Other editions of book A Tale of Two Cities

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.

First published in 1859, A Tale of Two Cities has grown to be one of the most popular works of literature in history, with over 200 million copies sold.Drama and adventures unfold in Paris and London around the time of the French Revolution, drawing strong parallels between the meager conditions of the peasantry there, when the hope for more just, more equal conditions quickly turned into the a reign of terror where humanity seemed to have been forgotten.The vivid descriptions, the horrific adventures, the historical setting, and the moral questions of the protagonists make A Tale of Two Cities one of the most forming readings for teens and young adults.

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...." So begins this ageless tale of heroism, love, and adventure in the terrible and hopeful days of the French Revolution. With its unforgettable characters -- valiant Sydney Carton, antic Jerry Cruncher, brave Lucie Manette -- and the grit and grandeur of two great cities, Paris and London, in an era of momentous change, A Tale of Two Cities is one of Charles Dickens' geatest triumphs. Marked by Dickens' unmatched powers of observation, his sway over the emotions, and his incomparable gift for exciting storytelling, it displays in every aspect why his works are beloved by millions. Washington Square Press' Enriched Classics present the world's greatest literature in timeless editions designed for modern readers. Special features include a lively introduction with essential biographical and historical background, critical perspectives, and a unique visual essay composed of authentic period illustrations and photographs that help bring every word to life.

"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." From the author of David Copperfield and A Christmas Carol comes a novel which is among the most celebrated works in the history of literary fiction.Dickens' two cities are London and Paris during the time of the French Revolution. Dr. Manette, a French physician, having been called in to treat a young peasant and his sister, realizes that they have been cruelly abused by the Marquis de St. Evremonde and his brother. To ensure Dr. Manette's silence, the Marquis has him confined for eighteen years in the Bastille. As the story opens, the doctor has just been released. He is brought to England where he gradually recovers his health and his sanity.Charles Darnay, concealing his identity as the cruel Marquis' nephew, has left France and renounced his heritage. He falls in love with Lucie, Dr. Manette's daughter, and they are happily married. When he is called to Paris to save a servant condemned by the mob, Darnay himself is imprisoned, setting off a chain of events which will entwine the lives of Darnay and the degenerate barrister Sydney Carton in ways that reveal the profound effects of revenge, love, and redemption.This novel is part of Brilliance Audio's extensive Classic Collection, bringing you timeless masterpieces that you and your family are sure to love.

A Tale of Two Cities is set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution. The crisp narrative revolves around Dr. Alexandre Manette, the long suffering prisoner in the Bastille; Lucie, his beloved daughter; Madame Defarge, the vengeful French woman knitting her patterns of death; Charles Darnay, the one-time aristocrat with compassion for the poor peasants; and Sidney Carton, the heroic failure who sacrifices his life for the happiness of the woman he loves

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The "two cities" are Paris in the time of the French Revolution, and London. Dr. Manette, a French physician, having been called in to treat a young peasant and his sister, realizes that they have been cruelly abused by the Marquis de St. Evremonde and his brother. To ensure Dr. Manette's silence, the Marquis has him confined for eighteen years in the Bastille. The doctor has just been released, demented, when the story opens. He is brought to England where he gradually recovers his health and his sanity. Charles Darnay, concealing under that false name his identity as the nephew of the cruel Marquis, has left France and renounced his heritage. He falls in love with Lucie, Dr. Manette's daughter, and they are happily married. During the Terror, he goes to Paris to save a servant condemned by the mob. Darnay himself is arrested, condemned to death, and is saved at the last moment by Sydney Carton, a reckless wastrel who acts out of devotion to Lucie. Carton smuggles Darnay out of prison and takes his place on the scaffold, declaring "It's a far, far better thing I do than I have ever done before," surely one of the most quoted lines in all the history of literature.

Robert Lindsay stars in this BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of the classic novel by Charles Dickens. From the echo of the first line 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times' to the final 'It is a far better thing that I do than I have ever done', Dickens' classic novel of the French revolution tells a story of the redemptive powers of love in the face of cruelty, violence and neglect. Set in London and Paris, it shows the plight of the French people under the brutal oppression of the aristocracy in the years leading up to the revolution, and the corresponding savage brutality of the revolutionaries towards the former aristocrats in the years immediately following. Among the memorable characters are Charles Darnay, a French former aristocrat who falls victim to the indiscriminate wrath of the revolution, and Sydney Carton, a dissipated English barrister who tries to redeem his ill-spent life out of love for Darnay's wife, Lucie Manette. In this moving, intricate tale spanning eight tumultuous years, Dickens orchestrates the wider political picture behind the story of Lucie, Darnay and Carton with his customary brilliance. This epic production, dramatised by Mike Walker, stars Robert Lindsay as Dickens, with Alison Steadman, Jonathan Coy, Andrew Scott, Paul Ready and Karl Johnson.

Set against the backdrop of the French Revolution, A Tale of Two Cities is a sprawling tale of London and revolutionary Paris with a complex plot portraying the results of terror and treason, love and supreme sacrifice. ''It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.'' -- opening line of A Tale of Two Cities It was the time of the French Revolution, a time of great change and great danger. It was a time when injustice was met by a lust for vengeance, and rarely was a distinction made between the innocent and the guilty. Against this tumultuous historical backdrop, Dickens' dramatic story of adventure and courage unfolds. Unjustly imprisoned for eighteen years in the Bastille, Dr. Alexandre Manette is reunited with his daughter, the gentle Lucie Manette, and safely transported from France to England. It would seem that they could now take up the threads of their lives in peace. As fate would have it, however, the two are summoned to the Old Bailey to testify against a young Frenchman, Charles Darnay, falsely accused of treason. Strangely enough, Darnay bears an uncanny resemblance to another man in the courtroom: Sydney Carton, a dissolute barrister. It is a coincidence that saves Darnay from certain doom more than once, as the two men's fates become intertwined with that of the Revolution. And there is Madame Defarge, a female revolutionary who has an implacable grudge against the aristocratic Evre'monde dynasty and who knits as she watches the beheadings. The storming of the Bastille, the death carts with their doomed human cargo, the swift drop of the blade of La Guillotine--this is the French Revolution that Charles Dickens vividly captures. Brilliantly plotted, the novel is rich in drama, romance, and heroics that culminate in a daring prison escape in the shadow of the guillotine. This edition is a new reading by Simon Prebble.