WEDNESDAY 27/2023 and I have just seen your video on a "Tale of Two Cities," by Charles Dickens. I have read some of Dickens' work but not a "Tale of Two Cities." I will have to read it. Please do an indepth review of this book. Thank you.
I read this book some years ago because I found it free on my new kindle at the time. This was a time that i didn't normally read classics but I enjoyed it. I remember thinking that it was such a great book to read for free! I don’t remember much but your review has given me an enthusiasm to read it again. I would love it if you did an in depth review. Thanks
Wonderful! Don't you just love getting the classics for free?! A Tale of Two Cities is a remarkable book. The most un-Dickensian of all of his works. I still feel uneasy when I read it. There is a turmoil that agitates its waters, which I can only put down to a deep unease in Dickens himself. Sydney Carton is an interesting figure too. He is somewhat anomalous in his setting. ... I need to read this book again this coming year.
Tristan, as someone who has much interest in Classic Literature I am very appreciative of your channel. It is very difficult to find videos where people are willing to discuss more than just the key essential elements that make up a book. Your approach is very different in the sense that your discussion takes us deeper into the world of this story by mentioning Dickens use of various characters to portray the French Revolution. I was also very intrigued at how you discuss Dickens fear of dogmatic mentality in society and how it is inevitable to find that same nature scattered within our world today. I really enjoyed this video, I read A Tale of Two Cities last year and so far it is my favorite novel overall and of the Dickens work that I have read so far. I would be very interested in watching a second more in depth video about this book, I certainly will check out more videos from this channel as well.
Hi Genaro, thanks so much for leaving such an amazing comment. I thoroughly appreciate it. It's so good to meet someone with such enthusiasm for classic literature. Dickens was profoundly meditative on the state of society and human dispositions which haven't changed today. I would love to a deeper dive into this book, it is just a matter of having the time with so many other books waiting for review as well. Loved your comment Genaro and can't wait to hear more of your opinions.😀👍
I finished Great Expectations yesterday and I watched this video. I really appreciate the depth that you bring out of a novel. I hope to learn that skill as I continue to read the classics. Thank you.
It is surprising most scholars miss out mentioning that A Tale of Two Cities is not just about a pair of contrasting cities but also about pairs of contrasting principal characters. Sydney Carton and Charles Darney, Lucie and Madame Defarge, Dr. Mannet and Monseigneur St.Evremonde. The contrasting characteristics of the pairs I mentioned are noteworthy. For the records, I am not a scholar of English literature.
Hi Ilsa, Thanks for taking the time to comment so positively I really appreciate it. Dickens is just great, isn't he. He is called the Shakespeare of the novel by many. He can be very vicious and snarky in his criticism of society. No wonder his works helped to change so much in society.
@@tristanandtheclassics6538 I see the word "insurrection" being used in the media to describe the act of the rioters. But ultimately, that is really a matter of which political side you belong to, and which side the media sides with.
Great job on the review, very much enjoyed your analysis. Only one glitch I ever remember; Miss Pross & her confrontation with that she-devil Mme. Defarge. Did Miss Pross speak French, or Mme. SheMonster speak English? I could never sort that one out. :)
Would love in-depth analysis of any classic book for I love listening to you discussing the classics. Just be sure to bite in the video’s title that a spoiler alert. Thank you so much for your videos. I am thoroughly enjoying them. I hope you do more videos in your “100 Books You MUST Read” series.
I love your review! Brought back more detailed memories. I must read this book again. No other book of Dickens ever stuck with me as did his, A Tale of Two Cities. This is novel that lives inside of me. I consider it a transcendent work of literature where good and evil are brought into such vivid comparison and clarity. Utopianism strongly tends toward totalitarianism, for human beings are imperfect and force, coercion and murder are always needed to make the "perfect society," which absolutely cannot exist in this imperfect world. Communism, Nazism, Stalinism, Maoism, Jacobism, etcetera always result in totalitarian tyrannies of killing and control since they all need to scapegoat, foster divisions between groups (rich vs poor, etc), and silence those who do not agree to there "holier than thou" ideologies. Anyway, I've read the novel three times in my life. Yes, about time for another read. My wife already started her first read of this masterpiece.
Hey Tristan, I have been a subscriber for a few months now, but this is my first time commenting. I read “A Tale of Two Cities” in 2020. I am a bit embarrassed by the fact that (as a student at liberal arts college) I struggled for months to finish this one while I know there are middle schoolers who read it much quicker. :) If you ever decide to record an in depth review, I would definitely watch it, I know there is more to this story than I uncovered on my own! Here are two quotes that I jotted down while reading, “Nothing within range, nearer or lower than the summits of the two great towers of Notre-Dame, had any promise on it of healthy life or wholesome aspirations.” And, “Think now and then that there is a man who would give his life, to keep a life you love beside you!” -Sydney Carton
Hey Patrick, sorry for my late reply, I was away camping. Two Cities is a curious beast, isn't it? It is rather different in form to other works of Dickens and I think this can alter the pace at which we go through it. An in depth review would be good and I will hopefully get around to it sometime sooner rather than later. Two nice quotations. There is a recurrent suggestion amongst several novels which echo these sentiments. One cannot help but feel the suggestion of Christ's sacrifice in the Carton quote. An allusion called upon quite frequently by social commentators of the day.
I love David Copperfield and read that Our mutual friend was also one of Dickens' favourites? Which of his novels do you think is the best: the plot, the way it is written?
Hi Laura, great to hear from you again. Your question is a difficult one to answer. Dicken's is so good it is hard to call out a best work. Our Mutual Friend is very well beloved and critically acclaimed. Great Expectations is a wonder, which I personally love. However, as for plot and style, I would suggest Bleak House. It marked a development in Dickens as a writer. It's allegorical nature is moving. I will shortly be doing a video on this book too. Having said that, it isn't everybody's favourite. Hope this helps.
@@tristanandtheclassics6538 Thank you Tristan for your kind and quick answer. I am talking about your channel to my friends and on FB. You could also make a video about Dickens: his life and works.
@@tristanandtheclassics6538 actually started reading it in Spanish some months ago but stopped it can't remember the reason. As soon as I finish reading the ones I'm into now, I'll address it again :) Sending love from Spain, keep on uploading videos, they are great!
A Tale of Two Cities is Perhaps his greatest, but how can you choose from the many brilliant stories. Like everything Dickens wrote it is a complex story, with characters that live in your imagination forever. It is Dickens detailed description of his characters that bring them to life. You will never be able to forget any of them. In my family we recall Dickens characters who may fit into something that is going on at the time. Madame DeFarge is a favorite of ours and we have renamed many women as that infamous woman. Scrooge is of course another immortal character who we often use to describe someone we know.
I haven't read A Tale of Two Cites but I want to read it next. Thank you for explaining the story it will help me understand the history and the plot. 😊
Ooo I hope you enjoy it. Its quite different for Dickens. You must let me know what you think after you've read it, Beverley. Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. I really appreciate it.
I don’t know why you said it with such confidence and didn’t even bother to do a five second google search, but the entire Harry Potter series has sold over half a billion copies. Not one hundred million. The first Harry Potter book alone has sold for more than you said the entire series sold. Over one hundred and twenty million. You can find the answer to that in less amount of time than it takes to finish that false sentence. Lazy.
Thanks Mark. 😊 It was a tad careless, you are right. Though not quite as you might imagine. I did check the numbers but only scribbled 100mil Harry Potter in my notes. This was, as you correctly say, in connection with the First Harry Potter (and I was rounding the figure). When I looked at my jottings for the video later, I mistakenly took the number for the whole series. Much later I actually rematch the video and thought, "That number can't be right!" And, as you have pointed out it wasn't. However, the damage was already done. So, yes it was careless, but (and you were cheeky here 😜) not lazy. 😃👍
Love all your reviews. Would love to see a video where you get into this book deeper. It’s one of my favorites.
Me too!
Please come back and do an in depth review of this most awesome novel.
WEDNESDAY 27/2023 and I have just seen your video on a "Tale of Two Cities," by Charles Dickens. I have read some of Dickens' work but not a "Tale of Two Cities." I will have to read it. Please do an indepth review of this book. Thank you.
I read this book some years ago because I found it free on my new kindle at the time. This was a time that i didn't normally read classics but I enjoyed it. I remember thinking that it was such a great book to read for free! I don’t remember much but your review has given me an enthusiasm to read it again. I would love it if you did an in depth review.
Thanks
Wonderful! Don't you just love getting the classics for free?! A Tale of Two Cities is a remarkable book. The most un-Dickensian of all of his works.
I still feel uneasy when I read it. There is a turmoil that agitates its waters, which I can only put down to a deep unease in Dickens himself. Sydney Carton is an interesting figure too. He is somewhat anomalous in his setting. ... I need to read this book again this coming year.
I think the most two important characters are Sydney Carton and Madame Defarge.
Thank you for the nice review!
Tristan, as someone who has much interest in Classic Literature I am very appreciative of your channel. It is very difficult to find videos where people are willing to discuss more than just the key essential elements that make up a book. Your approach is very different in the sense that your discussion takes us deeper into the world of this story by mentioning Dickens use of various characters to portray the French Revolution. I was also very intrigued at how you discuss Dickens fear of dogmatic mentality in society and how it is inevitable to find that same nature scattered within our world today. I really enjoyed this video, I read A Tale of Two Cities last year and so far it is my favorite novel overall and of the Dickens work that I have read so far. I would be very interested in watching a second more in depth video about this book, I certainly will check out more videos from this channel as well.
Hi Genaro, thanks so much for leaving such an amazing comment. I thoroughly appreciate it. It's so good to meet someone with such enthusiasm for classic literature. Dickens was profoundly meditative on the state of society and human dispositions which haven't changed today. I would love to a deeper dive into this book, it is just a matter of having the time with so many other books waiting for review as well.
Loved your comment Genaro and can't wait to hear more of your opinions.😀👍
@@tristanandtheclassics6538 Thank you Tristan I appreciate it! I definitely look forward to seeing more from this channel🙂
Perfect video! I came to this video after finishing this marvelous novel and loved your review. Thank you.
I finished Great Expectations yesterday and I watched this video. I really appreciate the depth that you bring out of a novel. I hope to learn that skill as I continue to read the classics. Thank you.
It is surprising most scholars miss out mentioning that A Tale of Two Cities is not just about a pair of contrasting cities but also about pairs of contrasting principal characters. Sydney Carton and Charles Darney, Lucie and Madame Defarge, Dr. Mannet and Monseigneur St.Evremonde. The contrasting characteristics of the pairs I mentioned are noteworthy. For the records, I am not a scholar of English literature.
Love your channel. I have just finished A Tale of Two Cities, It's marvelous. I had no idea that Dickens was so snarky.
Hi Ilsa, Thanks for taking the time to comment so positively I really appreciate it. Dickens is just great, isn't he. He is called the Shakespeare of the novel by many. He can be very vicious and snarky in his criticism of society. No wonder his works helped to change so much in society.
I’m having trouble here at my start of it just understanding the way they talk!
Thank you for the review. I enjoyed listening to your explanations and I would love to see another video about this book.😊
This book is still relevant given today’s political climate. The recent Capital riot reminds me of the storming of the Bastille.
It is remarkable how little people change through all of history. (😂 I've just seen how that last sentence can be read two ways.)
@@tristanandtheclassics6538 I see the word "insurrection" being used in the media to describe the act of the rioters. But ultimately, that is really a matter of which political side you belong to, and which side the media sides with.
In depth please, love all your in depth analyses. Thank you!
Thank you for this review. I am really looking forward to your next in-depth review.
Please please Tristan give us a really in depth analysis of this classic of classics please.
Great job on the review, very much enjoyed your analysis. Only one glitch I ever remember; Miss Pross & her confrontation with that she-devil Mme. Defarge. Did Miss Pross speak French, or Mme. SheMonster speak English? I could never sort that one out. :)
I would love you to do an in-depth review of this magnificent book.
I'd love to hear your in depth review with spoilers. thanks for sharing.
Would love in-depth analysis of any classic book for I love listening to you discussing the classics. Just be sure to bite in the video’s title that a spoiler alert. Thank you so much for your videos. I am thoroughly enjoying them. I hope you do more videos in your “100 Books You MUST Read” series.
Terrific review! Thank u so much! It is most definitely a great work of literature.
Great review ❤
😅I agree with you…not his best book (but one of his very best）
And what's his best novel then?
I expect e review full of spoilers🙂. I read the book i loved it
I love your review! Brought back more detailed memories. I must read this book again. No other book of Dickens ever stuck with me as did his, A Tale of Two Cities. This is novel that lives inside of me. I consider it a transcendent work of literature where good and evil are brought into such vivid comparison and clarity. Utopianism strongly tends toward totalitarianism, for human beings are imperfect and force, coercion and murder are always needed to make the "perfect society," which absolutely cannot exist in this imperfect world. Communism, Nazism, Stalinism, Maoism, Jacobism, etcetera always result in totalitarian tyrannies of killing and control since they all need to scapegoat, foster divisions between groups (rich vs poor, etc), and silence those who do not agree to there "holier than thou" ideologies. Anyway, I've read the novel three times in my life. Yes, about time for another read. My wife already started her first read of this masterpiece.
I would like you to go deeper into Tale of Two Cities.
I would I've to hear your reading of Great Expectations! Any chance of it?
Yes - a more in-depth analysis, please.
Hey Tristan, I have been a subscriber for a few months now, but this is my first time commenting. I read “A Tale of Two Cities” in 2020. I am a bit embarrassed by the fact that (as a student at liberal arts college) I struggled for months to finish this one while I know there are middle schoolers who read it much quicker. :) If you ever decide to record an in depth review, I would definitely watch it, I know there is more to this story than I uncovered on my own! Here are two quotes that I jotted down while reading, “Nothing within range, nearer or lower than the summits of the two great towers of Notre-Dame, had any promise on it of healthy life or wholesome aspirations.” And, “Think now and then that there is a man who would give his life, to keep a life you love beside you!” -Sydney Carton
Hey Patrick, sorry for my late reply, I was away camping. Two Cities is a curious beast, isn't it? It is rather different in form to other works of Dickens and I think this can alter the pace at which we go through it.
An in depth review would be good and I will hopefully get around to it sometime sooner rather than later. Two nice quotations. There is a recurrent suggestion amongst several novels which echo these sentiments. One cannot help but feel the suggestion of Christ's sacrifice in the Carton quote. An allusion called upon quite frequently by social commentators of the day.
Absolutely love it ❤
Thank you
Yes, “Like Saturn, the Revolution devours its children.” ~Jacques Mallet du Pan. I say yes ,do a more in-depth video on this book, thankyou.
please provide the in depth analysis
A true classic. ❤️
Enjoyed watching, thanks for reviewing.
Thank you Stephen and thanks for taking the time to be so friendly and comment.😃❤🎩
I love David Copperfield and read that Our mutual friend was also one of Dickens' favourites? Which of his novels do you think is the best: the plot, the way it is written?
Hi Laura, great to hear from you again. Your question is a difficult one to answer. Dicken's is so good it is hard to call out a best work. Our Mutual Friend is very well beloved and critically acclaimed. Great Expectations is a wonder, which I personally love. However, as for plot and style, I would suggest Bleak House. It marked a development in Dickens as a writer. It's allegorical nature is moving. I will shortly be doing a video on this book too. Having said that, it isn't everybody's favourite.
Hope this helps.
@@tristanandtheclassics6538 Thank you Tristan for your kind and quick answer. I am talking about your channel to my friends and on FB. You could also make a video about Dickens: his life and works.
@@lauratorchio1541 aw thank you for sharing my little channel, that means so much. I will do a dickens bio.
@@tristanandtheclassics6538 Thank you!
Nicely done, fine fellow.
A deeper look please
top review
Fantastic video!
Thank you so much. I truly appreciate your taking the time to leave a comment. Have you read A Tale of Two Cities yourself?
@@tristanandtheclassics6538 actually started reading it in Spanish some months ago but stopped it can't remember the reason. As soon as I finish reading the ones I'm into now, I'll address it again :)
Sending love from Spain, keep on uploading videos, they are great!
@@Thejavihuesca Thanks for the encouragement. If you have any suggestions for book reviews please let me know and I will try and get around to them.👍
@@tristanandtheclassics6538 what about some James Joyce? :)
And exactly the reason for the Russian Revolution less than 50 years after Dickens death. Czar Nicholas should have read A Tale of Two Cities!
Great review! Thank you!
Thank you Anna. 😊 pleased you enjoyed it.😃❤
A Tale of Two Cities is Perhaps his greatest, but how can you choose from the many brilliant stories.
Like everything Dickens wrote it is a complex story, with characters that live in your imagination forever.
It is Dickens detailed description of his characters that bring them to life.
You will never be able to forget any of them.
In my family we recall Dickens characters who may fit into something that is going on at the time.
Madame DeFarge is a favorite of ours and we have renamed many women as that infamous woman.
Scrooge is of course another immortal character who we often use to describe someone we know.
I thought the king James bible was the best selling book for all time?
Your voice is so good. Thank god I found your channel. Love from India
Thank you so much 😀 That's really kind of you to say. Love from UK.
I haven't read A Tale of Two Cites but I want to read it next. Thank you for explaining the story it will help me understand the history and the plot. 😊
Ooo I hope you enjoy it. Its quite different for Dickens. You must let me know what you think after you've read it, Beverley.
Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. I really appreciate it.
I don’t know why you said it with such confidence and didn’t even bother to do a five second google search, but the entire Harry Potter series has sold over half a billion copies. Not one hundred million.
The first Harry Potter book alone has sold for more than you said the entire series sold. Over one hundred and twenty million.
You can find the answer to that in less amount of time than it takes to finish that false sentence. Lazy.
Thanks Mark. 😊 It was a tad careless, you are right. Though not quite as you might imagine. I did check the numbers but only scribbled 100mil Harry Potter in my notes. This was, as you correctly say, in connection with the First Harry Potter (and I was rounding the figure).
When I looked at my jottings for the video later, I mistakenly took the number for the whole series. Much later I actually rematch the video and thought, "That number can't be right!" And, as you have pointed out it wasn't. However, the damage was already done.
So, yes it was careless, but (and you were cheeky here 😜) not lazy. 😃👍