Charles Dickens Books

Everyone knows the fairy tale story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. But few know what happened after the handsome prince found her, and brought her home to his castle to live happily ever after. Well now, thanks to dwarf, Stephane, we do. When the king's messenger arrives at their little cottage at the edge of the forest to invite the dwarfs to the royal wedding, they are eager to see their beloved Snow White again. Here is the story of that wonderful reunion, told in detail by Stephane, as he looks back and remembers the past, is fascinated and enticed by Snow White's life in the present, and finally looks forward to going back to their simple life at the edge of the forest, in the future..... Written in the first person as a journal or diary entry, Etienne Delessert has authored a unigue continuation of this much-loved fairy tale from the viewpoint of the dwarfs. His quiet, gentle, lyrical text is personal, sometimes poignant, sometimes amusing, and complemented by charming and engaging, detailed artwork in rich tones. Together word and art present an evocative story, full of imagery and magic, that will delight readers of all ages. Perfect for youngsters 4-8, The Seven Dwarfs is an endearing and entertaining story, complete with feel-good, satisfying ending, that ties up all the Snow White loose ends, and leaves you smiling.

I am glad that more of Dickens's "lesser" works are being made available. The format of the this series is great, too. I plan to purchase the series and watch for more as they are published.

I found Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities to be very overwhelming. The language and time span, shifting character views and sheer length of the novel are enough to get through. However this Sparks Notes has quick and easy references to characters and places found in the book and summaries of all the chapters. You could probably get away with reading it instead of the book but it's much better as a companion. Some teachers will easily see through you if you only read the Spark Notes, others won't. Anyway without this Spark Notes I'm not sure I would have been able to appreciate the book as much because It helped me to understand what was going on and it's difficult like something when you don't understand what's happening.

This audio drama contains four short stories by great authors such as Henry James and Oscar Wilde. In my opinion, Wilde's Canterville Ghost is the best of the four. The special sound effect are both scary and humourous. Wilde's weird sense of humor about a British old ghost meets his match of an American family is perfectly interpreted in audio form by the producer of this audiobook.

Now that I have seen the movie of "The Stingiest Man in Town", I would like to own this book. It would be great to preform this at school. I reccomend this as well as the movie to all fans of "A Christmas Carol".

Set amidst the turmoil of the corrupt governments of England and France, this story begins in 1775 with the release of Alexandre Manette who has unjustly been in prison for the past eighteen years. He is reunited with his eighteen-year-old daughter, Lucie Manette, who believed herself an orphan. Though Monsieur Manette gladly adjusts to leading a normal life again, he is haunted by the thought of something he cannot remember.

Charles Darnay is a French heir to much wealth, which he does not claim, due to the means by which it was acquired. Rather, he has chosen to earn his living by teaching, and in kindnesses to others, attempt to repair the wrongs incurred by his family. In one such instance of kindness, he meets the Manettes; their acquaintance grows into friendship throughout further meetings. Darnay's renunciation of wealth and position in France, donning a false name in England, and traffic between the two countries, cause each country to either dislike him or suspect him of treason. All of these things lead to tenuous situations for Charles Darnay.

Sidney Carton is a barrister of England, who, though very bright, is in general, bored with life. He is envious of Mr. Darnay because he holds the affection of the beautiful Miss Lucie Manette. Can he reconcile his love for Miss Manette, and his dislike of Mr. Darnay?

Aside from the characters already mentioned, A Tale of Two Cities contains wine shop keepers who lust for revenge on their French oppressors, a messenger for a bank who robs graves at night, Lucie Manette's opinionated faithful servant and friend, and various other characters, all intricate to Charles Dickens.

Although this is a story about people, it is also a tale of two cities, London and Paris, before and during the French revolution. It is a tale of loss and of gain, of violence and of peace, of revenge and of love. Perhaps it is best described by its opening words "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times".

This copy of the book has small, but definitely legible print, and contains eight expressive sketches. The cover is black, with gold lettering on the spine; the slipcover is blue, with yellow lettering, and a color picture of a man, a woman, and a child. The inside flaps contain a synopsis of the story and of Dickens' life and works.

This edition of 'A Tale of Two Cities' was a terrific help to me as a first-time teacher of this challenging book by Dickens. Nothing was lost in this translation and additional information was provided that helped me understand the somewhat archaic allusions. Additionally, suggested discussion questions appear in the margin throughout the book. I highly recommend this book as a reference for teachers and/or students or, if it does not make one bristle, instead of the original.

An unforgettable story of the French Revolution . . .

In writing this magnificent tale of London and Paris, Dickens deliberately turned away from the character novels which had won such tremendous popularity for him, and told a thrilling story -- for pure story's sake. The time is just before and during the French Revolution. Dickens' descriptions of the Paris of the Revolution are the greatest and most vivid in all English fiction. You will never forget the dramatic scene at the end in which Sydney Carton atones for a worthless life by a heroic act of devotion and loyalty to the woman he loved.

A Tale of Two Cities is one of Dickens's classics and certainly one of my favorite novels of all time. It is a masterpiece on many counts, the development of the characters, the setting of the scene, the intricacy of the plot, and for its meaning and ability to move the emotions. Here we have a complex plot gently unfolding under the shadow of the turbulent French Revolution. Where Dickens excels most is in his descriptions and characterization. Thus after a few pages you will be living with the characters, feeling their tribulations and enjoying their moments of happiness, traveling with them on the road and feeling the tension of the trial rooms. One can feel through the pages the rush of the crowds during the historic moment of the storming of the Bastille, and cannot escape feeling the sympathy for the rescued Dr. Manette. The patterns of the novel shift from the violent to the happy to the frightening to the violent in an endless cycle not unlike today's turbulent world, where the secret trials and the revolutionary bloodshed are the theme of the day. A Tale of Two Cities is a timeless story about the triumph of love in such terrible times.

This book is for anyone who ever tried to have a deeper understanding of A Tale of Two Cities without great success. I will use this book for my ESOL students. One is reading A Tale of Two Cities and finds it quite a chore. When I read this retelling I also got more out of the story than I had before. I highly recommend these retold stories.