A Tale of Two Cities

Charles Dickens (1812-1870)

Original en 135551 words First published 1859 United Kingdom

Dickens's novel of the French Revolution, opening with the most famous sentence in English fiction: 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.' In 1775 a Parisian doctor is released after eighteen years in the Bastille; in London a dissolute lawyer who resembles him finds a reason to live. As revolution descends into the Terror, and the guillotine begins to demand its daily toll, the fates of the two cities and the two men converge on one self-sacrifice that gives the book its enduring close. A story of resurrection — personal and political — written by a novelist at the height of his powers.

Text sourced from Project Gutenberg (public domain in the United States); the Project Gutenberg trademark and license text have been removed on import. Public-domain status determined by the author's death year + 50 years rule.

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