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Charles Dickens' classic story, A Tale of Two Cities, is set before and during the French Revolution. The people are not only divided by class, but by war. It shows the cruelty shown by both sides of French society towards one another and compares these act to those happening in London in the same time period. Listeners are sure to enjoy this timeless narrative.… (more)
harrietbrown: It might be handy to have an understanding of the French Revolution prior to undertaking "War and Peace," because many of the events in Napoleon's wars follow from the French Revolution, which "A Tale of Two Cities" covers.
harrietbrown: "A Tale of Two Cities" covers the period of the French Revolution, preceding Napoleon Bonaparte's rule of France and subsequent wars, including the war featured in "Vanity Fair." In order to understand how Napoleon came to power, and his domination of Europe, it is necessary to understand the French Revolution.… (more)
themulhern: Twain and Dickens writing historical novels set in their past, but using that history as a fairly direct commentary on their present. Both books continue to be well-known and well-regarded. Of course, Dickens's past is more distant than Twain's, by a factor of about two.… (more)
Even with a Wishbone adaptation and a Cliffs Notes guide I just struggled too much. Better to leave my good memories from high school intact. Oct. 2021
Like all great stories, the brilliance of this tale is its ability to not only intimately draw us into the tangled lives of these characters, battered by the historical tyrannies of their time, but to use their story as a parable to understand the human narrative as a whole. ( )
That took much longer than it needed to. I think I got the gist but now I need to watch the 1935 version just to make sure.
"I wish you to know that you have been the last dream of my soul"
"I hope you care to be recalled to life?"
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we have everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way - in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authories insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only" ( )
I last read this book as an assignment in high school English, though after 30 years my recollections amounted to, other than its legendary first and last lines, no more than a handful of details at most. Dickens' genius is evident in the way he ultimately reveals connections between seemingly unrelated people and events, but I have to say it was ultimately a bit of a slog for me in 2024. Due to the somewhat dated language I was not confident I was picking up on important nuances, so after each chapter I reviewed a Cliffs Notes-esque summary, which occasionally revealed some welcome insight I hadn't detected. Would I recommend it? Yes, to someone desiring to feel more knowledgeable about "the classics" and prepared to put in the work on a 160-year-old novel. ( )
Sometimes an old photograph, and old friend, an old letter will remind you that you are not who you once were, for the person who dwelt among them, valued this, chose that, wrote thus, no longer exists. Without noticing it you have traversed a great distance; the strange has become familiar and familiar if not strange at least awkward or uncomfortable. Rebecca Solnit "The Blue of Distance" A Field Guide to Getting Lost
Dedication
This tale is inscribed to the Lord John Russell in remembrance of many public services and private kindnesses
For Jodi Reamer, slayer of beasts
First words
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way—in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.
Quotations
It is a far, far better thing that I do than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to, than I have ever known.
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.
I wish you to know that you have been the last dream of my soul.
Last words
“It is a far, far better thing that I do than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to, than I have ever known.”
Charles Dickens' classic story, A Tale of Two Cities, is set before and during the French Revolution. The people are not only divided by class, but by war. It shows the cruelty shown by both sides of French society towards one another and compares these act to those happening in London in the same time period. Listeners are sure to enjoy this timeless narrative.
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Haiku summary
Two men look alike. They love the same good woman. They’re all in danger. (marcusbrutus)
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A Tale of Two Cities Group Read - part Three
Wikipedia in English (12)
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