantly chirping on their hearth. A delightfully fantastic story, "The Cricket on the Hearth" was the best-selling of Dickens five Christmas books and is a perfect little tale for the Christmas holiday season. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Odd size
You can't beat Charles Dickens, and The Cricket on the Hearth is a great story. The book is surprisingly large and has a strangely homemade look to it. That adds to its charm.

Must have right mind set...
When reading this book, you've I think you got to have the right mind set.Dickens' A Christmas Carol was one of those literary miracles that rarely happen.And these stories should not be judged by A Crhistmas Carol.If you can adopt that mind set (which I had to do) you will find these stories enjoyable and even inspiring.

I think one thing that comes across in all of Dickens' writing is that he sincerely loved his fellow beings--and it shows in his stories.

Also recommended: Christmas Gifts, Christmas Voices--my new favorite Christmas story.

Useless format
A Dickens Christmas story is meant to be read in front of the fire with children gathered 'round. As configured in this particular ebook format you cannot do anything but sit in front of your screen and read ninety pages of nineteenth century prose. Not useful at all! This ebook would be far more usefull if, for example, you could copy or print it onto holiday paper. Since this story is in the public domain, blocking those options in this ebook is silly.

Yuck!
When Dickens was good, he was very very good.When he was bad, he was wordy and sappy and boring.Did you ever wonder why you never heard of the three stories in this book?Because they're so unremarkable!The title story is the best; i.e. it's the only one that's even readable.Do yourself a favor, don't read this book ... Read more

Product Description

For every frustrated reader of the great nineteenth-century English novels of Austen, Trollope, Dickens, or the Brontës who has ever wondered whether a duke outranked an earl, when to yell "Tally Ho!" at a fox hunt, or how one landed in "debtor's prison," here is a "delightful reader's companion that lights up the literary dark" (The New York Times).

This fascinating, lively guide clarifies the sometimes bizarre maze of rules, regulations, and customs that governed everyday life in Victorian England. Author Daniel Pool provides countless intriguing details (did you know that the "plums" in Christmas plum pudding were actually raisins?) on the Church of England, sex, Parliament, dinner parties, country house visiting, and a host of other aspects of nineteenth-century English life -- both "upstairs" and "downstairs."

An illuminating glossary gives at a glance the meaning and significance of terms ranging from "ague" to "wainscoting," the specifics of the currency system, and a lively host of other details and curiosities of the day. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (77)

Great background reference
I have been reading novels set in Victorian England and had been puzzled by some of the references and words peculiar to that age.This book was essential to my understanding of the society mores, taboos, and rules.It greatly enhanced my enjoyment of the books of Anne Perry.Reading this reference was enjoyable, and the glossary was the biggest help when reading the Anne Perry novels.Well worth the price.

Outstanding 130 page glossary makes this a worthwhile purchase, main reading text just average
What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew
One of my favorite authors is Jane Austen (especially Pride and Prejudice and Northanger Abbey).I also enjoy North and South by Elizabeth Gaskins, and several other novels set in (and written in) the 1800s.Of course, much that the 19th-century British author shares of life in that time and place is mentioned very matter-of-factly and without much explanation, as their readers wouldn't have needed it. But, often the modern reader misses nuances, and the reading experience is richer if they can understand these details better, thus, my interest in this book.

On the whole, this book gives a good overview of many facets of life in 19th-century England, while maintaining a conversational style and sharing quotes and examples from many novels of the day.There are explanations on a wide array of topics from British currency to social status to debt to occupations to transportation to clothing, etc; these are relatively brief but, in general,decent overviews.

There were some topics that I felt were covered rather inadequately.British monarchs during this time merited only 1/4 page, which allowed only a mere listing of the dates of their reign, and the sharing of the brief fact that George III was insane for his last 10 years and his son served as prince regent.I thought that there should have been at least a 1-paragraph overview of each ruler.The clothing section had some nice information, but almost all in written form.Additional sketches (there is only one of a crinoline) would have helped to make this subject matter clearly, especially for those who are more visual.

For those who do enjoy 19th-century novels, the main part of the book is good to sit down and read sometime to give a broader overview.The portion of the book likely to be most useful while reading is the glossary.It is a whopping 135 pages with almost any term the reader may be unfamiliar with and a brief explanation.A few examples:

"armoire--A big clothes cupboard that was either freestanding or set into the wall."

"crush hat--So called because that was what one could do to it.Also called an opera hat or Gibus.There were springs inside so that when one wore it to the opera one could remove it and fold it up flat."

"housewife (pronounced "huzzif")--A small case for carrying around little clothes-mending items like needles and thread.Sometimes spelled "huswife."

"packet--A ship carrying mail regularly from one place to another and also, sometimes passengers."

"sweetmeat--A sweetmeat was a candy, particularly a candied fruit, although also a hard, fruit-flavored candy."


I'd give the main reading portion of the book 3.5 stars and am not sure whether I'd round up or down.But the glossary takes this up to 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5, as it makes the book into an invaluable reference to have on hand while reading 19th century British literature. There is also a helpful 9-page bibliography for those interested in further reading on 19th-century Britain, as well as a 13-page index.I would definitely recommend this book.

Wonderful history book!
As a huge fan of Victorian literature as well as Victorian history, I must say that this is one of the best accounts of history I've ever read. Entertaining as well as accurate information make for a great book! As a high school student, I bought this book to supplement my textbook in AP European History, and it had some great info on the social trends of the 19th century. Great, and highly recommended!

What We Once Knew...
It is easy to forget, in reading the novels of Jane Austen or Charles Dickens, that their characters inhabited a world almost 200 years removed from our own world of prepackaged food, mechanical aids, and information technology.Daniel Pool's delightful "What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew" is a fascinating attempt to close the knowledge gap about the facts of daily life in 19th Century England.

In a series of short topical essays and an extended glossary of key terms, Pool examines some relevant facts about the 19th Century.He starts with the basics of currency, the calendar, and measurements, then moves on to the public world with its hierarchies, classes, and customs.He discusses transportation, country living, and the private details of everyday living.This book is not exhaustive in its coverage, but it was certainly both enlightening and entertaining to this Jane Austen fan.

"What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew" is very highly recommended to Brit Lit fans, who can enjoy reading it straight through or using it as a reference for t19th Century terms and conditions no longer obvious to 21st Century readers.

Interesting, but uncited information (sometimes wrong!)
An interesting book, but the author doesn't tell us where any of the information comes from. I don't know how many inaccuracies crept in, but I was more than startled when he explained that a mangle - the hand-cranked squeezer that was used for removing excess water before hanging up your hand-washed laundry - was in fact used after IRONING to make your clothing super flat. I don't think so..... ... Read more

Product Description
"In an astonished look at himMrs. Goldstraw changed colourchecked herselfturned her eyes upon the groundand sat still and silent." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

GREAT BOOK BUT BUY THE NEW VERSION DO NOT BUY HERE
Barnes and Noble has a new leather bound edition of this book. Much nicer and only $20. I dont know why people think they can get over a $100 for this version. Its much cheaper looking, its not as if the book is out of print. So please do not buy here. Go to barnes and noble and buy the new nicer version. Took two stars away due to the unfair price as well as this version isnt near as nice as the new one.

Great Keepsake Book
I purchased this book for my husband for a gift.He likes Charles Dickens stories so I thought this would be great for him.He loves the book and has been reading ever since I gave it to him.Very sturdy hard cover book.We will keep this one in the family for years.There is a lot of reading, five stories in all. ... Read more

Product Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Product Description
An immediate bestseller when it was first published in December 1843, A Christmas Carol has endured ever since as a perennial Yuletide favorite. Charles Dickens's beloved tale about the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, who comes to know the meaning of kindness, charity, and goodwill through a haunting Christmas Eve encounter with four ghosts, is a heartwarming celebration of the spirit of Christmas.

This Modern Library Paperback Classics edition also includes two other popular Christmas stories by Dickens:The Chimes,in which a man, persuaded by hypocritical cant that the poor deserve their misery, is shown what his pessimistic resignation might lead to in a vision conjured by the pealing of bells, and The Haunted Man, Dickens's last Christmas tale, which features one of his great comic families, the Tetterbys. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Great Book, A Must Read
Overall, A Christmas Carol was a great book which would not be possible if Charles Dickens is not a wonderful author.Out of all of the books I have read, A Christmas Carol has the most details told in the most exciting format.Charles Dickens makes this book interesting because he does not have a paragraph in the beginning of the book that tells all of the details about each character, he gives clues to the reader about each of the characters and about the setting.Many authors today like to state information about each character, so by the time you are finished reading about all of the characters in the book, you would forget about each one of them because reading all of the details about each character gets boring after a while.The fifty page rule is not needed for this book.The fifty page rule states that you should read up to page fifty in a book, and if the book does not interest you, then you can quit reading it and switch to another book that interests you.
Since Dickens does a wonderful job in giving the reader all of the details, the characters are easy to relate to.There is the main character named Scrooge.There is Bob Cratchit, who is Scrooge's secretary.Then, there are the four ghosts: the ghost of Jacob Marley, Scrooge's dead partner in business; the ghost of Christmas past; the ghost of Christmas present; and the ghost of Christmas future.In the story, Scrooge is a grumpy old miser who does not care about anybody except himself.So, every time a charity has an annual donation at Christmas, Scrooge would not donate a penny.Because of his selfish behavior, the ghost of Jacob Marley, who was also a miser when he was alive, came to Scrooge and told him to change.But, Scrooge did not listen to the ghost of Marley, so Marley sent the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future to help Scrooge change.Throughout the story, the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future take Scrooge to certain time periods from when he was a little boy to a deceased old man and each visit makes Scrooge more willing to change his selfish ways.At the end of the story, Scrooge returns home from his journeys and promises the ghosts that he will change.
I think that this book should be read in schools, because the moral of this story needs to be in every person's daily life.It is also a good book to be read in schools because Charles Dickens has a great writing technique that would be useful to learn.This book also has a great story line.I do not think that any person would get bored while reading this book.Charles Dickens came up with a really good story line that is very exciting because of how Dickens presents the characters.I wish I was as talented as Dickens in coming up with such a perfect story line.This is definitely a book that everyone should read.

Great edition!
I really enjoy the Modern Library Classics...they are well made books, nice size (not a pocket paperback).They have nice introductions.

Great Bargain Book
This review is specific to the Modern Library hardback.You probably know "A Christmas Carol," but you may not be familiar with "The Chimes" or "The Haunted Man."

According to the introduction, Charles Dickens wrote a Christmas story every year after the success of "A Christmas Carol."This edition includes two of those tales as well.If you are a Dickens, or 19th century English literature, fan, you will probably enjoy those stories.Noticeably missing from the book is "Cricket on the Hearth."

Overall, the book has nice paper, text, and a great little biographical introduction.I will definitely look for more Modern Library titles.

Very similar to the 1938 film
In the spirit of the holidays, I thought I'd pick up this novel because like most people, I have seen the film before I read the book and enjoyed the movie immensely, and I am a fan of Dickens' other writings (i.e. Great Expectations, David Copperfield).With that said, I knew what the novel was about and I enjoyed it thoroughly.I am suprised to see how the movie adapted itself so closely to the original story (most movies adapted from novels can be so different than the book), and I was suprised to see how short the novel was (you can pretty much finish the novel as quickly as you could watch the movie-- perhaps even faster!)Anyway, the only difference is that in the novel Scrooge never visits the Cratchits.That's the only thing Hollywood did to make the audience feel even better.It's a great read; one I'd recommend to read to a child before bedtime during the Holiday season (a few pages at a time over a few days or weeks of course, the novel isn't THAT short.)
As a bonus, The Chimes and The Haunted Man (more holiday short stories) are included in this book.They are similar in the structure of A Christmas Carol, but are not as universally touching nor are they as well written.The Chimes is particular in its story concerning the poor and wretched in England, and the Haunted Man was just vague and hard to read.You don't get nearly as attached to the characters in either of these short stories so if you're getting the book for A Christmas Carol, it's likely you will not enjoy the other stories.If you are a Dickens fan, you'll most likely read them and judge for yourself. ... Read more

Product Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Good but long
This is long. Anyone who completes it should get some kind of credit. Indeed Dickens creates these wonderful caricatures of the human soul in the different characters of the story. Each is like an individual portrait. But the portraits are part of a narrative. There is the battle between good and evil. And I feared that evil would have the upper hand. Dickens is good.

Wonderful (but what Dickens text isn't?)
Dickens' ability to write outrageously hilarious scenes consistently leaves me floored (and fangirling!) and /Nicholas Nickleby/ is no exception in this respect. Dickens is also tremendously skilled at rendering poetic, heartbreakingly beautiful sentimental scenes, and those also find their place in the plot of /NN/.

This is definitely earlier Dickens - he hasn't quite attained the writing maturity that characterizes what I consider his masterpieces (David Copperfield, Little Dorrit, Bleak House, Great Expectations) but it is nevertheless a wonderful read. Early Dickens is still masterful writing.

My only qualm with the text is a qualm I have with Dickens in general, his female leads are so bland. Kate Nickleby is basically another Agnes -- too passive and good for me to like. The rest of the characters, however, are wonderfully rendered (Newman Noggs! Smike (sob)! and of course, the Squeers!).

The Kindle edition was relatively free of typos (at least, I don't remember too many of them marring my reading).

Be prepared to be mad, glad, and annoyed....
Dickens' novels will spike and plummet emotions. In this book, characters were created that annoy, yet add a needed sense of humor (Mrs. Nickleby for example), and there are those which grate on you- boil your blood, really- but without them you wouldn't adore Mr. Nicholas Nickleby so much.

I was caught by Great Expectations from page one. The opening was more entertaining and it kept up its momentum throughout. This book took me longer to get into, but once I did it was good.

One failing was the close of Nicholas' love life. You read a thick, burly novel like this and grow very attached to the lead character. He falls in love with someone without knowing her at all (so YOU don't know her at all, except that she is pretty) and then in the very end, you do not get to see through Dickens' words how it plays out between the lovers- you get to imagine that yourself (which is fine, I have an imagination, but I like to see these things in ink and through the eyes of a master of the craft). Instead, the ending focuses on an unlikely romance between two somewhat present but not strong characters in the novel, and you get this "here you go" summary of the more prevalent characters' lives.

Not his best work, but a very good read!
This is a good introduction to Dickens for those who haven't yet read any.The plot is interesting, the characters memorable, and the twists and turns are less convoluted than of some of his other works, such as Tale of Two Cities or Great Expectations.Nicholas is a bit too good to be true, but he does have a quick temper that gets the best of him at times.Descriptions of a Yorkshire boarding school are rather grim, but the author's comments indicate that it is a fairly accurate representation.This book has it all, good guys in tough circumstances, bad guys of various sorts, social and political commentary, and a love story or two.

Enjoyable, pulpy, summer read
There's nothing so entertaining as reading a Dickensian description of a letter being dropped in shock by its reader, and it then fluttering to the floor. ... Read more

Product Description
ENDURING LITERATURE ILLUMINATED BY PRACTICAL SCHOLARSHIP

Dickens's epic novel of freedom, love, and the burning chaos of the French Revolution.

EACH ENRICHED CLASSIC EDITION INCLUDES:

• A concise introduction that gives readers important background information

• A chronology of the author's life and work

• A timeline of significant events that provides the book's historical context

• An outline of key themes and plot points to help readers form their own interpretations

• Detailed explanatory notes

• Critical analysis, including contemporary and modern perspectives on the work

• Discussion questions to promote lively classroom and book group interaction

• A list of recommended related books and films to broaden the reader's experience

Enriched Classics offer readers affordable editions of great works of literature enhanced by helpful notes and insightful commentary. The scholarship provided in Enriched Classics enables readers to appreciate, understand, and enjoy the world's finest books to their full potential.

SERIES EDITED BY CYNTHIA BRANTLEY JOHNSON ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

DO NOT BUY FOR IPHONE!!!
This is an amazing story, and Dickens is one of the great authors in history.

However, the formatting of this eBook is such that it looks terrible on the iPhone.

Lines of text are broken where they should not be, paragraphs look like dissociated collections of words with line breaks thrown in at random.

Buy another version.

Truly a Classic!!!
I read this book when I was in 10th grade and absolutely loved it. I bought this for my 13 year old since she likes to read and hopes she enjoys it as much as I did.

Quite possibly, the best book ever.
I cannot say enough about this story.This is truely a masterpiece from the familiar opening to the satisfying conclusion, a work of art. Beautiful.
Sydney Carton is a cheracter that I will not soon forget.
If you read nothing else, read this. YOU WILL NOT BE SORRY.

A Tale Reborn
By the year 2006, can Dickens' novel A Tale of Two Cities still hold relevance? The answer is a simple yes. It is a great tale of how love, revolution, and chaos can all fall into place at the same moment. But the most interesting topic that he addresses is the theme of rebirth or revolution. This rebirth is not only that of France, but of Dr. Manette, Charles Darnay, and Sydney Carton. All of them are changed by the events happening during the time of the novel. They reshape their ideals, reintroduce themselves into the world, reinvent themselves, and revitalize their spirits. That is way resurrection is the most noticeable subject in this novel.
France is about to undergo the bloodiest revolutions that Europe has ever seen. The peasants of France revolt in hopes creating a government that will take care of their needs. They have little food and the food that they do have is rotten. Dickens does an absolutely amazing job of describing the peasants' awful situation. However, he only depicts the tragic peasants with only a negative depiction of the aristocrats. A great example of this is the way in which he descries Monseigneur's massive house and he's chocolate eating, "Monseigneur, on of the great lords...he must have died of two. (122-123)" This is a very critical view of a man with power because it never shows another side to him. This implies that he is always greedy and only looks after himself. Another bias view of the wealthy is seen in Marquis. Who is shown as a selfish, non-sympathetic man who gets what he deserves, death. "It is extraordinary... The horses there: are they right? (129-130)" With no positive view of an aristocrat, it is impossible to make a fair judgment about the rich, or the poor. Dickens goal is to justify a revolution based on poor character of the rich ruling class. He succeeds in doing so at the cost of the aristocrats of France.
The most obvious character to undergo change is Dr. Manette. As the very first chapters show, he is "recalled to life. (14)" in the course of the novel. In the literal since, he is taken out of a wrongful imprisonment of 18 years with no contact with the outside world. But on a much deeper level however, the book focuses on how he comes back into the world. He transforms from a weak, feeble shoemaker to a strong character that's able to control crowds and lead them towards the greater-good. The only fault in this complete change is that he does occasionally go back to his old ways in making shoes when he becomes depressed. But these episodes are too brief to change the fact that Manette has a complete turn around from who he is at the beginning of the novel to the end.
Charles Darnay also exemplifies a person who recreates himself in order to use the second chances he gets in life. Born into wealth, he sees the maltreatment that the rich shows towards the poor. That is why he revokes his power and rights in order to live a regular life. But after he is nearly sent to jail in England he reinvents himself as a lover as he falls in love with Lucie. However when the opportunity comes for him to save the day, he puts on his hero cape and goes back to France. Again he is arrested, but this time his life is in jeopardy has he faces the gallows. And only help from Carton is he saved from the clutches of death.
Sydney Carton is the most interesting characters in the novel because of the drastic changes that he undergoes. Dickens shows Carton as a worthless drunk with no future "Sydney Carton, idlest... that humble capacity (102)". As time goes on, he falls in love with Lucie but doesn't allow his feelings to interfere with her life. That is until Darnay's life is in danger. Carton gives up his life in place of Darnay. This clearly shows that he makes a major change in his character. This change happens because he wants to make up for the wasted life that he has lived by sacrificing himself to save another. This brings about a sense of peace in him that he has never felt "It is a far... I have ever known (443)"
With so much change and unstableness going on in the novel, it is easy to understand why the country and the fore mentioned characters of Manette, Darnay, and Carton undergo such dynamic shifts in their personas. France has its revolutions, Manette is recalled to life, Darnay is reborn twice, and Carton is resurrected as a hero and martyr. That kind of writing leads me to the conclusion that life is all about second chances and renewal. This was Dickens' purpose in writing a novel like this, and that is why A Tale of Two Cities is a book that stands out amongst the greatest literary pieces of all time.

A Tale of Two Cities paints a beautiful while dark story of the French Revolution
A Tale of Two Cities paints a beautiful while dark story of the French Revolution and how it affects an English family.It is, by all standards, a classic.Yet, if you decide to read it and are younger than a high school senior, I suggest reading it with a good dictionary by your side.It is written in the English of over one-hundred years ago and so I would also recommend a version that includes notes on what certain phrases mean as well as a guide to the allusions used in the story.I am not recommending the abridged version, though.Reading it as it was written gives a much different experience that seems more genuine.The copy of the novel that I read was published by Pocket Books and includes explanatory notes and more which I found very helpful.
As I read I saw examples where Dickens (the author), implied satirical messages and themes relevant to the time when the book was written.Then, the situation in England resembled pre-Revolution France.Also, 1848, was known as the "Year of Revolutions".He may have been trying to discourage revolution and encourage solutions through political change, not violence.Dickens also implied, through his words, that a revolution could happen anywhere, even in England.He encouraged his message frequently but it never got old and wasn't monotonous.By using a variety of different situations, Dickens kept his message in the reader's mind.For example, at a burial of a spy in England, a mob forms and turns the burial into show of irreverent mourning and violence.He is implying that under the right conditions any group of people can turn into a violent mob.He also writes that history will repeat itself under the same circumstances.This message would have been very pertinent at the time.These messages about the state and flaws of society were frequent but were well integrated into the story.Many were fun to read due to Dickens' good use of satire and humor.
One complaint that many historians, literary critics, and others have had about A Tale of Two Cities is that the characters and depiction of the social classes are too unrealistic.I, too, thought that some of the characters were somewhat unrealistic, yet I don't believe that Dickens made them that way without reason.One example is in a moment with a member the French aristocracy.While riding at breakneck speed through downtown Paris, this noble's carriage hits and kills a child.In response, he turns to the grieving father and coolly tosses him a gold piece and drives off.I saw this action as very unrealistic, but this isn't supposed to be literal.This noble's action is part of his characterization that is just supposed to show that he is very cold.It is also supposed to symbolize the oppression of the peasants by the aristocracy.The lower class had been oppressed for so long and Dickens sums up their oppression through this one noble's action.Still, some of the characters' actions are unrealistic.After a condemned man is read his condemning sentence, he is perfectly composed and shows no signs of anxiety or emotion but love for his wife.There is no way that any human could be unafraid after that.Despite some unrealistic moments in Dickens characters, his description of the classes and their struggles is excellent.This is probably because of his experience.As a boy, Dickens was a peasant, which explains why his descriptions of peasant life and their strife are so detailed.I personally found Dickens' characters very appealing and his description of French society very enthralling.
If you are unsure if you want to read this book, my advice to you would be: definitely read it.Dickens creates a capturing world with a deep plot, exquisite use of imagery, and striking characters, all in one of the most exciting times in history.Pick it up and you won't regret it. ... Read more

Product Description

Great Expectations

By Charles Dickens

My fatherʼs family name being Pirrip, and my Christian name Philip, my infant tongue could make of both names nothing longer or more explicit than Pip. So, I called myself Pip, and came to be called Pip.