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    A Tale of Two Cities
    A Tale of Two Cities
    A Tale of Two Cities
    Audiobook15 hours

    A Tale of Two Cities

    Written by Charles Dickens

    Narrated by Jack Sondericker

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    About this audiobook

    One of Dickens' most famous novels, this classic is set amid the turbulent times of the French Revolution. The main theme is the rescue of young Charles Darney, a French aristocrat sentenced to the guillotine by the citizens of the revolution. Out of the gloomy pall of the guillotine dungeons comes one of literature's greatest heroes, Sidney Carton, the rescuer of Darney. Who can ever forget Carton's most famous statement: 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.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBooks in Motion
    Release dateDec 21, 2014
    ISBN9781614536901
    Author

    Charles Dickens

    Charles Dickens (1812–1870) gehört bis heute zu den beliebtesten Schriftstellern der Weltliteratur, in England ist er geradezu eine nationale Institution, und auch bei uns erfreuen sich seine Werke einer nicht nachlassenden Beliebtheit. Sein „Weihnachtslied in Prosa“ erscheint im deutschsprachigen Raum bis heute alljährlich in immer neuen Ausgaben und Adaptionen. Dickens’ lebensvoller Erzählstil, sein quirliger Humor, sein vehementer Humanismus und seine mitreißende Schaffensfreude brachten ihm den Beinamen „der Unnachahmliche“ ein.

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    Reviews for A Tale of Two Cities

    4/5

    7,086 ratings160 reviews

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    • 5/5
      It is probably my twentieth reading of this book. It inspires me every time.

      It is a story of redemption of several, but none more so than of Sydney Carton. Beauty in the midst of madness and terror.
    • 4/5
      I started this book for two main reasons. First, I read Great Expectations last year for the second time and love it. Second, I teach A.P. European History and we study the French Revolution in detail each year. Since this book is the classic novel of the time period, it only makes sense that I read it. Now that I am finished, I am truly glad that I chose to read the book. Dickens does a fantastic job of bringing out the emotions and chaos of Paris during the Reign of Terror. From the blind hatred and violence of the Defarges and their fellow "citizens", to the love and heartache of the Manette and Darnay families, I felt immersed and connected with all the characters involved. It is easy to read the history books and learn all about the Revolution, but living the story through the mind of Dickens has given me a real appreciation of what it was like.
    • 4/5
      Maybe not Dickens' best, but reading it is like visting an old friend. You tell the same old stories, laugh at the same old jokes, and find it endlessly entertaining and comforting. And is there anything quite so dramatic as the conversation between Jerry Cruncher & Mrs. Pross as Madame DeFarge approaches?
    • 2/5
      Documentair zeker waardevol, maar als roman echt mislukt.Geen doorlopende verhaallijn: de stukjes lijken nergens naar toe te voeren.Stilistisch: soms opflakkerend, maar over het algemeen flauw; overdreven toepassing van de spiegelingstechniek (Londen-Parijs, Darnay-Carton)nogal doorzichtig-sociaal gedreven
    • 4/5
      A drunkard loser lawyer is pulled into the drama of the Darnay family, who foolishly returned to post-revolutionary France. Sydney Carton defends them as best he can, but the wheels of revolution and vengeance will not be stopped for long.
      My second favorite Dickens novel.
    • 3/5
      Probably nothing I can say that hasn't been said before: a socially-conscious novel from Dickens full of gorgeous description and startling passages of anger against the inhumanity of man. Particularly interesting to read in 2016, as the Arab world recovers from several years of revolution and the English-speaking Western world faces some surprising outsider politicians.

      Coming along in 1859, after Dickens had spent a couple of years primarily enjoying the theatre lifestyle and working for the betterment of sick children, it seems as if CD felt the need to write a historical novel to cleanse some personal creative desires. His 12th novel (and 20th important work), Two Cities doesn't seem to follow logically from the works that precede it. Unlike most of Dickens' novels, the characters here are particularly wooden (Lucie Manette just seems to faint a lot, really, and Dr. Manette and Charles exist primarily for things to happen to them) and the plot rather straightforward. I've seen it likened to Barnaby Rudge but I somewhat disagree; that book still had a lot of typical Dickensian aspects to it, even if it was ultimately a "historical novel" like this one. Still, it's a quick and entertaining read, with plenty of alternating sentimentalism and anger. The two most redeeming characters - Madame Defarge and Miss Pross - make it all worthwhile. How can anyone not adore a woman so English she refuses to cross the Channel? And Sydney Carton's final internal monologue is every bit the equal of that powerful first paragraph. Sydney is not as developed a character as those who came before, but this seems in part because he is seen through other people's eyes so often. Nevertheless, the desire to start him off so unlikable and gradually create his portrait is admirable.

      The relatively few bits of humour in the novel are less successful, because Cruncher lacks the human elements of previous grotesques but also lacks the purely "fantastic" elements that allow us to separate our sense of morals from our respect for their self-preservation. Miss Pross is good for a few laughs, admittedly! Still, for the kind of work it is, A Tale of Two Cities is a dashing good read nonetheless. Now on to the final black spot in my knowledge of his books: Our Mutual Friend!
    • 4/5
      I love History, but this was a tad too slow.
    • 5/5
      It was the best of times, it was the worse of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness… Thus starts one of my favorite books. This could have been written today, for it is so appropriate to our times! And who doesn’t know the first words of Dicken’s “Tale of Two Cities”? Well, actually I had never read it—English not being my mother tongue—and am very glad I do now. What a marvelous book. (I actually read about it in Mrs. Kantor’s excellent “Politically Incorrect Guide to English and American Literature.”) This is the story of love’s redeeming qualities: it purifies the soul, it saves the lost—the best of times; it is also the story of the horrors of the French Revolution and its many excesses and crimes—the worse of times… A tale of love and hate, of the duality of human soul, but also the endurance of good. The movies I watched based upon this book could not perfectly recreate the beauty of its very touching end: one must read it to understand its meaning in the author's own words. Dickens was certainly a Christian man and everywhere we find mentions of God; but I am inclined to believe this will not be an impediment to the agnostic or the atheist readers. Definitely a must read for its literary quality, its lessons and the unmistakable Dickensonian style.
    • 4/5
      “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 believe. 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.” The Tale of Two Cities was originally serialized in the author's own periodical All the Year Round beginning in 1859. Dickens uses a period of history roughly 70 years earlier to parallel present times. He is warning England of the dangers of revolution as occurred in the French Revolution. Doing history was a way of capturing the pressure of the time. "The weight of this time must we obey; Speak what we feel and not what we aught to say."As one who likes the detail with which Dickens develops a story, I did seem to get bogged down in the middle of a Tale of Two Cities. The point in the story where everyone is confessing his love for Lucie seemed to stall for me. I was already there with most of the characterization that was being portrayed by these various confessions. “In the hour of my death, I shall hold sacred the one good remembrance—and shall thank and bless you for it—that my last avowal of myself was made to you, and that my name, and faults, and miseries were gently carried in your heart. May it otherwise be light and happy!” Sydney Carton has resurrected his poor drudged self into a savior for the love of remembrance. Memory plays a key role in this history of the French Revolution as seen through the eyes of an English novelist 70 years later. It is the memory of the evils of nobility that forge the vengeance that the Defarges shape into Revolution. As in many of Dickens novels, memory in a Tale of Two Cities revolves around one event that the main characters share in. It’s a small world after all.Recalled to LifeAs Dr. Manette was buried alive so did Charles Evremonde bury his past to become Charles Darnay only to join Dr. Manette’s earlier fate. But, there is the ever-present Jerry Cruncher to dig him out again. It seems all the characters experienced individual resurrection of some sort or other. By the end of the novel, Darnay is one of three characters that have experienced a spiritual rebirth, and it is resurrection with decidedly Christian overtones that comprises the salient theme of the novel. Intertwined together in the theme of resurrection and renewal, life, death and rebirth in this story of the French Revolution. Dickens implores his readers to undertake their own spiritual renewal, to shun the desire for revenge and to act in a spirit of Christian compassion and self-sacrifice towards those in their midst.
    • 4/5
      While I initially struggled to understand this book, I was very glad I stuck with the text and fought through my lack of comprehension. While Dickens is a rather verbose writer, I enjoyed his attention to detail and description as I became increasingly connected with the characters and events of the story. Dickens did an incredible job describing the utter wretched state of the poorer classes in France. The rising tide of anger and frustration amongst this group made me think about how this type of revolution could occur right here in the United States, with the rich becoming wealthier and the poor and middle class, shouldering the tax burdens moreso.I did find the relationship between Charles Darnay and Lucie Manette very predictable. However, I was glad that this relationship did in fact occur, as Charles' character and morals were best suited for someone who could share them. The love between Charles and Lucie was believable and, while Lucie was a tender-hearted woman, she had a wealth of strength and resolve which helped her withstand the challenges of her mentally ill father and later, her imprisoned husband.Women, while second-rate citizens, really were instrumental in the development of this story. Lucie was truly, one of the strongest characters. Her innocence, faith and compassion allowed her to aid in the healing of her father and extend mercy to Mr. Stryver. Lucie also loved Mr. Lorry and made him feel as though he had a daughter and was able to share in a love that was important to him, as he became older. Lucie's character was also instrumental in Miss Pross' actions at the end of the story. The love and devotion between these two women were strong bonds which kept them connected and willing to lay down their lives for each other. Madam Defarge, while often found knitting in her husband's wine shop, was instrumental in the revolution of the Saint Antoine neighborhood and the killing of many aristocrats of that area. She and the Vengeance, together, led the women of St. Antoine to take up arms and revolt against those who had made their lives miserable. Sadly, these women became misdirected in their hatred of the aristocracy and began thirsting for the blood of innocent men and women."A Tale of Two Cities" is a fine work of art. While it revealed the emerging events of the French Revolution, it revealed quite a bit about the human condition. Lest we learn that materialism and the hunger for wealth are meaningless, we too, are destined to find ourselves faced with a revolution of some sort. It is humility and compassion, such as demonstrated by Lucie and Charles, that we should all embrace.
    • 1/5
      Dry and boring all.... the.... way .... through ?
    • 4/5
      I should have read this classic by Charles Dickens sooner, but I finally made time for it. Old English is hard to read, and sometimes I had to ponder the meaning. Still, Dickens had an excellent understanding of human nature and how to portray unforgettable characters. The revolution in eighteenth-century France was bloody when peasants turned on the ruling class and each other. Dr. Manette and his daughter Lucie are caught in the melee when they travel from England to France to save Lucie's husband, Charles Darnay, from the guillotine. However, Darnay only escapes after another's ultimate sacrifice. It was worth the time invested.
    • 3/5
      Charles dickens only wrote one historical novel, and this is it. It is hard to find a year when there is not a new edition of this work. The plot hinges on the very odd occasion of twp men, not linked genetically, who are identical twins. They are contrasted, the favoured one, who is monied and blessed with the love of a beautiful girl, and the other who is a self made lawyer's clerk. they are finally acquainted, and the less well off person, chooses to sacrifice himself so that the well-to-do one may continue his pampered existence. Not a favourite plot of mine. There is a reasonable attempt to cover some of the incidents of the French revolution, but it does not shine in that area. The book was first published in 1859.
    • 5/5
      Why has it taken me so long to go back and read this incredible book?
    • 5/5
      Great story, Great opening line. Great closing line.Not the easiest read with Dickens old fashion style of writing.Set during the French Revolution and the reign of terror. There are time jumps.
    • 4/5
      Lucy & Charles, Dr. Minette, and the menacing de Farge's. Hearing it, rather than reading it, helped me get through this classic with some understanding of the plot and what was going on. I will have to try some other Dickens because I really enjoyed this one!
    • 4/5
      An actual thriller. Loved it and cried.
    • 5/5
      Historical Fiction set during the Terror of the French Revolution by Charles Dickens; although starting at a slow pace, and sometimes exhibiting a confusing change of time and setting, by the time you reach Book III it really takes off and beats out any modern Hollywood action drama film by far. Aside from having perhaps two of the most well known literary quotations at the beginning and end of the book, it is a classic in how it deals with the nature of human perseverance during the darkness of times, the nature of sacrifice, and fickleness of the mob versus the solidity of individual principle. A book more relevant for our time than I'd like. A must read.
    • 5/5
      Classic book drama. What an wonderful story of treason, romance, and danger.
    • 4/5
      One of my all-time favourites, because of Dicken's political and social insight, and because of how the story ends with a man's ultimate sacrifice for the sake of love.
    • 1/5
      Too longwinded. Gave up.
    • 5/5
      A historical fiction novel from Dickens which follows a group of characters in London and Paris at the start of the French Revolution. The story follows a group of characters including an ex-prisoner of the Bastille who is dealing with the after effects of his imprisonment; a French nobleman who is trying to break free of his high social status and a pair of revolutionaries (one of whom knits constantly). There is an interesting mix of characters and the street riots along with the storming of the Bastille were exceptional. The juxtaposition of the two cities is reflected in the characters, and the heartless and brutal nature of the revolution is reflected in the story.
    • 5/5
      The annual read, after the annual viewing of the film on Thanksgiving Day (Ronald Colman version, only, thank you). It has to be the mark of brilliance that even after a dozen readings, each time you harbor a secret hope that maybe THIS year he won't (spoiler alert...) get his head cut off. No better opening and closing lines in literature.
    • 5/5
      Set during the French Revolution, the story follows a French doctor, wrongfully imprisoned for years, who reunites with his daughter and moves to London. There, they settle into a comfortable life, the daughter happily marries and starts a family, all unknowing that they will be pulled back to Paris and into the horror of the revolution. This is Dickens at his finest, weaving various threads into such an intricate pattern and only hinting here and there at the final dramatic design, in which all the characters play a surprising part in relation to one another. Thrilling in parts and tender in others, this ticks all the right boxes for me. I loved it.
    • 4/5
      I thought it was about time I read a classic.
      I loved the opening passage "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness ..."
      At the end it was just as good a page turner as modern novels.
      An eye opener, I was astounded at the brutality of the revolution, the inhumanity of the revolutionaries. I presume quite historically accurate.
      Good portrayal of characters and subtle revelation of relationships.
    • 2/5
      A great classic.
    • 3/5
      Men in love with the same woman join the French revolution. It's a love triangle involving a married couple and another man. Madame Dafarge, obsessed with her knitting, presents a sinister character. The far kinder Lucie Manette is devoted to her father. Will those accused of treason keep their heads? Although this is one of Dickens' classic works, it's not a favorite. The memorable opening line is about as good as the novel gets for me. This was a re-read, although it's been several years since I read it.
    • 2/5
      The French Revolution takes an interest in a family of expatriates.2/4 (Indifferent).There are some good characters (and also some terrible ones who exist purely to be noble or evil). About half the book is spent dwelling on Big Important Historical Tragedy in a way that guarantees the book is regarded as a Big Important Historical Work. A Tale of Two Cities is to Charles Dickens what Schindler's List is to Steven Spielberg.
    • 2/5
      over rated
    • 4/5
      It was my first Dickens, it was not my last. It was summer in Chicago and I was surrounded by lovely albeit unruly children. Oh dear, it was a struggle at times, watching three kids while my wife and their mother were in the city. Still I finished the novel over a long afternoon without drugging my charges.

      It is a story of sacrifice, maybe of redemption. I felt for everyone, zealots and drunkards alike. The concluding scaffold scene engendered tears, it has to be admitted. Is there a better novel about the French Revolution, its aspirations and its contradictions?