A Tale of Two Cities
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Dickens is one of the greatest authors ever








I liked your comment. It is neat, precise, and absolutely right. It is the best of reads, and it is the worst of reads. It has a strong beginning, and a strong drama, and a significant and powerful element of sacrifice, but it also has its blah moments and truly Dickensian ramblings.
I think Dickens is wonderful when he portrays his ugly, wretched, despicable characters, weirdos and old crones, but his angelic characters make me truly mad:-(. They are sexless, unappealing beings.
I love Dickens, and he is one of my all-time favorite writers, but I do think his masterpiece is 'The Bleak House'; and his 'Pickwick Papers' is truly hilarious.

I'm currently reading The Old Curiosty Shop and it is taking me a while to get through it. The Dickens I can most liken it to is Oliver Twist. When reading 'OT' I found I was less interested in Oliver's story than I was in some of the minor characters, still a brilliant plot though. I think on the whole I prefer Dickens's later work, particularly A Tale of Two Cities and Great Expectations. It struck me the other day when I was re-reading GE that his early protagonists were often young hopeful, virtuous and innocent, and his later protagonist tended to be older and often on a quest for redemption. I definitely think this progression throughout his work may reflect his own life experiences. It would be interesting to read a good biography to see if I'm right.

If you are interested in a fictional account of his life you might enjoy the acclaimed book
Drood by Dan Simmons. It offers an interesting perspective on the life of two prominent writers in the most unreliable (a biased first-person narrator with the clouded judgement), but very entertaining, enlightening, and stimulating way.



gahhhh, I love Tale of Two Cities! Granted, it takes awhile to get into and Dicken's is undeniably wordy... But the way he ties everything together at the end! With this explosive ending! He is absolutely amazing, and there is nobody like him. Everybody should read this book!

It's true that, as with many books written in the not too distant past, one must preserver through the set-up to enjoy the sweets, but they can be sweet indeed.


Long live the novel, despite all the Doom Sayers!


Life was slower then. You worked six days a week, sometimes seven and all 12 or more hours per day. you went home ate read and slept. Reading was relaxation and books were costly. Thus you savored each page like a sip of fine wine. If you read his books and emulate that mindset rather rushing to get through them, you might enjoy them more.
When it comes to Drama there was plenty with public be-headings and cries for the guillotine as each trundle arrived with prisoners. Then there was Ebenezer, disturbed night after night by ghosts display his transgressions to others and teach him the benefits of being a proper boss, friend and relative.

I just love the characters in his books. They are so much larger than life, yet so real.


best.














The opening and closing sentences of this novel are so well known that they are widely quoted--even by some who don't know the source!



Shelley
Rain: A Dust Bowl Story
http://dustbowlpoetry.wordpress.com
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Dickens: Public Life & Private Passions (other topics)
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Dickens is unbelievable!!!