A tale of two cities /

　　Novel by Charles Dickens, published both serially and in book form in 　　1859. The story is set in the late 18th century against the background 　　of the French Revolution. Although Dickens borrowed from Thomas 　　Carlyle's history, The French Revolution, for his sprawling tale of 　　London and revolutionary Paris, the novel offers more drama than 　　accuracy. The scenes of large-scale mob violence are especially vivid, 　　if superficial in historical understanding. The complex plot involves 　　Sydney Carton's sacrifice of his own life on behalf of his friends 　　Charles Darnay and Lucie Manette. While political events drive the 　　story, Dickens takes a decidedly antipolitical tone, lambasting both 　　aristocratic tyranny and revolutionary excess--the latter memorably 　　caricatured in Madame Defarge, who knits beside the guillotine. The book 　　is perhaps best known for its opening lines, "It was the best of times, 　　it was the worst of times," and for Carton's last speech, in which he 　　says of his replacing Darnay in a prison cell, "It is a far, far better 　　thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest 　　that I go to, than I have ever known." -- The Merriam-Webster 　　Encyclopedia of Literature --This text refers to an out of print or 　　unavailable edition of this title. 　　 　　The timeless classic of love and sacrifice during the French Revolution! 　　With insight and compassion, Dickens casts his tale with such memorable 　　characters as the evil Madame Defarge and her knitted patterns of death, 　　the gentle Lucie Manette and her unfailing devotion to her downtrodden 　　father, and the courageous Sydney Carton, who would give his own love-- 　　and life--for a woman that would never be his.