A Tale of Two Cities

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Qualitas Publishing, 2012 - Fiction - 420 pages
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. For a complete list of titles, see: http: //www.qualitaspublishing.co

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About the author (2012)

Charles Dickens, perhaps the best British novelist of the Victorian era, was born in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England on February 7, 1812. His happy early childhood was interrupted when his father was sent to debtors' prison, and young Dickens had to go to work in a factory at age twelve. Later, he took jobs as an office boy and journalist before publishing essays and stories in the 1830s. His first novel, The Pickwick Papers, made him a famous and popular author at the age of twenty-five. Subsequent works were published serially in periodicals and cemented his reputation as a master of colorful characterization, and as a harsh critic of social evils and corrupt institutions. His many books include Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, Bleak House, Great Expectations, Little Dorrit, A Christmas Carol, and A Tale of Two Cities. Dickens married Catherine Hogarth in 1836, and the couple had nine children before separating in 1858 when he began a long affair with Ellen Ternan, a young actress. Despite the scandal, Dickens remained a public figure, appearing often to read his fiction. He died in 1870, leaving his final novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, unfinished.

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