When I think of classic literature one of the first books that comes to mind is A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. I read this book as a teenager and credit it as one of the books that piqued my interest in the French Revolution. Now many years later I returned to this book to read it again to see if it was still as good as I remembered it being.
Dickens begins the book with one of the most recognizable lines in literature “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” The story is set against the backdrop of the French Revolution, although it begins much earlier in 1775 when we are introduced to Mr. Jarvis Lorry an employee of Tellson’s Bank a self described “man of business.”
Mr. Lorry meets with Miss Manette to tell her that her father whom she has never met, because she was told he had died, is alive and has been released from a wrongful imprisonment in France. Mr. Lorry accompanies Miss Manette to France to reunite her with her father and bring them both back to England.
Dickens does a good job of weaving English and French characters throughout the novel. There is a good cast of characters that make the book enjoyable. He does a great job of illustrating the actions of those who are gripped by the depths of love and hate.
Overall Dickens writes a compelling story that had my attention until the end. I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars.
Thomas Aquinas is credited as one of the greatest proponents of natural law. During his time in Cologne he was taught by Albertus Magnus. Magnus used the teachings of Aristotle in his mentorship of Thomas Aquinas.
Samuel Adams believed in American Independence from Great Britain. He is one of the most well know Son's of Liberty. On August 1, 1776 he gave a speech to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia.
The Mount of Forty Springs, Zagros Mountains, Iran Saturday 11:30 PM
By the dim light of torches seven hooded figures made their ascent up the nearly invisible path. Thirty minutes had passed since they began hiking off the established trail. A person who had never traveled this path would not have been able to find it.
These men were not making their first journey. Each had traveled this path as part of a group and individually. Even without the torches each man would find the destination without difficulty. Some things could never be forgotten.
In silence they made their final steps. Amidst the juniper and oak trees stood a single cedar tree. They had arrived at their destination. Concealed amidst the undergrowth was a small cave. Sliding a large bolder away from the back of the cave revealed a secret stairwell.
The men could not be completely at ease yet, but the most physically demanding portion of their journey was over. From this point things would be more psychologically challenging and each man would handle those struggles...
