History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Charles Dickens Four Complete Novels (Great Expectations, Hard Times, A Christmas Carol, A Tale of Two Cities)

Average customer rating:

Great value for the price
Pretentious
If nothing else, it looks good on your bookshelf.
Loved it,
Lousy Binding

Charles Dickens Four Complete Novels (Great Expectations, Hard Times, A Christmas Carol, A Tale of Two Cities)
Charles Dickens
Manufacturer: Gramercy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Leather Bound

Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

William Shakespeare: The Complete Works, Deluxe Edition
Mark Twain: Selected Works, Deluxe Edition (Burlesque Autobiography/the Prince)
Jane Austen: The Complete Novels, Deluxe Edition (Library of Literary Classics)
Edgar Allan Poe: Selected Works, Deluxe Edition
Charlotte & Emily Bronte: The Complete Novels, Deluxe Edition (Literary Classics)

ASIN: 0517053608
Release Date: 1990-10-03

Book Description

Includes the major works by one of the greatest names in literature. Namely, Great Expectations, Hard Times, A Christmas Carol and A Tale of Two Cities. This Library of Literary Classics edition is bound in padded leather with luxurious gold-stamping on the front and spine, satin ribbon marker and gilded edges. Other titles in this Library of Literary Classics series include: Charlotte & Emily Bronte: The Complete Novels; Edgar Allan Poe: Selected Works; Mark Twain: Selected Works; Jane Austen: The Complete Novels: Lewis Carroll: The Complete, Fully Illustrated Works; and William Shakespeare: The Complete Works.

Customer Reviews:

Great value for the price.......2007-08-02

Let's face it, there are better editions of Dickens out there. You get what you pay for. This is not a top of the line leather edition. For the price, though, you can't beat it. It is what it is, a reasonably priced leather edition of four of his novels. At five dollars apiece, the price can not be beat.

Pretentious.......2007-06-07

Buying books because they look good on your shelf is pretentious and phony - and this book capitalizes on that. I got this as a gift and was amazed when I read it at the number of typos in it. There is simply no way this collection was proofed by an editor - that or the editing company is one of the worst in the world.

Buy these fantastic books, but not this edition, unless you just want people to think you read Dickens.

If nothing else, it looks good on your bookshelf........2007-03-13

You would do better off buying these books individually from a different publisher.
It sounds impressive, leather bound, gilded edges, but it is very cheaply done. On the plus side, it does have a ribbon book mark so you don't have to buy your own.
But this book was poorly edited, filled with needless typos, and with all four of these books available from numerous other publishers, I would suggest to just buy it from them.

Loved it,.......2006-02-12

I'm a big fan of long drawn out novles. I've always been a fan of Dickens. This book has on eof my favorite stories by his pen: Great Expectations. His style is very personal I found it a lot like Tolkien. His ability to tell a good tale is clear as the reader becomes part of the story. Very nice volume and worth the time and money in my opinion.

Lousy Binding.......2005-12-20

I've read all but "A Christmas Carol" in this edition. I've found several typos. Moreover, the binding is becoming unglued. I estimate by the time I finish "A Christmas Carol" the binding will be totally exposed. I value permanent books (otherwise I would buy paperbacks). I suggest anyone who enjoys Dickens buy a better edition.

Average customer rating:

I'm sorry, is it just me...
What a great Read!
GOOD!
sequel to the rescue
Simone's Comment

Blinded: An Urban Tale!...
Kashamba Williams
Manufacturer: Triple Crown Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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Grimey: The Sequel to Blinded...
Still Sheisty, Part 2
Sheisty
Black
Flip Side of The Game

ASIN: 0970247273

Book Description

Information already on file.

Customer Reviews:

I'm sorry, is it just me..........2007-06-25

I wasn't feeling this book. How is it that other reviewers gave this book 4 and 5 stars? I don't get it. While reading it I was like what is all the hype about?? The only part that held my attention was the ending. I was disappointed and as a result, I am not in that much of a hurry to read Grimey. I hope the story gets better but on the real, Noire's "Thong on Fire" was such a better read than this novel ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A MORAL MESSAGE TO TAKE HOME AFTER YOUR READ. I was not satisfied with this read. It was difficult trying to finish it, I wasn't attached to the characters at all. Maybe Williams' books Grimey and Driven will be better reads...i have them both, so we shall see.

What a great Read!.......2007-06-02

Mona Foster and her brother Yatta were raised by their drug addicted mother. Never really have much of anything and watching her mom pimp guys to feed her addiction, Mona learned how to manipulate men using her beauty and body. Tired of being without she set her sites on ballers and heavy hitters in the game. At a concert she sets her sites on a rapper name Controversy but a guy named Cameron aka Cam quickly convinced her he was the man. With all his money and bling she saw stars and jump head in. Blinded by the money, shopping, and diamonds she ends up living with him with out knowing him fully. Once in there she finds out there are two sides of Cam and that side is an abusive side. What can she do she is trapped, can she make it out without becoming another statistic?
I applaud Kashamba this was a very good read. The characters were developed, and the storyline did lose its edge. I was captivated from beginning to end. I recommend this read!

GOOD!.......2007-03-18

BLINDED WAS THE FIRST BOOK I HAVE READ BY KASHAMBA WILLIAMS, I AM GLAD THAT WHEN I BOUGHT BLINDED, I ALSO BOUGHT THE SEQUEL GRIMEY. BLINDED WAS A EASY TO FOLLOW, AND FOR ME I READ IT IN A FEW HOURS, ONCE YOU GET INTO IT, IT IS HARD TO PUT DOWN. SO EASY TO SAY I AM READY TO JUMP STRAIGHT FORWARD WITH GRIMEY, AND SEE WHERE IT TAKES ME.
BLINDED IS ABOUT A YOUNG GIRL NAMED MONA. MONA LEADS BY EXAMPLE OF HER MOTHER RHONDA WHO IS A DRUG ADDICT, AND USES THE MEN IN HER LIFE TO FATTEN HER POCKETS, AND NOURISH HER DRUG APPETITE. YATTA IS MONA'S BROTHER WHO IS A KNOWN DRUG DEALER. MONA LIKES THE ATTENTION SHE GETS FROM HER GOOD LOOKS, AND THE MONEY SHE GAINS BECAUSE OF THEM.
MONA IS INFATUATING WITH A RAPPER NAMED CONTROVERY, SHE HAS EVERY INTENTION OF GETTING NEXT TIME HIM. HOWEVER SHE MEETS CAM FROM CONTROVERSY'S CREW, AND STARTS A REALTIONSHIP WITH HIM.
INITIALLY MONA IS FLOURISHED WITH ALL HER WANTS AND NEEDS MET BY CAM, AND HE IS ALL THAT. HOWEVER HE IS IS WICKED. HE ASSURES MONA FROM THE BEGIINING THAT NOBODY WILL EVER HARM HER, BESIDES HIM! HE BECOMES ABUSIVE AND HAS MANY SECRETS TO HIDE FROM HIS PAST. EVERYONE FEARS CAM, BECAUSE EVEN HIS CREW KNOWS THAT IF THEY CROSS HIM THEY WILL PAY WITH THERE LIFE. MONA GROWS TO LOVE CAM, AND LOVES HER LAVISH LIFESTYLE THAT HE PROVIDES HER WITH EVEN MORE.
MONA DIGS INTO THE SECRETS OF CAM'S LIFE AND PAST. SHE DISCOVERS THING'S ABOUT HIM, AND NOW SHE KNOWS THAT HE IS NOT ONLY DANGEROUS, BUT THAT SHE IS INVOLVED TO DEEP TO GET IT OUT, SHE HAS TO SEE THIS RELATIONSHIP THROUGH, BUT SHE ALSO KNOWS SHE NEEDS TO SAVE ENOUGH MONEY THAT SHE FINANCE HER FUTURE ALONE, ONCE SHE LEAVES CAM.
MONA MAKES MISTAKES CONCERNING INFEDILITY, AND SHE KNOWS IF CAM FINDS OUT SHE WILL PAY WITH HER LIFE. SHE FINALLY GOT THE COURAGE, THE PLAN, AND THE MONEY TO LEAVE CAM, BUT TIME HAS RUN OUT! MONA CALLS HOME TO FIND OUT HER MOTHER IS AN ACTIVE CHURCH MEMBER AND HAS GIVEN HER SOUL TO GOD. MONA PUTS HER ESCAPE PLAN INTO ACTION BY WRITING HER MOTHER A LETTER AND SENDING THE MONEY SHE HAS TAKEN FROM CAM TO HER MOTHER UPS, ALONG WITH A MESSAGE, SAYING IF I DONT EVER MAKE IT HOME, OR SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME CAM IS THE SUSPECT. MONA'S BROTHER YATTA IS DEEPLY INVOLVED WITH CAM THROUGH CAM BEING YATTA'S DRUG SUPPLIER.
THIS BOOK WAS GOOD, THIS BOOK HAD A FEW TWISTS THAT I NEVER SAW COMING!!IT WAS A SIMPLE READ, THIS IS THE JIST OF THE STORY. IT ENDED IN A WAY WHERE YOU ANTICIPATE IMMEDIATELY STARTING TO READ THE SEQUEL GRIMEY. SO BUY BOTH AT THE SAME TIME. I DONT WANT TO GO ON AND ON AND GIVE TO MUCH OF THE BOOK AWAY, BUT IT IS A GOOD ONE TIME READ, AND I DONT THINK YOU WILL REGRET BUYING IT OR HAVING IT ON THE BOOKSHELF.

sequel to the rescue.......2006-11-05

Blinded was a generally good read but it definitly needed the sequel Grimey otherwise it would have only got 3 stars from me the plot really dragged out I recommend this book only if you purchase Grimey with it it's the only way to fully understand it.

Simone's Comment.......2006-10-01

I found this book to be very intertaining and would reccomend it to all teenage girls to read. THIS BOOK IS HARD TO PUT DOWN!!!!

Average customer rating:

Great ending to what otherwise I found stale
"He is Recalled to Life..."
The Political Intrigue of Dickens
A Masterpiece Novel Set Before The French Revolution
Much to Offer

A Tale of Two Cities (Penguin Classics)
Charles Dickens
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Great Expectations (Penguin Classics)
A Tale of Two Cities (Cliffs Notes)
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ASIN: 0141439602
Release Date: 2003-05-27

Book Description

Edited with an Introduction and Notes by Richard Maxwell.

Customer Reviews:

Great ending to what otherwise I found stale.......2007-07-21

It always takes me a while before I really get interested in any story. Unfortunately this story took until almost the end before it really grabbed me. It may not be that bad for you, but I found some of the sentences extremely long. After reading David Copperfield I'm put off by his diction or older cliches, as long as the story is compelling. Many of his descriptive narratives were just too long and drawn out. I think there might have been some clever metaphors that I was just to lazy to think about; or as an excuse I don't know that much about that time in history. The end was full of action and suspense, I don't know if it was more disappointing that the story ended or that the first five-sixths of the book was flat. I hope your experience will be better than mine.

"He is Recalled to Life...".......2007-07-09

Everyone knows the opening line of this novel: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times," but have you ever stopped to think about what it actually means? Putting a context on famous lines of literature is (for me at least) one of the best parts about reading classic novels, something that everyone should attempt to do at some stage during their lifetimes. "A Tale of Two Cities" definitely falls into that category, as it contains some of Dickens's best and most complex work. The title stems from the fact that it is London and Paris - rather than any individual character - which make up the central character of the novel, and the way in which these two cities guide the fates of their inhabitants.

This is certainly one of Charles Dickens's more unique novels, being one of only two of his works (the other being Barnaby Rudge (Penguin Classics)) that is best described as historical fiction. Incorporating events of the French Revolution such as the storming of the Bastille, the September massacres and the infamous Revolutionary tribunals that sent thousands to their deaths at the gulliotine, the novel is set against a wide sweep of history that provides the context for the intrigues of his characters. As Dickens himself articulated, characters are not as developed as they are in his other works, and are revealed through action rather than dialogue or exposition. Thus, "A Tale of Two Cities" is far from a character study, though Dickens provides several vivid scenes that give us insight into the players, whether it be the monotonous shoe-making of Doctor Manette, the lethargic leaning of Sydney Carton or the frantic knitting of Madame Defarge.

Pulling together a complex story of betrayal, intrigue, danger, hidden identities and past secrets, Dickens weaves his three protagonists (insofar as you could say this novel *has* protagonists) into a complicated tale set against the dangers of the French Revolution: Doctor Manette, a freed prisoner of the old aristocratic regime, Charles Darnay, an exiled French aristocrat who has denounced his heritage, and Sydney Carton, a brilliant English lawyer with a wastrel lifestyle (who is also the most vivid character in the novel). Each man becomes swept up in the events of the Revolution, each facing their inner demons and the secrets of the past that rise up to threaten their lives and the lives of their loved ones.

As is to be expected, at the centre of this maelstrom is a young woman, with whom all males are besotted. She is a typical Dickensian heroine: meek, virtuous, beautiful, tearful, and the object of everyone's dearest affections. As someone who has read several Dickens books, she is a somewhat frustrating character - is there really a difference between Lucie Manette and say, Rose of Oliver Twist (Penguin Classics) or Agnes of David Copperfield (Penguin Classics) or Biddy of Great Expectations (Penguin Classics)? Lucie is the paragon of Victorian expectations in a woman, the domestic goddess, the angel of the house, the damsel in distress (in fact, the most memorable aspect to her character is Dickens's mention of her talent at arranging furniture. I'm not kidding). Yes, she is a product of the time, and no doubt a reflection of Dickens's own longings (considering his own domestic lifestyle was far from ideal), but you can't help but wish that Dickens had taken the time to explain why Lucie had such an extraordinary effect on the men around her, rather than just tell us that such a thing was so.

Despite this, Dickens has a tightly plotted novel, which gradually reveals the intricate connections between each character as the story progresses. By any other author, these connections would seem melodramatic or too coincidental, in Dickens's hands, they take on the sense of an inevitable pattern taking shape, almost a fateful air. Juggling the intimate details of the inner turmoil relationships of the characters with the grander scale of the political upheaval, Dickens strikes the perfect balance between the two, personified in the cities themselves. London becomes the place of peace and security, but also dignified secrecy and disclosure (as Dickens famously ponders in the opening chapters, pointing out that we - as human beings - are all mysteries to each other), whereas Paris is swept up in violence, blood-lust and a witch hunt for enemies of the new order. Yet as Richard Maxwell points out in his enlightening introduction to this edition, the two cities exist together in the course of the novel - without Paris, Carton's melancholic and wasteful life was in vain; without London, there is no safe haven for the Darnay family to flee to.

Dickens also has room for his own commentary on the Revolution, and is careful in his portrayal of those involved, making none of them totally evil, nor completely virtueous. Everyone involved is painted in shades of grey, making the Revolution itself a complicated process of upheaval, cruelty, justice, madness, victory and tragedy. Just as the revolt of the people is perceived as justified against the tyranny of the aristocracy that abuses their position so appallingly, the madness that follows becomes just as horrifying as the rule of that which preceded it. As it stands, Dickens ends the novel by alluding to the execution of Madame Roland, who was said to have cried out just before her death: "O Liberty, what crimes are committed in thy name!" This is one of my favourite Dickens's novels, and leaves you with plenty to mull over long after you've finished reading.

The Political Intrigue of Dickens.......2007-07-03

** This review is a synthesis of the three Charles Dickens books that I've read: A Tale of Two Cities (Penguin Classics), Great Expectations (Penguin Classics), and David Copperfield (Penguin Classics). The rationale for reviewing in this manner is to provide a foundation point of reference for those not new to Dickens' work.

In the last two years I have read, in this order, Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations, and David Copperfield. All three of these books were exceptional reads, and if you are thinking about dipping your toes in the waters of Charles Dickens you can't go wrong with any of them. However, notwithstanding the fact that these three books are all in the upper echelon of world literature, I have no difficulty in distinguishing between them and coming to the conclusion that they are properly ordered, from "most best" to "least best": David Copperfield, Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations.

It seems generally to be the case that, for those who have read just one of Dickens' books, Great Expectations is the book most people have been exposed to. And most people who read Great Expectations love it. The genre is probably best described as romance meshed with individual tragedy among numerous characters. However, perhaps the strongest part of the book is the manner in which the secondary characters present a contrast to the primary story. I liked the book very much, but I think it suffers from two flaws not present in the other works reviewed here. First, the characters are not as believable as in the other two works. Second, the plot follows an unlikely path, especially in the end. Concerning this second point, it should be noted that Dickens struggled with the ending of this work, and I think it shows.

Tale of Two Cities ranks second in this group in my mind. This book is a combination of political intrigue, romance, and personal triumph. I rank this book above Great Expectations for the sole reason that the characters in this book are so strongly developed. I don't think I have been exposed to more memorable characters in any book I've ever read. The story is interesting, too, because it takes place against the backdrop of a historical event, the French Revolution. I think Dickens had an easier time writing a convincing plot in this story than in Great Expectations because he had the aid of a real historical event.

Great Expectations and Tale of Two Cities are both excellent books, but David Copperfield is simply the best piece of literature I've ever read. To be sure, I'm only 24 and have only read 10 pieces of classic literature since my high school years. However, David Copperfield so outdid anything I've read that I feel more than comfortable in recommending it as certainly one of the best books of all time. Dickens did a remarkable job of capturing a wide variety of human emotions and mindsets. He was aided in this by two things. First, the length of the book gave him space to fully develop his sentiments. Second, the book is written in a first-person autobiographical voice, which I think made capturing sentiments much easier than in attempting to narrate them in the third-person. Further, because the book chronicles David's life from childhood through middle-age the reader is exposed to a wide variety of human thoughts. The characters, for the most part, are more believable and the plot is generally good; I took offense to only one chapter in the whole book.

Now, if you haven't read any of Dickens' books, I don't recommend starting with David Copperfield. I would start with Great Expectations and work through a couple others before David Copperfield. In terms of the plots, David Copperfield is much more similar to Great Expectations than Tale of Two Cities. So if you loved Great Expectations I think you will be well satisfied with David Copperfield. The plot from Tale of Two Cities is the odd-ball of this trio. In any case, all three of these books are great pieces of literature... enjoy.

A Masterpiece Novel Set Before The French Revolution.......2007-07-01

Charles Dickens, who lived from 1812 to 1870, is the best know male English writer of the 19th century. He authored 22 novels plus numerous short pieces. Most of his writing was first written in serialized form, later published as single novels.

A young Dickens at the age of 12 had the unenviable job of attaching labels 10 hours a day at the Warren's boot blacking factory. That experience shaped much of his writing career. Still in his teens he became a law clerk, then later in his twenties a journalist. The last job as a reporter led to the serialized writing of his novels. His works were social commentaries with larger than life characters, or colorful caricatures, living in the slums of London. He was a critic of poverty, social injustice, and the slow moving court system.

Those themes permeate most of his novels. A few novels are different, including the present A Tale of Two Cities, written towards the end of his writing career. This is a historical novel set in England and France during the years leading up to the French Revolution, starting around the year 1775. At first glance it appears less complicated than his other works, but on closer inspection one will find that the novel is relatively complicated. It is a three part story with time shifting and with many characters, and with lots of intrigue and drama.

Without giving away critical plot elements - and it is a complicated plot which most will have trouble remembering anyway - the story opens in England as a bank representative, Lorry, travels to Dover to meet a young woman, Lucie Manette. They proceed to Saint Antoine near Paris in search of Lucie's father, Dr. Manette, who was in prison, but who has now been released. During the incarceration, he has lost his mind.

Action then shifts back to England, five years later, to the trial of Chalres Darnay for spying. Lucie and her father testify at the trial. Darnay is acquitted and released. In Paris, Darnay's uncle, the Marquis, is involved in a street accident and other plot elements. Back in England, Darnay marries Lucie. Then, Darnay returns to Paris to help a friend of the Marquis and is imprisoned as an emigrant or aristocrat. The rest of the novel involves the return to Paris of Lucie, her father, and Lorry, and their struggle to get Darnay released. Will they be able to free him from prison or will he be executed?

Beyond the intrigue and drama, the novel is a vehicle for Dickens to describe the horrors of the French Revolution in a serial form, later made into a novel.

I enjoyed the read and would recommend the book.

Much to Offer.......2007-04-02

A Tale of Two cities is a vivid story of the French Revolution filled with imagery and motifs that are thick in the literature. So many stories collide in as the numerous characters are all connected some way, some how. There's a dramatic love triangle, a revenge story, a recovery from an eighteen year imprisonment and much more.

Charles Dickens writes as someone from his day would, filled with commas and metaphors. For children under thirteen this might be inappropriate, not because of content, but because they might not understand it enough to appreciate all it has to offer. It shows the immoral side of humanity, even though revenge isn't the only purpose. The aristocrats were mercilessly taken from there homes and to La Guillotine.

Motifs such as The Sea, Redemption, Secret Sins, Letters, and many others reinforce what is trying to be demonstrated. They are occurring events or ideas that keep the book interesting. So many of these characters come to their doom and it the affects the reader just as it would if you were actually watching it. Dramatic foreshadowing is also very affecting, but the actual events are even more thrilling.

Overall, I recommend this book to all willing to read, it's a wonderful book to enhance your literary vocabulary. It has tastes for men with its brutal wars and battles, but also has a sense of feminism as the love story will interests the women.

15 Books in 1: L. Frank Baum's Original "Oz" Series. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Marvelous Land of Oz, Ozma of Oz, Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz, The Road to Oz, The Emerald City of Oz, The Patchwork Girl Of Oz, Little Wizard Stories of Oz, Tik-Tok of Oz, The Scarecrow Of Oz, Rinkitink In Oz, The Lost Princess Of Oz, The Tin Woodman Of Oz, The Magic of Oz, and Glinda Of Oz.

Average customer rating:

Classic Stories revisited
difficult to read
all the books none of the pictures
Look For Border's Edition
The books of OZ

15 Books in 1: L. Frank Baum's Original "Oz" Series. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Marvelous Land of Oz, Ozma of Oz, Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz, The Road to Oz, The Emerald City of Oz, The Patchwork Girl Of Oz, Little Wizard Stories of Oz, Tik-Tok of Oz, The Scarecrow Of Oz, Rinkitink In Oz, The Lost Princess Of Oz, The Tin Woodman Of Oz, The Magic of Oz, and Glinda Of Oz.
L, Frank Baum
Manufacturer: Shoes and Ships and Sealing Wax Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0954840135

Book Description

This unique '15 books in 1' edition of L. Frank Baum's original "Oz" series contains the following complete works: "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz", "The Marvelous Land of Oz", "Ozma of Oz", "Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz", "The Road to Oz", "The Emerald City of Oz", "The Patchwork Girl Of Oz", "Little Wizard Stories of Oz", "Tik-Tok of Oz", "The Scarecrow Of Oz", "Rinkitink In Oz", "The Lost Princess Of Oz", "The Tin Woodman Of Oz", "The Magic of Oz", and "Glinda Of Oz". For over a hundred years, L. Frank Baum's classic fairy stories about the land of Oz have been delighting children and parents alike. Now, for the first time, the entire Oz series is available in this single, great-value, edition!

Customer Reviews:

Classic Stories revisited.......2007-10-10

Frank Baum is a classic writer that had a beautiful writing style that children should revisit that Grandparents enjoyed. These stories should be available in every library in our country as classic tales. My daughter is reading more and her imagination is in full bloom with this collection of books. The publisher and person responsible for puting this collection together should be applauded!

difficult to read.......2007-08-13

This book is condensed, I mean two pages printed on one page so the lettering is very small and none of the original art work is included. I did not realize when I bought it that the letters would be small. I also thought the original art work would be included. It's not bad if you want to read it with a magnifying glass.

all the books none of the pictures.......2007-06-25

I was wondering how they could fit all 15 oz books into 1 volume. the answer is by having no illustrations, two columns per page, and very small print. I felt like I was reading a text book more than a childrens set of books. it still works for a bedtime story for my son (though he really wants pictures), but for something to keep my son occupied while we ride on the bus it's a bit big to tote around. the story's are as I expected, designed for kids with no really scary parts and super simple plots; dull for a grown up but good for younger kids.

Look For Border's Edition.......2007-04-25

I give this book 5 stars because it is "OZ". I purchased something similar, but much much better from Border's , two years ago. Available from Amazon, look for 'The OZ Chronicles'. Volume 1 and Volume 2 contain all of Baum's Oz books. Green Leather Hardcovers, great size print. Volume 3 contains Baum's other books and stories. Incredible find and value.

The books of OZ.......2007-02-07

Great to have all of the stories included in one book. I don't need to worry about finding all the books to read. Great buy!

Average customer rating:

give this poor dog a bone
Humorous Dog Story
Gracie.
Amazing Dan Dye & Mark Beckloff
Sweet Story....

Amazing Gracie: A Dog's Tale
Dan Dye , and Mark Beckloff
Manufacturer: Workman Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Essays | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 076111937X

Book Description

It was love at first sight. Amid the frenzied barking and prancing of a house full of Great Danes, one pup was shivering in the corner. Gracie. But when Dan Dye reached her, she struggled to her feet like a clumsy foal, raised her forehead to his, and announced, as clearly as if she had actually spoken the words, You know I'm the one. No get me outta here!

By turns funny, moving, tender, and inspiring, Gracie's tale is a treat for every dog lover. There is Gracie's first morning, racing around Dan in the snowy yard. Gracie's first determination to prove to her step-sisters, Dottie the Dalmation and Sarah the Black Lab, that she's one of the girls. Gracie's defiant romance with a pint-size charmer named Byron, a Boston Terrier from the wrong side of the fence.

Then born of necessity, the eureka moment: When Gracie's delicate constitution starts turning into anorexia, Dan teaches himself how to cook, and in three days is baking her the cookies that will spur her appetite, launch Three Dog Bakery, and transform their lives forever.

Courage. Compassion. Kindness. Soul. Tenacity. And joy, above all, joy. These qualities Gracie possessed in abundance, and shared with everyone, human or canine, who had the good fortune to cross her path.

Customer Reviews:

give this poor dog a bone.......2007-09-02

This is a fun, sweet, and eventually poignant story, and an interesting account of the startup of the three dog bakery. I loved to hear about Gracie, and she sure makes the idea of a Dane tempting (I've got GSDs myself). What I couldn't figure out though, was why the emphasis on feeding this poor dog whole wheat flour, fruits and veggies. The author talks about poor Gracie potentially starving to death, while he searches for the perfect "nonmeat, nonchocolate, nonsalt, nonsugar ingredient" and discusses carrots, spinach, bananas, apples, pears, etc. And I'm thinking -- why nonmeat? I mean, dogs are carnivores, after all. Why not give up on the pears and hand this starving dog vanishing into thin air half a raw chicken and see what she does with it and how she makes out?

Perhaps because my dogs are raw fed that I am so puzzled by the non meat reference. They do eat a few Castor and Pollux organic chicken cookies on rare occasions (we don't have a Three Dog bakery around here) but the first ingredient even of those is chicken liver, not grain flour, which I can't honestly see how dogs could need or want, for that matter. I'm glad Gracie survived, and more power to Dan and Mark for their incredible business success, and Dan's dedication to keep Gracie going one pan of cookies at a time. But after reading this account of feverish and desperate mixing and baking and substituting ingredients (long before they even had the idea for a business), to keep Gracie fed, I kept thinking how misguided the effort, how much easier and more natural it is just to raw feed and why Dan didn't consider giving her a nice raw meaty bone instead of searching for the perfect "nonmeat" ingredients. I still don't understand that. Later he does talk about baking vegetable beef biscuits, but it still seems to me if I had a starving dog I'd cut a chicken in half -- or for a dog that big, perhaps a whole chicken, and just feed her naturally. Better for her, and so much easier. But apart from that, it's a great tail. I mean tale :)

Humorous Dog Story.......2007-08-16

This book is hilarious and very well written. Dan Dye describes the scenarios with such perfect pitch that I found myself laughing out loud throughout the book. He artfully describes his mis-adventures while raising an almost blind and deaf Great Dane puppy and the people that he comes to know and understand while doing so.

Gracie........2007-06-12

One of the most heartwarming dog stories ever written!
Everybody should read this book, dog lover or not, to experience all the different emotions that express love.

Amazing Dan Dye & Mark Beckloff.......2007-03-24

I have given as presents at least ten copies of "Amazing Gracie: A Dog's Tale". It is such an inspirational and heartwarming story. I will forever be grateful to Dan Dye and Mark Beckloff for sharing the story of Gracie with us. Because of Gracie, they started the Three Dog Bakery, a gourmet food store for pets. Through Three Dog Bakery, Dan and Mark have helped raise money for many homeless dogs. In today's world, it is nice to know that there are people like Dan & Mark.

Sweet Story...........2007-03-06

A really Sweet book about the kind of dog we would all like to have, and the kind of story we all like to hear. A dog noone wanted turns out to be the best dog....smart, loving,protective....I read this in two days because I couldn't stop reading it....I loved the illustrations in the book, they are just as amusing as the story. You will probably shed a tear but it is more a happy story than sad. Like they say....the only thing wrong with our canine companions is they they don't live long enough. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

Tales of the City (Tales of the City Series, V. 1)

Average customer rating:

A Modern Day Classic
Very interesting characters
A glimpse at a time and a place ...
Masterful comic soap
The sun always shines on Barbary Lane

Tales of the City (Tales of the City Series, V. 1)
Armistead Maupin
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Comic | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

United States | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

More Tales of the City (Showtime Tie-In Edition)
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Significant Others

ASIN: 0060964049

Amazon.com

Since 1976, Maupin's Tales of the City has etched itself upon the hearts and minds of its readers, both straight and gay. From a groundbreaking newspaper serial in the San Francisco Chronicle to a bestselling novel to a critically acclaimed PBS series, Tales (all six of them) contains the universe--if not in a grain of sand, then in one apartment house.

Book Description

Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City has blazed a singular trail through popular culture -- from a groundbreaking newspaper serial to a classic novel to a television event that entranced millions around the world. The first of six novels about the denizens of the mythic apartment house at 28 Barbary Lane, Tales is both a wry comedy of manners and a deeply involving portrait of a vanished era.

Customer Reviews:

A Modern Day Classic.......2007-10-02

Armistead Maupin not only captures the zeitgeist of San Francisco in the '70s, but through his characters, carries us through moments of the human condition, seperate from time, place and gender.

Very interesting characters.......2007-09-01

This book really gets involved with individual characters which make it extremely interesting...All the different types that their paths meet and how different people can be but how they can all connect with one another in their own individual way. It is a very fun reading book. I enjoyed it.

A glimpse at a time and a place ..........2007-08-10

Every now and then an author is able to capture the "magic" - flavor may be a more accurate description - of a time and place. Armistead Maupin has done that in _Tales of the City_.

Set in San Francisco in the mid-1970's, the lives of his characters cross each other and intertwine. Originally written as a serial in the San Francisco _Chronicle_, it is reminiscent of Dickens: short vignettes with sharply drawn characters, plenty of drama and tension (sexual and otherwise) that frequently leave the reader with a cliff-hanger at the end of the chapter leaving you hungering for more.

The writing is witty (every few pages I was laughing out loud - much to the chagrin of those sitting around me at the coffee shop where I was reading most of the book), a bit irreverant (sexuality, gender, race and class are all targets of Maupin's pen), and utterly entertaining. I thorougly enjoyed the stories, and I highly recommend it.

Masterful comic soap.......2007-06-16

Centred on 28 Barbary Lane, San Francisco, the home of Anna Madrigal, Tales of the City chronicles the day to day life of Mrs Madrigal and her assorted tenants, along with their friends and colleagues. The eccentric Mrs Madrigal considers her residents as her family, leaves them notes accompanied by a joint and serves brownies suitably fortified. The residents include twenty five year old Mary Anne, a naïve young secretary newly arrived from Cleveland; Mona, a successful copywriter working for ad agency Halcyon Communications; Brian Hawkins, a randy waiter and one time lawyer in his thirties; and Michael (Mouse) Tolliver, a thoroughly likeable lively gay twink. Among the friends and colleagues, and very much part of the story are Edgar Halcyon, head of Halcyon Communications; and Beauchamp Day, his promiscuous son-in-law and business partner; along with their respective wives. By a remarkable series of coincidences the lives of residents, friends and acquaintances connect and interweave to comic effect.

Their escapades range from the devious to the outrageous, ruthless to movingly caring; their sexual interests/orientation from straight to gay, and not always necessarily consistent; the whole providing an hilarious and touching account full of adventure.

A thoroughly entertaining, funny and fast moving read, with some endearing and very likeable characters, I highly recommended it; and very much look forward to the subsequent developments in the many sequels.

The sun always shines on Barbary Lane.......2007-01-02

When you're sitting in a gloomy room in England with the sun having vanished months ago, there is nothing like re-reading the brilliant Armistead Maupin's 'Tales of the City' books. If you are new to these, they tell you all about the bohemian existence of some colourful and wonderful characters in historic San Francisco. The stories are wonderful and the books flow well into each other so that reading five in a row is actually quite easy and very rewarding. One of my favourite series I think.

Average customer rating:

High-flying fun

The Tale of Pale Male: A True Story
Jeanette Winter
Manufacturer: Harcourt Children's Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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Nature - Pale Male

ASIN: 0152059725

Book Description

Here is the incredible true story of a Red-tailed Hawk that makes himself at home in the most unlikely of places--atop a high-rise apartment building in New York City. Named Pale Male by his many fans, this majestic bird not only endures in this urban environment, he thrives. But when the residents have Pale Male's nest removed from their building, a historic battle--and triumph--ensues, uniting bird lovers everywhere.

With Jeanette Winter's beloved folk art-inspired illustrations and soulful insight into the spirit of this beautiful hawk, this is a book that will delight nature enthusiasts of all ages.

Includes an author's note.

Customer Reviews:

High-flying fun.......2007-04-24

"The Tale of Pale Male" is a gussied-up true story for the Picture Book set. Remember Pale Male--a Red-tailed hawk--and his Fifth Avenue perch? (Mary Tyler Moore lives in his building.) Remember how Pale Male brought his gal pal Lola to his favorite spot and they built a nest? Remember the birdwatchers down below and the momentous birth of two "hungry chicks"?

Pale Male and Lola set off a media storm when they build their huge nest and begin circling the skies of Manhattan. People lined the street to watch the birds fly and the chicks hatch. Winter chronicles their story and their abrupt eviction from 927 Fifth Avenue when downstairs neighbors complain of the "evidence of Lola's meals" falling on "to the balcony below." (Note: Winter includes only bones, leaves, and twigs in this "evidence.") Media and public outrage follow culminating in the restoration of Pale Male's home.

Winter successfully combines two stories in "The Tale of Pale Male." On the one hand it's the story of people standing up for nature even in the heart of Manhattan. On the other hand, it's a nature story--we learn how Red-tail hawks build nests, what they eat, and how they live.

Winter's pallette of grays, purples, and teals beautifully suits Pale Male's city life, especially when contrasted with the opening pages illustrated in the greens, blues and browns of a Red-tailed hawk's life in nature. An "author's note" at the end of the book gives us the straight story.

"The Tale of Pale Male" is best suited for readers ages four to eight. School-aged children in kindergarten through second grade will especially like "The Tale of Pale Male" at story time. Its dual story line will appeal to city slickers and nature lovers alike.

The Crystal City: The Tales of Alvin Maker, Volume VI (Alvin Maker)

Average customer rating:

OK Ending
Excellent Adventure
give it a chance!!!!
Keeping up with The Makers
A wonderful alternate history and engaging characters

The Crystal City: The Tales of Alvin Maker, Volume VI (Alvin Maker)
Orson Scott Card
Manufacturer: Tor Fantasy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0812564626
Release Date: 2004-08-05

Book Description

Using the lore and the folk-magic of the men and women who settled North America, Orson Scott Card has created an alternate world where magic works, and where that magic has colored the entire history of the colonies. Charms and beseechings, hexes and potions, all have a place in the lives of the people of this world. Dowsers find water, the second sight warns of dangers to come, and a torch can read a person's future---or their heart.In this world where "knacks" abound, Alvin, the seventh son of a seventh son, is a very special man indeed. He's a Maker; he has the knack of understanding how things are put together, how to create them, repair them, keep them whole, or tear them down. He can heal hearts as well as bones, he build a house, he can calm the waters or blow up a storm. And he can teach his knack to others, to the measure of their own talent.Alvin has been trying to avert the terrible war that his wife, Peggy, a torch of extraordinary power, has seen down the life-lines of every American. Now she has sent him down the Mizzippy to the city of New Orleans, or Nueva Barcelona as they call it under Spanish occupation. Alvin doesn't know exactly why he's there, but when he and his brother-in-law, Arthur Stuart, find lodgings with a family of abolitionists who know Peggy, he suspects he'll find out soon. But Nueva Barcelona is about to experience a plague, and Alvin's efforts to protect his friends by keeping them healthy will create more danger than he could ever have suspected. And in saving the poor people of the city, Alvin will be put to the greatest test of his life---a test that will draw on all his power. For the time has come for him to turn to his old friend Tenskwa-Tawa, the Red Prophet who controls the lands to the west of the Mizzippy. Now Alvin must take the first steps on the road to the Crystal City that was shown to him in a vision so long ago.

Customer Reviews:

OK Ending.......2007-04-05

Loved all of the books in this series and all the way up to the end it was a great journey but it sort of felt unfinished. I wish that there was more to the ending.

Excellent Adventure.......2006-07-26

I enjoyed this newest contribution as much or more than the previous works. It is a fabulous adventure, and I am awaiting the next installment very impatiently. It is not apparent as yet whether Mr. Card is actully going to produce the next installment, I hesitatingly admit, but I believe there is more to tell in this adventure. Here's hoping. At any rate, this book was a very good investment. Hope you enjoy it as much.

give it a chance!!!!.......2006-06-14

i loved this book, it was really great i could hardely put it down. it's funny how it has history in it and how they play it into the book so that it actually makes some sense. i really liked arthurs character, he was so funny and reminded me a lot of my brother. it had so much suspence in it. it's a great book that people should just read to give it a chance.

Keeping up with The Makers.......2005-12-18

This book, the sixth in the Alvin Maker series, is just as entertaining as the first five. I enjoy Card's style of writing and like the fact that he creates a historical science fiction so well. In this story many of the characters of previous books are reintroduced and the author, at times, only gives vague information as to their history in the story, so I don't suggest that anyone read this if they haven't read the other five (but of course the others were great too so there's no reason to not want to read them). I do feel that this book has less of "something," but I'm not sure what exactly it is. I do still advise people to read it, especially if they're wondering what will happen to all these folks in the next book.

A wonderful alternate history and engaging characters.......2005-10-20

Its been a long time since I read the earlier books in this series, so many of the details of the earlier events have become fuzzy. Consequently, I was concerned about picking this up and finding myself confused by jumping into the middle of the story. Happily, this book stands well enough on its own that this didn't happen. Card continues to be a terrific storyteller, with compelling characters who make you care about what happens to them. His alternate history, based on a reality in which magic is real, is also convincing and provides a thoroughly interesting backdrop to his story. However, it is the character interactions in this book that are the most enjoyable. The dialog is filled with verbal swordplay that is both biting and funny, and which also sounds true to life. The only criticism I can offer for this book is that the ending, while hopeful, is also so open ended that it practically screams that Card intends to continue writing books for this series.

Average customer rating:

The most unforgettable opening and closing sentences ever found in a book!
A Good Review
A Story Like No Other
Classic Story of Love and Redemption!
An amazing tale

A Tale of Two Cities (Bantam Classic)
Charles Dickens
Manufacturer: Bantam Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0553211765
Release Date: 1989-05-01

Book Description

With his sublime parting words, "It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done..." Sidney Carton joins that exhalted group of Dickensian characters who have earned a permanent place in the popular literary imagination. His dramatic story, set against the volcanic fury of the French Revolution and pervaded by the ominous rumble of the death carts trundling toward the guillotine, is the heart-stirring tale of a heroic soul in an age gone mad. A masterful pageant of idealism, love, and adventure -- in a Paris bursting with revolutionary frenzy, and a London alive with anxious anticipation -- A Tale of Two Cities is one of Dickens's most energetic and exciting works.

Download Description

Dicken's classic novel of The French Revolution. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…"

Customer Reviews:

The most unforgettable opening and closing sentences ever found in a book!.......2007-07-14

I will never, the rest of my life forget these two sentences. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness...." and at closing "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."

Wow, this is not your usual Dickens. No quirky characters with strange names and laugh out loud moments, just a darn good story -- the story of two cities, London and Paris. It is difficult to put the plot into words, but when the book begins you are in London at the time of the American revolution and spies (or suspected spies) abound, and the story eventually switches to France prior to and during the French revolution.

Dickens does a marvelous job (as always) of building his story one step at a time and slowly peeling back the layers one at a time. This is not a put down and pick it up a week later kind of a book, it is very intense and complicated and you have to pay close attention. I was just floored at how he sucked me in with his descriptions of the mobs, terror and the madness of the revolution leading you to a nail biting finish. I admit to holding my breath during those last few pages!

Highly recommended, and well worth the time to discover (or rediscover) an old classic.

A Good Review.......2007-05-17

I think this book was great! In the beginning of this book some of the words are French or English, which makes them a little hard to read, but once you get past that it turns into an amazing book. This book is about a daughter who saves her father from insanity and brings him home to England. Years after that day the daughter is married and her husband is asked to come to France (the French Revolution is taking place), but once he gets there he is put on death trial because of his fathers' crimes. In the end of the book the husband is saved and they all go back to England.

A Story Like No Other.......2007-04-02

Classic Story of Love and Redemption!.......2007-02-19

This is easily my second favorite classic novel. Saturated with adventure, love, passion, and redemption, Dickens expertly and eloquently details the lives of many characters all woven together by the golden threads of love during the tumultuous and dangerous French Revolution. A must read!

An amazing tale.......2007-01-07

To begin, this is the first Dickens novel I have ever read. As a student of history and political science, most of my reading projects involve works of nonfiction. I must admit that I am not well versed in classic literature--a fact that I am ashamed of whenever I watch jeopardy or converse with literature fans. This past year I made a concerted effort to acquaint myself with some of the classic masterpieces. As a social studies major, "A Tale of Two Cities" was an excellent choice to begin my foray into classic literature.
Charles Dickens is a master storyteller. How someone can contrive such an intricate and compelling tale is beyond my comprehension. Dickens's imaginative skills should be respected and envied by all writers. "A Tale of Two Cities" takes place during the French Revolution. It is a story about love, revenge, and sacrifice. Dickens portrays the madness and brutality of the French Revolution in vivid and skillful fashion.

This is a must read for anyone interested in literature and/or history. I can see how Dickens is not for everyone, however. The reader must have a good vocabulary to fully understand his writing. Knowledge of 18th century European history is an added advantage and will help the reader to better comprehend the situation and setting. If those prerequisites are met, the reader is sure to be moved by this masterpiece.

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