A Tale of Two Cities (Barnes & Noble
Classics) by Charles Dickens
A Tale Of Two Cities
A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens, is part of the Barnes & Noble
Classics series, which offers quality editions at affordable prices to the
student and the general reader, including new scholarship, thoughtful
design, and pages of carefully crafted extras. Here are some of the
remarkable features of Barnes & Noble Classics: New introductions
commissioned from todays top writers and scholars Biographies of the
authors Chronologies of contemporary historical, biographical, and cultural
events Footnotes and endnotes Selective discussions of imitations,
parodies, poems, books, plays, paintings, operas, statuary, and films
inspired by the work Comments by other famous authors Study questions
to challenge the readers viewpoints and expectations Bibliographies for
further reading Indices & Glossaries, when appropriateAll editions are
beautifully designed and are printed to superior specifications; some
include illustrations of historical interest. Barnes & Noble Classics pulls
together a constellation of influences—biographical, historical, and literary

—to enrich each readers understanding of these enduring works. “It was
the best of times, it was the worst of times . . .” With these famous words,
Charles Dickens plunges the reader into one of history’s most explosive
eras—the French Revolution. From the storming of the Bastille to the
relentless drop of the guillotine, Dickens vividly captures the terror and
upheaval of that tumultuous period. At the center is the novel’s hero,
Sydney Carton, a lazy, alcoholic attorney who, inspired by a woman,
makes the supreme sacrifice on the bloodstained streets of Paris.
One of Dickens’s most exciting novels, A Tale of Two Cities is a stirring
classic of love, revenge, and resurrection.
Gillen D’Arcy Wood received his Ph.D in English from Columbia University
in 2000 and is currently an assistant professor at the University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign. He is the author of The Shock of the Real:
Romanticism and Visual Culture, 1760–1860.
Personal Review: A Tale of Two Cities (Barnes & Noble
Classics) by Charles Dickens
Before I get too deep on this classic novel, I wanted to say that it is
obvious I have no education in Literature, no experience in the field and no
qualifiers to allow me to talk about this on any professional level. I write
about these books because I love a good story.
A Tale of Two Cities is exactly that, a dang good story.
As an American student, I did not get more than a page on the French
revolution, and seeing it in novel form, and a story that intertwines with
historical events and matches the mood and culture of the characters was
a blast. I enjoyed getting some perspective on one of the bloodiest times in
France's history. The guillotine becomes a living, breathing thing in this
novel, and I never fully appreciated the weight of the method of execution
till I read through this book.
Is this an easy read? I don't think so. I was constantly referencing my notes
in the back of my Barnes and Noble edition, trying to get some background
on the historical references (which are plenty) and the sayings used back
then which have zero meaning today.
Sydney Carlton is the anti-hero mold of all time. The loser who gives all to
save those he loves, especially our dear heroine, Lucie.

And that brings me to one of the best bad guys I have read about in a
while, Madame Defarge. I don't want to go into any further detail, but know
this: you do not want her to sew anything for you.
And this story, on such an epic scale, has such subtle and then such over
the top humor that it works well. I laughed out loud while reading it, and I
came through on the other side seeing Dickens as a man who was not
criticizing one historical group or the other, but trying to show the humanity
on both sides, rich and poor, vengeful and hopeful, the revolutionists and
the leaders of the status quo--each side are seen in a human distinction,
with the victims being shown for what they were, not some type of political
ploy, but humans who have suffered much.
I am looking forward to getting some more Dickens under my belt, and I
recommend this read, especially if you don't mind trudging through the
older English language.
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