A Tale of Two Cities
by Charles Dickens, originally published in 1859, read by Frederick Davidson, 1988, Blackstone Audiobooks, Inc.
First of all, I want to go on record that, as I have listened to two of Dickens’ books on tape in the last year, this one and Great Expectations, I did so prior to Oprah Winfrey’s choosing them as selections for her book club for the month of December, 2010. Had I known that she was going to do that, I am not sure that I would have listened to either of them, but, be that as it may, I did choose them on my own and enjoyed both.
Secondly, I recall that this book was assigned reading for my 9th grade English class and I absolutely hated it. I just couldn’t get into it and, even this time around, it was a bit tough going in the early chapters, especially the passages describing the coach ride and the court proceedings. The book evoked even harsher feelings as I had previously read it at a time when I had just gone away to boarding school at the tender age of fourteen, and I was undergoing some major psychological adjustments. This time, however, I stuck with the book and enjoyed it much more. I think this is due to the fact that I was listening to it this time rather than reading it and also due to a much greater appreciation of world history and knowledge of the French Revolution.
There are times when Dickens’ phrasing seems a bit quaint but the novel still holds its interest in spite of the passage of time. His characters are always interesting and the plot is much more involved than in some of his other books. Overall, it was a very satisfying experience. I might even go so far as to admit that Oprah’s choice of this book for her book club this month does seem to somewhat validate my very discriminating taste in literature.
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