Editorial Review

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times... These well-known and loved lines begin Dickens's most exciting novel, set during the bloodiest moments of the French Revolution. When former aristocrat Charles Darnay learns that an old family servant needs his help, he abandons his safe haven in England and returns to Paris. But once there, the Revolutionary authorities arrest him not for anything he has done, but for his rich family's crimes. Also in danger: his wife, Lucie, their young daughter, and her aged father, who have followed him across the Channel.

This is Dickens’s only novel that lacks comic relief, and one of only two that are not set in nineteenth-century England. It is also unusual in lacking a primary central character. London and Paris are the real protagonists in this tale, much as the cathedral was the 'hero' of Hugo's Notre Dame de Paris.

A Charles Dickens Timeline

1812	Born February 7 in Portsmouth, England
1824	His father John sent to Marshalsea Debtor's Prison for a debt of £40 and 10 shillings
	Began working 10-hour days in shoe-polish warehouse to help support family
1833	First story, "A Dinner at Poplar Walk," appeared in the Monthly Magazine
1836	First book, Sketches by Boz, collected his early journalism and stories
	First novel, The Pickwick Papers, began its monthly serialization
	Married Catherine Hogarth
1837-39	Oliver Twist appeared in monthly installments
1838-39	Nicholas Nickleby serialized
1840-41	The Old Curiosity Shop
1841	Barnaby Rudge
1842	American Notes, based on his tour that year of the United States
1843	The Christmas Carol, the first of his "Christmas tales"
1843-44	Martin Chuzzlewit
1846-48	Dombey and Son
1849-50	David Copperfield
1852-53	Bleak House
1854	Hard Times
1855-57	Little Dorrit
1857	Met actress Ellen Ternan, his longtime companion
1858	Separated from his wife, Catherine
1859	A Tale of Two Cities
1860-61	Great Expectations
1864-65	Our Mutual Friend
1867-68	Second tour of America
1868-69	Farewell reading tour of the British Isles
1870	The Mystery of Edwin Drood (unfinished)
	Died from a stroke on June 9

Reviews

An Eighth Grader reviews A Tale of Two Cities
This book is incredible. I read it last year (in eighth grade), and I love it. I love Charles Dickens' language and style. Whoever is reading this may have little or no respect for my opinions, thinking that I am to young to comprehend the greatness of the plot and language, and I admit that I probably do not completely appreciate this classic piece of literature. I do read above a 12th grade level, although that doesn't count for a whole lot. It took me a while to get into this book. In fact, I dreaded reading it for a long time. But nearer to the end, I was drawn in by the poignant figure of a jackal, Sydney Carton. In his story I became enthralled with this book, especially his pitiful life. After I read and cried at Carton's transformation from an ignoble jackal to the noblest of persons, I was able to look back over the parts of the book that I had not appreciated, and realize how truly awesome they are. I learned to appreciate all of the characters, from Lucy Manette to Madame Defarge. I also was affected by all of the symbolism involved with both the French Revolution, and the nature of sinful man, no matter what the time or place. My pitiful review could never do justice to this great book, please don't be discouraged by my inability.

Turbulent times in London and Paris
The period from 1775 - the outbreak of the American Revolution - to 1789 - the storming of the Bastille - is the turbulent setting of this uncharacteristic Dickens novel. It is his only novel that lacks comic relief, is one of only two that are not set in nineteenth-century England and is also unusual in lacking a primary central character. London and Paris are the real protagonists in this tale, much as the cathedral was the 'hero' of Hugo's Notre Dame de Paris. Dickens was writing at a time of great turmoil in his personal life, having just separated from his wife, and no doubt the revolutionary theme was in tune with his mental state.

The result is a complex, involving plot with some of the best narrative writing to be found anywhere, and the recreation of revolutionary Paris is very convincing. The device of having two characters that look identical may seem hackneyed to modern readers, but it is here employed with greater plausibility than in Twain's Pudd'nhead Wilson or Collins's The Woman in White.

Dickens was inspired to write this story by reading Carlyle's newly published history of the French Revolution. Those events and their aftermath stood in relation to their time much as World Wars I and II do to ours, that is, fading from living memory into history, yet their legacy still very much with us. In many nineteenth-century novels, especially Russian and British works, you get a sense of unease among the aristocracy that the revolution will spread to their own back yard. In the case of Russia, of course, it eventually did.

I have often recommended A Tale of Two Cities as a good introduction to Dickens for younger readers. This is based on my own experiences, because it was a set book in my English Literature class when I was 15 and I remember thoroughly enjoying it. Yes, it is challenging, with its somewhat archaic language and its slow development, but you cannot progress to an enjoyment of great literature without being challenged.

Awesome - my favorite Dicken's novel!
I like all of Dicken's work because of his ability to bring a place and period to life as well as his gift for creating round characters that seem like real people you can reach out and touch. This novel certainly represents these qualities, but has a dark quality with no type of comic relief. It is intense and it captures the psychological and emotional climate of the the French revolution in a visceral way.

This novel which parallels the rise of the French revolution, compares and contrasts life in two cities Paris and London. It also develops a very intricate plot that is difficult to follow if one does not read steadily. In other words, it's not a light plot that you can set down for a few days and pick back up. On the other hand, it's extremely engaging and you won't want to put it down.

When I read it, I actually bought the Cliff's notes because I needed to set the book down for a few days at a time. When I picked it up again, I found the Cliff's notes useful to help me engage again without a lot of looking back through the book for all the twists and turns in the plot and lives of the characters.

This is a great novel in every respect, but it is not a happy one. It captures the harsh reality of the French Revolution in deep way. If you are studying the French Revolution, I would say it's a must read to truly get the spirit of what was going on. I don't believe history books can do it justice, you need the inside view which this provides.

Lastly, if you are simply enjoy a good story, you will like this. Don't expect a "everyone lived happily ever" type ending, however. This is heavy stuff, almost in the spirit of a Russian existentialist novel.

One for the ages...
19th-century literature was less concerned with plausibility than literature of a later day. Thus, as characters are unmasked and their secret connections laid bare, the 21st-century reader may find the plot too convenient. A Tale of Two Cities is no different. Should one possess the capacity to look beyond this, however, one would find that Dickens has masterfully captured the bloodlust of the French Revolution from the both the bourgeoisie and plebeian views.

One family must face the barbarous, slaughtering revolutionary mob to save a former aristocrat. The villains are supremely villainous, the hero supremely heroic. Dickens captures the squalor of backstreet Paris, the murderous obsession of its citizens, and the utter helplessness of it's erstwhile elite. It is all tied in a bundle too convenient, but suspension of belief is no hardship given the strength of the story told. A Tale of Two Cities is at one time a history lesson and a powerful literary achievement. It is, as such, required reading and easily merits 5 stars.

Unbelievable
This book will forever be one of my favorites. Charles Dickens, in this book more than any of his others, twists and sews the plot in circles, keeping the reader in suspense and a state of unknowing--all while the tension continues to build to a climax.

This is a story of so many topics. While the simple poor find themselves in a revolution attempting to oust the aristocracy for their wealth and luxury in a time of so little, Dickens focuses on the struggle of one man and his beloved friends trying to stay alive. And in their attempt, tales of utter hatred and cruelty take place at the hands of both sides of the Revolution, with the plot stuck between the two. Forgiveness, sacrifice, devotion....the novel strikes upon so many human emotions.

And the ending--the ending you will never forget. It will impact and inspire you. Dickens has a beautiful style of writing for audiences. Reading the words at face value tells a terrific story. But Dickens always has a second or third meaning to them all. In this story he comments upon humanity itself, and in that way, we can all learn something of ourselves.

I highly recommend this novel. Wow.

A Tale of Two Cities paints a beautiful while dark story of the French Revolution
A Tale of Two Cities paints a beautiful while dark story of the French Revolution and how it affects an English family. It is, by all standards, a classic. Yet, if you decide to read it and are younger than a high school senior, I suggest reading it with a good dictionary by your side. It is written in the English of over one-hundred years ago and so I would also recommend a version that includes notes on what certain phrases mean as well as a guide to the allusions used in the story. I am not recommending the abridged version, though. Reading it as it was written gives a much different experience that seems more genuine. The copy of the novel that I read was published by Pocket Books and includes explanatory notes and more which I found very helpful.
As I read I saw examples where Dickens (the author), implied satirical messages and themes relevant to the time when the book was written. Then, the situation in England resembled pre-Revolution France. Also, 1848, was known as the "Year of Revolutions". He may have been trying to discourage revolution and encourage solutions through political change, not violence. Dickens also implied, through his words, that a revolution could happen anywhere, even in England. He encouraged his message frequently but it never got old and wasn't monotonous. By using a variety of different situations, Dickens kept his message in the reader's mind. For example, at a burial of a spy in England, a mob forms and turns the burial into show of irreverent mourning and violence. He is implying that under the right conditions any group of people can turn into a violent mob. He also writes that history will repeat itself under the same circumstances. This message would have been very pertinent at the time. These messages about the state and flaws of society were frequent but were well integrated into the story. Many were fun to read due to Dickens' good use of satire and humor.
One complaint that many historians, literary critics, and others have had about A Tale of Two Cities is that the characters and depiction of the social classes are too unrealistic. I, too, thought that some of the characters were somewhat unrealistic, yet I don't believe that Dickens made them that way without reason. One example is in a moment with a member the French aristocracy. While riding at breakneck speed through downtown Paris, this noble's carriage hits and kills a child. In response, he turns to the grieving father and coolly tosses him a gold piece and drives off. I saw this action as very unrealistic, but this isn't supposed to be literal. This noble's action is part of his characterization that is just supposed to show that he is very cold. It is also supposed to symbolize the oppression of the peasants by the aristocracy. The lower class had been oppressed for so long and Dickens sums up their oppression through this one noble's action. Still, some of the characters' actions are unrealistic. After a condemned man is read his condemning sentence, he is perfectly composed and shows no signs of anxiety or emotion but love for his wife. There is no way that any human could be unafraid after that. Despite some unrealistic moments in Dickens characters, his description of the classes and their struggles is excellent. This is probably because of his experience. As a boy, Dickens was a peasant, which explains why his descriptions of peasant life and their strife are so detailed. I personally found Dickens' characters very appealing and his description of French society very enthralling.
If you are unsure if you want to read this book, my advice to you would be: definitely read it. Dickens creates a capturing world with a deep plot, exquisite use of imagery, and striking characters, all in one of the most exciting times in history. Pick it up and you won't regret it.

I loved it!
I just finished reading this book in my 9th grade Honors english class, and I have to say that I loved it! It was terribly boring at first--very hard reading! And Dickens IS VERY wordy; or, as my English teacher says, he likes to make his point and than slap you in the face with it several times until you get the point! Aside from that however, I really enjoyed the story. I laughed with my friends over the mini battle between Madame Defarge and Miss Pross, and cried with them at Sydney Carton's courage(he made Charles Darnay look meaningless). Although this classic story is by far one of the best I've ever read (Black Beauty is THE best), I don't think I could have enjoyed it nearly as much without my wonderful English teacher explaining every "difficult" section-- and pointing out the humor that Dickens uses, and which many overlook. To fully enjoy this book, you have to read "between the lines", but if you have the patience to do this, I gaurentee you will love this book as much as I do!

The most unforgettable opening and closing sentences ever found in a book!
I will never, the rest of my life forget these two sentences. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness...." and at closing "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."

Wow, this is not your usual Dickens. No quirky characters with strange names and laugh out loud moments, just a darn good story -- the story of two cities, London and Paris. It is difficult to put the plot into words, but when the book begins you are in London at the time of the American revolution and spies (or suspected spies) abound, and the story eventually switches to France prior to and during the French revolution.

Dickens does a marvelous job (as always) of building his story one step at a time and slowly peeling back the layers one at a time. This is not a put down and pick it up a week later kind of a book, it is very intense and complicated and you have to pay close attention. I was just floored at how he sucked me in with his descriptions of the mobs, terror and the madness of the revolution leading you to a nail biting finish. I admit to holding my breath during those last few pages!

Highly recommended, and well worth the time to discover (or rediscover) an old classic.

Masterful Work of Literature
There is so much to say about A Tale of Two Cities that one hardly knows where to begin. The scene of our book is the French Revolution. It is a time in history when the french peasants, horrifically treated by the nobility, revolted and caused what is known as 'the terrors'. It is a time when people can be accused in secret, tried summarily, and then tortured and beheaded. Many, many people were beheaded on a daily basis, sixty, or more, at a time.

A Tale of Two Cities takes this story up by beginning with the story of Dr. Manette, who has spent fifteen years as a secret prisoner in a tower of the Bastille. He is rescued by an old servant, Monsieur Defarge, who turns him over to his daughter Lucie. Lucie, who has always thought her father dead, takes care of her mentally damaged father and helps restore him to his health and sanity.

We also meet Charles Darnay, who Lucie eventually comes to love and marry. Turns out, unfortunately, that Charles is actually living in England under and assumed name, because he is really a french nobleman, much hated in his mother country. When Charles is called back to Paris to clear the name of an old servant he is imprisoned. Much of the story is then spent in the effort to get Charles out of prison, and his family safely out of Paris.

The story is too complicated and wonderfully intricate to describe in full here. There are many other characters which are all important. For those who loves suspence, A Tale of Two Cities holds many surprises and will keep you wondering the entire time. There are loves unrequitted, acts of horror, deep sadnesses, and acts of perfect heroism. This story will bring tears to your eyes.

As a piece of literature, A Tale of Two Cities is unsurpassed. The writing is beautiful! This book begins and ends with two of the most famous lines in all of literature. The words are truely poetic. The prose is full, deep, and perfectly moody. Dickens does an excellent job of painting not just the scenes for us, but the feel of the time. He makes you experience the weight of the drudgery the peasants experienced, the horror of the terrors, the grief of the mourner, and the triumph of the human spirit. Read this book, you cannot be disappointed. ... Read more

Editorial Review

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Reviews

NOT THE BOOK
This is just the cliffnotes to the book. This is not the actual book. Also, very poorly published.

Classic on the priciples of war
This ancient classic of 13 chapters was written over 2,500 years ago by the legendary Chinese general Sun Tzu. It is a must have for military buffs that enjoy reading about the tactics of the most succesful generals. It is rumored that Napoleon used a French translation of the Art of War to his advantage while conquering most of Europe, and he lost when he broke its principles.
The principles that are with in this ancient text can also be used in games of strategy, business conflicts, and the day to day battles of life.
Here are ten principles to give you a sample of the wisdom found in its pages:

Supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance with out fighting.

If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.

Spies are the most important element in war, because upon them depends an army's ability to move.

All warfare is based on deception.

The general who wins a battle makes many calculations before the battle is fought.

There is no instance of a country having benefited from a prolonged war.

The clever combatant looks to the effect of combined energy, and does not require too much from individuals.

In war, the way is to avoid what is strong and to strike at what is weak.

When you surround an army, leave an outlet free. (So they can retreat).

Move not unless you see an advantage; use not your troops unless there is something to be gained, fight not unless the position is critical.

Taken as a whole this is a book of wisdom and principles on how to win. I rank it in my top ten books I have ever read. It is a must have for any home library. The is a very small book that is quick and easy to read.

In some ways outdated, in others, prophetic
A. Overview
The ancient Chinese military general Sun Tzu lays out a blueprint for the effective waging of war. In his classic The Art of War, the successful war campaign largely revolves around two key elements: deception and surprise. Sun Tzu also describes the virtues that are required of effective military leaders, and, drawing from his many years of military experience, he gives wide ranging and insightful advice on knowing oneself, knowing one's enemy, and how to keep the spirits of one's soldiers fixed on victory. Throughout his treatise, his words are piercing, direct, at times witty, and often paradoxical. He writes, for example, "If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant" (I.22). "Simulated disorder postulates perfect discipline, simulated fear postulates courage; simulated weakness postulates strength" (V.17).

1. Virtues Necessary for a Successful War Campaign
The Commander is to be an exemplar of five virtues: wisdom, sincerity, benevolence, courage and strictness (I.9). Discipline among the Commanders and soldiers is the key to victory. One can even determine which side in a war will be victorious by asking "(1) Which of the two sovereigns is imbued with the Moral law? (2) Which of the two generals has most ability? (3) With whom lie the advantages derived from Heaven and Earth? (4) On which side is discipline most rigorously enforced? (5) Which army is stronger? (6) On which side are officers and men more highly trained? (7) In which army is there the greater constancy both in reward and punishment?" (I.13).

2. The Law of Deception
The Law of Deception is summarized by Sun Tzu with these words: "All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near" (I.18-19).
Sun Tzu goes to great lengths in justifying this assertion and in giving examples of how to deceive and to detect deception from the enemy. He writes, "Humble words and increased preparations are signs that the enemy is about to advance. Violent language and driving forward as if to the attack are signs that he will retreat" (IX.24), but "Peace proposals unaccompanied by a sworn covenant indicate a plot" (IX.26). "At first, then, exhibit the coyness of a maiden, until the enemy gives you an opening; afterwards emulate the rapidity of a running hare, and it will be too late for the enemy to oppose you" (XI.68).

3. Law of Surprise Attack
Surprise is also an important element in weakening the enemy. The military is to "[a]ppear at points which the enemy must hasten to defend; march swiftly to places where you are not expected" (VI.5), and, "[i]n raiding and plundering, be like fire, in immovability like a mountain" (VII.18). "Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt" (VII.19).

4. Effective Warfare
The rest of the treatise focuses on how to wage war in an effective manner. War is to be waged by first knowing oneself and knowing one's enemy. Battle is never undertaken unless one is certain that he will win. Sun Tzu outlines the five principles of victory: "(1) He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight. (2) He will win who knows how to handle both superior and inferior forces. (3) He will win whose army is animated by the same spirit throughout all its ranks. (4) He will win who, prepared himself, waits to take the enemy unprepared. (5) He will win who has military capacity and is not interfered with by the sovereign" (III.17).
A successful war campaign is waged efficiently, with the Armed Forces knowing when and how to attack by expending as little effort as possible, for "supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting" (III.2). Few resources are to be expended in an effective war campaign: "The skillful soldier does not raise a second levy, neither are his supply-wagons loaded more than twice" (II.8).
Sun Tzu also seems to hint at a metaphysical plane in which warfare is fought. He writes, for example, that the effective Commander "wins his battles by making no mistakes. Making no mistakes is what establishes the certainty of victory, for it means conquering an enemy that is already defeated" (IV.13), as though war is first fought on some metaphysical plane before the victory and defeated is reflected in the visible, physical world.

B. Critique
Some of Sun Tzu's counsel is outdated in the age of terrorism, military insurgencies, and digital and nuclear warfare. Some of it revolves around the size and numbers of the enemy's forces and one's advantage relative to the enemy based on numbers. Similarly, much of his advice is based on obsolete forms of land warfare that are rarely fought in the modern day. He writes, for example, "Whoever is first in the field and awaits the coming of the enemy, will be fresh for the fight; whoever is second in the field and has to hasten to battle will arrive exhausted" (VI.1). This advice will rarely, if ever, be relevant in an age where most warfare is fought in the air or from long range missiles, with forces rarely clashing in land battles.
The advent of nuclear weapons also changes the entire equation of relative forces and makes the numbers of infantrymen almost irrelevant. Similarly, the introduction of insurgencies that blend into local populations have been able to render even large armies of well equipped soldiers ineffective and unsuccessful. Furthermore, the advent of digital and cyber-warfare makes the numbers of enlisted and commissioned soldiers largely irrelevant to foreign attacks.
Though the forms of warfare have changed over the ages, many of Sun Tzu's principles continue to apply. Whether fighting a land battle or an air battle, the laws of deception and surprise attack are still relevant and highly effective. Furthermore, Sun Tzu outlines lessons that are important not only for the battlefield, but also for the general struggles of life. He writes, "You can be sure of succeeding in your attacks if you only attack places which are undefended. You can ensure the safety of your defense if you only hold positions that cannot be attacked" (VI.7). This is advice that should be heeded by businessmen, political leaders, and anyone else in a position that requires defending against an onslaught of attacks or competition.

... Read more

Editorial Review

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Reviews

The Eye of God
Ever since I was a teen (I'm 51) I tried reading War and Peace. The furthest I ever got was something like Page 80. Six summers ago, I thought, what the heck, give it another shot. After Page 100 or so, the book picked up steam, and I was absolutely awed as I've seldom been by all the great books I've read in my life. That's what I want to share with potential readers of this great book. Stick with it. It's like a trickling stream that grows and grows from many tributaries into a grand wide raging river. It's got everything in it, as if it were written by God. Tolstoy saw everything. There are so many, many unforgettable scenes in it. My favorite two are the costume party at the country estate (pure magic!) and the great wolf-hunting scene in which the wolf actually takes on a personality under the all-knowing skill of Tolstoy's great pen. In just a line or two, Tolstoy could actually get inside the "soul" of even an animal! I can only imagine how great this book is in the original Russian. After War and Peace, I devoured Anna Karenina, which is in many ways an even greater book. I'd recommend people read War and Peace with Cliff's Notes, as I did, because you get a sense of the historical background and it helps you from getting the hundreds of characters mixed up. War and Peace is more than a novel. It's an Everest of creation. Please stick with it!

Brilliant novel, superb translation, nicely bound
"War and Peace," by Leo Tolstoy, � 2007,
translation by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky
Alfred A. Knopf, publisher

This review is broken down into two segments, a Descriptive Summary and an Evaluative Summary. If you're already very familiar with the story of "War and Peace," you may wish to skip directly to the latter facet of my review which is essentially the critique of this particular volume.

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY:

In 1805, Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Austria to expand his European empire. Russia, being an ally of Austria, stood with their brethren against the infamous Emperor. Napoleon prevailed and a treaty was ultimately signed at Tilsit. In 1812, Napoleon invaded Russia, again in an effort to expand his empire. The end result of this tragic war was that Napoleon's army of about 600,000 soldiers was reduced to roughly 60,000 men as the defamed Emperor raced from Moscow (which he had taken), back across the frozen Russian tundra in his carriage (leaving his troops behind to fend for themselves) for Paris. That encapsulizes the military aspect of this work.

But the more intricate story involves both the activities and the peccadillos of, primarily, three Russian families of nobility: The Rostovs, the Bolkonskys, and the Bezukovs. The continual thorn of "The Antichrist," Napoleon, really just provides the wallpaper for this story of romance, riches, desolation, love, jealousy, hatred, retribution, joy, naiivety, stupidity and so much more. Tolstoy has woven an incredibly intricate web that interconnects these noble families, the wars, and the common Russian people to a degree that would seem incomprehensible to achieve - but Tolstoy perseveres with superb clarity and great insight to the human psyche. His characters are timeless and the reader who has any social experience whatever will immediately connect with them all.

"War and Peace" is a fictional, lengthy novel, based upon historical fact.

In his Epilogue, Tolstoy yields us a shrewd dissertation on the behavior of large organizations, much of it by way of analogy. It's actually an oblique, often sarcastic, commentary on the lunacy of government activities and the madness of their wars.


EVALUATIVE SUMMARY:

I feel compelled at the outset to offer a brief paragraph in response to certain reviews which I've seen listed here on Amazon. In regard to "ungrammatical" and "poor syntax" instances, it is prominently and clearly stated in Pevear's/Volokhonsky's introduction that a primary objective of this translation (paraphrasing) is to empower the reader with a real sense of Tolstoy's writing style - and that goal they achieved quite nicely; however, this caveat hardly rendered the work ungrammatical in any sense whatever. To the contrary, I found this rendering to read notably more fluidly than the renowned Maude edition, (which I have read twice), and much easier to initially digest (syntax) than the works, of say, William Faulkner or John O'Hara, both of whom also employed a unique, but brilliant writing style. As I didn't see any actual citations of poor grammar in the instant reviews I'll close my case regarding this topic on that particular note.

Here are some particularly positive points of this translation of "War and Peace":

1. Here we have a smooth and fluid read. Tolstoy's style yields some repetition but never redundancy - he does this in a clever manner and the translators have shrewdly served it up. We have not seen this before in prior translations.

2. This translation allows the reader to think for himself/herself. One of the best examples is actually discussed in the introduction: (P/V) "The school children in their chairs drove to Moscow." Another translation has it this way: "The School children played in their chairs as if they were driving to Moscow." See what I mean?

3. The names of the principals are conveyed more appropriately, "Andrei" instead of "Andrew," "Marya" instead of "Mary".

4. The language is more modern and the syntax less stilted than previous translations.

5. I felt, in a real sense, "the soul" of each of the principals, as well as that of Tolstoy himself, which I had not previously experienced. This is especially true in regard to characters Pierre Bezukov and Andrei Bolkonsky.

6. Two percent of the book's text was written in French and it is maintained that way, with a clear English translation in respective footnotes on the very pages in which the French passages appear. This makes for very convenient reading.

7. Brief endnotes exist where appropriate and the translators did not go overboard with lengthy passages which can be distracting in other versions of the work. They give you what you need to know to pursue these topics further, on your own, if you wish.

8. There is a fine map of The Battle of Borodino grounds (page 856) which is really about all one needs in order to understand the primary battle details (Borodino) within this work.

9. The character descriptions/identifications at the front of the book are spot-on and the Introduction adequately prepares the English reader to understand such Russian nuances as "patronymic" names.

10. Just past the endnotes, you'll find a very informative "Historical Index" which lists all the actual primary officers, European leaders, and nobility mentioned in "War and Peace".

11. This volume is nicely bound (sturdy red cardboard binding) with an equally high-quality, attractive dust cover. It will look nice on your bookshelf, either with or without the dustcover.


I have few criticisms of this tremendous work and of the appurtenant translation, but here they are:

1. I chuckled aloud when I read Pevear's and Volokhonsky's attempt to mimic the speech (dialogue) of the very likable character, Denisov - it wasn't very good. Denisov was clearly tongue-tied. The translators, for the most part, inserted a "gh" where I would have inserted a "w" (in regard to pronouncing "Rs and Ls"). I got the general feeling that neither of the translators had ever actually encountered a person plagued with this somewhat tragic speech impediment! To counter this gaff, as I read along where Denisov was engaged in dialogue, I simply mentally inserted my own "Ws" wherever I came across the egregious "GHs".

2. I encountered VERY FEW typographical errors, those occurring on pages 3, 355, and 484, respectively. I've already reported them directly to the publisher for correction in subsequent editions.

3. There is one error that will befuddle many readers. It's in regard to Pierre's numerology on page 665. If you add up the numbers as stated in the book, it adds up to 661, and not 666 (The Biblical Mark of the Beast), as the manuscript states. This caveat is noted in the Maude translation of "War and Peace" but not in this one. To correct the problem, one has to account for the implied letter "e" in "l'(e)empereur Napol�on," which has a numerical value of 5, making the formula work correctly, totaling 666 as stated in the manuscript. It's complicated... you'll probably have to read a page or two and work it out for yourself to grasp the problem. In any case, the P/V translation needs either a footnote or an endnote.

4. I encountered one strange incongruity which was initially a little disturbing to me and which appears on page 687. In the second to the last paragraph, it says, "...instead of Mademoiselle Bourienne, the boy Petrushka read to him..." In the Maude translation of "War and Peace," it reads, "...instead of Mademoiselle Bourienne -- a serf-boy read to him."

Now THAT is a significant difference in that it sounds like either Pevear and Volokhonsky actually added a character to Tolstoy's masterpiece, or, Maude ignored one! I could think of only two legitimate reasons for how this might ethically occur:

a. the two translations were derived from different source documents, one mentioning Petrushka, the other not, or,

b. the publisher may have made an "intentional error" that would likely not be noticed by anyone in an effort to enable the documentation of an unauthorized publication of copyrighted text by unscrupulous publishers at a later date.

In any case, I'm really curious about this and would love to hear the reason for the difference in translations. In the end, of course, actually adding a character would go far beyond the ethical purview of a translator (as would ignoring/omitting one).



To finalize, the newly published (10-07) Pevear and Volokhonsky translation of "War and Peace" is nothing short of superb. It clearly transcends the previous translations of Garnett and Maude. If you plan to read Tolstoy's masterpiece for the first time, this is the translation that you want.


02-29-'08 REVISION/EDIT: "Some comments about the 2005 BRIGGS and other translations"

I just received (02-28-'08) my new BRIGGS translation (Viking/Penguin) yesterday and it has a lovely binding, "sewn". Of course, it was originally priced at $40 bucks, ($56 Canadian) (!!!), initially way more pricey than the P/V translation. But now it's a steal because you can get a brand new copy for under $15 or pick up a very good used one for $10 here on Amazon, (mine was supposed to be used, at $10, but it looked brand new to me).

I would speculate that the Briggs translation was somewhat financially doomed at the outset, (hence, the heavily discounted 2008 price), just BECAUSE folks anticipated the near arrival of the P/V translation which came out just a year following Briggs' "War and Peace," in addition to the negative impacts of the latter's initial $40 price tag.

I just got started on Briggs last night and, so far, I'm VERY pleased with the smooth, modern-language translation, (but absent of any anachronistic/modern "buzzwords"), and, I'm even more copasetic with the book's straightforward layout. The main text is nicely supplemented with 5 or 6 detailed maps, a list of principals (both fictional and non-fictional), and 2 commentaries, all at the rear of the text. There is NO introduction by the translator and it's a direct read -- rendered entirely in English with almost no footnotes to bother with. There are historically-oriented endnotes but, as they are at the finale of the work, I find them useful and yet not distracting. The book is almost exactly the same size and weight as the P/V translation, with a beautiful white cover and dust jacket.

The few early complaints I hear on Briggs is that he "British-izes" the dialogue, using words like "mate" as soldiers address one another... so it's not written in "American" English. This fact, too, probably doomed him a bit in pecuniary terms, at least in the USA. But that is a very small caveat and I don't personally mind it at all. As Briggs pointed out in his commentary (paraphrasing), he had to choose an English dialect to translate it TO and, since he himself was English, that is the vernacular which he chose to utilize. Makes sense to me.

Briggs' credentials are well up to par as a former Professor of Russian at the University of Birmingham, (Edgbaston, 26,000 students), coupled with the fact that he has previously translated many other literary works from their original Russian language.

In any case, I'll do a full review when I've finished this alternative "War and Peace" English translation.

In addition to the Pevear/Volokhonsky (2007) and Briggs (2005) translations, "War and Peace" has also been translated by the following people: Clara Ball, (1886, from a French translation source document by "Une Russe," an unknown woman); N.H. Dole, (1889); Leo Weiner, (1904); Constance Garnett, (1904); Louise and Aylmer Maude, (1923... the Maudes, who lived in Russia, had actually consulted with Tolstoy himself during their work on the project); Rosemary Edmonds, (1957, updated version, 1978), and; Ann Dunnigan, (1968, which is lauded as "...a sound American version").

pat

Simply one of the best books ever written
I first tried to read War and Peace in High School. A teacher, who had carried the book all through the Pacific campaign in WWII recommended it as a book that had changed his life. I tried three times and couldn't get past a few hundred pages because of the numerous characters - each with multiple names. The fourth time I stuck with it and was rewarded with a reading experience that has seldom been equaled. Since that time I have reread the book every two or three years, so I must have been through it 15 or more times, and each time I find things I haven't noticed before.

This is such a grand book in terms of number of characters in all levels of Russian society, historical scope, period detail, philosophical implications, romance, drama, tragedy, action etc, etc, etc. There is just no way to enumerate all that is appealing about Tolstoy's masterpiece. The main characters are as humanly complex and interesting as real people. I feel that I know them like friends. The plot(s) are involving and get more tight and interconnected as the book progresses, so that there is a great satisfaction as various threads come together, and never with the jarring coincidences that propel a typical Dickins novel.

If I had to pick only one novel that I would ever be able to read again, it would have to be War and Peace. There is so much of interest going on in this book that it would be hard to wear it out in a lifetime.

Life.
Over the 4-week period it took me to read "War and Peace", I was asked several times by friends and co-workers who saw me with the book why it was so long. At first, I really didn't have a good answer although I felt I knew why. Having finished it, I would tell them that its length is due to its being a very thorough novel covering almost every aspect of life in general. This could be said about several books obviously, but in "War and Peace", Tolstoy covers human life more thoroughly than, although maybe not as well as, any other book I've encountered.

"War and Peace" lets us follow along in the daily lives of several land-owning class characters from early 19th Century Russia. The Bolkonsky and Rostov families comprise most of these figures, but their friends and acquaintances take up nearly as much of the focus of Tolstoy's classic novel. These characters cover a wide range of personalities from the devoutly religious Maria Bolkonsky and her close and conflicted friend Natasha Rostov to the independent Pierre Bezuhov and his miserable wife Helene Kuragin. Tolstoy is able to go in and out of his creations' lives with simplicity and without exaggeration, whether its in relating the most common moments of their daily lives or the climaxes of their earthly existences. The range of emotions, feelings, and actions that Tolstoy is able to relate is easily done through his genius in setting the story in the midst of Russia's War of 1812 (the history of which he knew very well), one of the worst in its long history. It's through such a life-shattering event that people can be seen everywhere from their best to their very worst, and Tolstoy, through a compelling story line and the novel's famous length, displays the entire spectrum.

I still love Dostoevsky's writing more, mostly because of the difference in the conclusions his characters come to in their cathartic moments, but "War and Peace" gave me a much greater respect for Tolstoy than I had previously held (having read Anna Karenina, among others). I definitely recommend taking the time to read this classic.

Engaging rendition
I have tried to read different translations of War and Peace, including Garnett's and Edmonds'. One thing that has always annoyed me - especially with Garnett's translation - is the tendency to use Western or Roman Catholic terms whenever something related to Christianity is involved (Edmonds does not make this mistake). Instead of using the language of Orthodoxy, we often get "holy images," attended Mass," the Virgin Mary," etc, instead of "icon," "attended Liturgy," or "the Theotokos." While invisible to most readers, to Orthodox ears it is grating. The Pevears get this right by avoiding Western terminology in speaking about things religious. And, as other reviewers have noted, it is nice to see the French broken out. As far as the quality of the language, it doesn't seem any less awkward than other translations I have read. Garnett may have turned a phrase with a bit more flare but at the expense of making Tolstoy sound like Tolstoy and more like a Victorian. I agree, too, that this version would have been nice had it been published as a three volume set. You can't really tote it around to read at work or on the bus.

The Best Translation Available
"War and Peace" is one of those mammoth behemoths of a novel that everyone aspires to read and few manage to finish. This is a shame, because its reputation as the Ultimate Big Massive Tome has, unfortunately, obscured the fact that it tells a very gripping story and is infinitely rewarding and re-readable.

I'm in a position to say this because I've read this book anywhere from half-a-dozen to a dozen times (to be honest I've lost count). For many years I would read one of Tolstoy's big novels every year, alternating between "War and Peace" and "Anna Karenina." Along the way I've read three of the four major translations of the book multiple times.

The four translations, in order of appearance, are:

1) Constance Garnett
2) Louise and Alymer Maude
3) Rosemary Edmonds
4) Ann Dunnigan

Of these four translations, I would recommend either Edmonds or Dunnigan. Here's why. The Garnett and Maude translations date from the first three decades of the 20th Century. Edmonds' translation was originally published in 1957, and Dunnigan's in 1968 (for some reason, no one has tried to come up with a new translation of "War and Peace" in the past 35 years). The definitive (to date) Russian text of the novel was published in the early 1960s: Edmonds revised her translation in 1978 to take into account the new version.

In general, unless you're reading an older translation, not for the sake of its putative author but for the translator (which is the only reason to read, for example, the Urquhart-Motteux Rabelais or Chapman's Homer), you're almost always better off sticking with a modern translation. And that's the case with "War and Peace." It's either Edmonds or Dunnigan.

It's a close call. You really won't go wrong with either one of them. If I prefer Dunnigan, it's because Edmonds' translation is a wee bit too English for my taste. Having Russian peasants sound like Cockneys just doesn't work for me.

Can you really read such a lengthy book? Keep in mind that it's not all that long -- it's only around 800,000 words and both Proust and Gibbon are much longer. Plus, when you get past all of Tolstoy's interpolated essays on History (which you can easily skip the first time around, although they are interesting), what you're left with is a stirring story about a few Russian families struggling for survival during Napoleon's invasion of Russia. Tolstoy put into the book thinly veiled versions of his parents and relatives (and they are very thinly veiled -- the Volkonskys become the Bolkonskys), and there are quite a few inside jokes that will go sailing over your head the first time you read it.

(I'll only give away one -- when Princess Maria sticks her head out of her room while the Little Princess is about to give birth to Prince Andrei's son, she sees some servants carrying a leather sofa into the Little Princess's room. Tolstoy never says anything else about it, and never explains it. The fact is that Tolstoy himself was born on a leather sofa, and he insisted that his wife give birth to all of his many children on the same sofa.)

So don't be afraid of this very long novel, which Henry James once unwisely referred to as a "loose baggy monster." In fact it is nothing of the sort. It takes quite a few readings of "War and Peace" before you realize how brilliantly structured it is -- how something that seems at first glance as natural and casual as water flowing downstream is really meticulously and artfully plotted.

I hope I've talked you into at least taking a crack at this book. Unlike Proust, who has to be read incredibly slowly if you're going to get anything at all from him, "War and Peace" can be taken at a gallop. And its a lot of fun -- not at all the grim heavy tome it's made out to be.

So what are you waiting for?

Yes, It's Worth the Trouble
Although my blind urge to read the Great Classics has (thankfully) faded somewhat over the years in favor of reading whatever I damn please, I finally decided it was time to give War and Peace a try. After all, how can anyone who enjoys novels resist the lure of "the greatest novel of all time"? And Tolstoy himself was an unusually interesting man -- not a screwed-up genius but one who seemed to eventually figure it all out. It took me maybe a hundred pages to get into the rhythm of the book and figure out who all those characters with multisyllabic Russian names were. After that, it was totally engrossing and surprisingly easy reading. There's no point giving you a book report on what happens -- you're supposed to read it yourself -- but I do disagree with some of the other reviewers who didn't care for the sections describing Tolstoy's philosophy of history. I found those sections (a very small proportion of the book) fascinating, albeit a change of pace. This is part of what makes the book great. War and Peace is not just a story of what happens to a bunch of made-up people, but a major work of art expressing the wisdom of a great man.

The latest in a very rewarding trend
This excellent new translation continues the trend to retranslate the monuments of fiction. From Magic Mountain to Man without Qualities, from Don Quixote to Madame Bovary, this movement proves again that great art is timeless, but interpretaion changes. In this way translation can be likened to the way two conductors can approach say, Mozart. It is still Mozart. It is always Mozart. But these are two interpretations.

Further, just as Mozart sounds better on a state of the art stereo system (or at concert), the binding, layout, and paper selection can enhance the reading experience. In this case Viking has done a superb job. The paper even smells great!

There is, finally, amother interpretation: that of age, and experience. I first read all of these books in my 'teens and 'twenties. I loved them then, but what did I know of life, or art? I am now sixty. The new translations give me an excuse, really a mandate, to reread them, and I am better for it.

You will be too. Spending an evening with this marvelous translation of War and Peace is vastly more rewarding than reading anything on the bestseller lists, or, dare I say it, watching American Idol.

As for me, I will wrap up Tolstoy this week, and move to book two of In Search of Lost Time (new translation.) Maybe I will finish Proust before I am seventy!

Note to Amazon: perhaps you could develop a section on your web site for these new translations, so we know what is available and what is coming. ... Read more

Editorial Review

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Reviews

Absolutely the best book ever
This book is an example of perfect fiction writing. Its length is 5 times the average book and it still was not long enough! The story, the characters, the settings and the emotions enthralled me for days. I could not put it down. I was living the book as it took me to France, the mediterranean, Italy and every home, cave and mode of transportation detailed in exemplary fashion by Dumas. Without giving away the intrigue... This book is the story of a wronged young sailor and follows his life as he is imprisoned due to the actions of 3 jealous men. He lives in prison for an extended period of time, meeting a man who gives him hope and a life beyond his dreams. He escapes the horrid dungeon and seeks revenge on the 3 men who took away everything he ever hoped for. This book is amazing, it will not disappoint anyone. I cannot believe I did not read it before. Thank you Kindle for allowing me the pleasure of reading this book for free, however, it is worth paying for and sharing with anyone who loves to read.

Worth the effort. Great read
Having just bought a Kindle, I decided to read some of the classics, since I can get them for free thanks to Kindle. I saw the Count of Monte Cristo movie some time ago and decided to give this a shot. The beginning middle and end of the book are fabulous. I had to push through at about 70% through the book though. I even watched the movie after reading this. The author does a great job detailing the agony of the Count's revenge, where in the movie its one nice little trap set that does not really show how the Count made the others suffer. It was a great read, and had me thinking in old English all week.

Great book
I'll admit up front - I'm only 15% of the way through the book. But so far, I love it. It's got plenty of intrigue and suspense to keep me very interested. I have no doubt I'll love the remaining 85%. Also, I'm 90% sure that this is the unabridged version. I took this Kindle version to a bookstore and compared it to an unabridged hard copy of the book, and they line up very similarly. From what I can tell, the unabridged versions have 117 chapters, compared to about 71 chapters in the abridged version. A hard copy unabridged version will have roughly 1200 pages, compared to about 600 pages for the abridged. For what it's worth, this Kindle version has 19,069 "locations." All in all, a great read so far.

Favorite book; but is this abridged??
I love the Count of Monte Cristo, but I'm about a quarter of the way through and I feel like little pieces are being left out of the story from what I remember it to be. My memory could be wrong, so can anyone confirm if this is the unabridged version. Guess you can't beat the price though.

Dumas is truly a master at his craft
I have been going through the classics with my new Kindle. I made Monte Cristo one of the first on my list and I am not disappointed. Dumas has a way of telling a story, crafting it to make it weave a fabric of a story where all meshes together psychologically and suspensively. Dumas is a great observer of people and how they live and act and react to different situations and stresses.
Excellent book.

One of the best
This is one of the best books I have ever read. It is my gold standard for comparing to other books. I grade movies and books by how much I think about them or their characters after the fact. I find myself coming back to certain scenes in this book often even though it has been over a year since I read it. Adventure, suspense, a touch of romance and history all make it a comprehensive event. I found myself looking up locations on Google Earth because they were described in such vivid deatil I wanted to see where they were. Without giving too much away - "Revenge is sweet".

One of My Favorites
I downloaded this book a long while ago because it was free and a well-known classic. The length of it put me off for a while but I am very glad I took the plunge and read it. What I loved most was the Count's inteligence and insight into human nature to the point where he knew exactly how each of his victims would react to his plot against them. It is very long but has become one of my favorites!

If you have watched the movie and thought it was just OK you definitely need to read the book because it a whole lot better!

alexandre dumas never fails!
this book is one of my favorites. once you get to the action, you simply cant put it down. it is filled with something for everyone: betrayal, action, murder, romance, and even a little mystery.

The Kindle makes it so easy
I have read the Count of Monte Cristo about 4 times and have seen it on TV numerous times starting with Tyrone Powers as the leading man. I have never found it more exciting or more fun then I am with my Kindle. A great piece of literature made fun to read again and again. ... Read more

Editorial Review

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Reviews

Thieves, Murderers and all of their Ilk
This book surprised me, not by the quality of its writing, which one can expect from Charles Dickens, but by the violent, lusty primal quality of the story. This is no dry musty tome, but a vital novel that arouses both passion and intellect. A literal page turner, I found myself having more than one sleepless night when I just couldn't put it down.

Inside are some of the major characters in the realm of fiction; Fagin and his gang of child thieves, including the Artful Dodger. Nancy, the proverbial hooker with a heart of gold. Master Charles Bates (was this a pun even then?) Bad Bill Sikes, who shows the darker edge to all of this dangerous fun, and the innocent, pure Oliver Twist, who is the very definition of nature over nurture.

A great book, and one that I am glad to have finally read.

A Page-Turner
A novel of this size can be daunting for the reader. "If I start this book, I'm going to have to spend the next month finishing it". That's what I thought anyway. But in Oliver Twist I sailed through the pages. It's rare that a classic, and I have read many of them, becomes a page-turner but this one did. Maybe I was lucky in not having seen the film versions prior to the reading of the book because I desperately wanted to find out what happened to Oliver and the multitude of other brilliantly written characters who inhabit the pages of Dickens' classic.

The plot is simple. A boy escapes his orphan home to live in London with a group of thieves and pickpockets. He's saved from this depraved life by a kindly, lonely old gentleman. But the villains, Bill Sykes and especially Fagin, fear that the boy may rat them out and so they kidnap him back. Can Oliver make it back to the life he deserves?

Oliver's story is not a very originally one, but it is enlivened by some of the greatest characters I've ever seen written. My personal favourites and there are many, are Noah Claypole who becomes a principle player and a very funny one at that, near the book's conclusion; and Mr. Brownlow, who's catchphrase "I'll eat my own head" had me bursting into laughter.

The book is diminished by its excessive sentimentality at the conclusion. Its female characters, apart from the courageous Nancy, are written in a golden light so as to become fantasies rather than the gloriously dirty reality of their male counterparts. A sub-plot between Mary and her boyfriend is ridiculously excessive.

Against these weaknesses, the book is a triumph of character. Often memorably played on screen, the two villains have become more famous than the title character, who is slightly simpering. Fagin is deliciously smarmy and Sykes is evil incarnate. They get their comuppance in justifiably brutal fashion. Dickens like most of us was a sucker for a happy ending.

Forsaken child
The creative novel Oliver Twist, written by Charles Dickens in 1838, defines a classic of all times. This intense story reflects a young boy's life in London with no family or place to go. Oliver's mother dies while giving birth to her son in the beginning of the book. Oliver's father remains unknown. Throughout the book the reader sees constant struggles. Oliver is befriended by Fagin and his company. Fagin, along with the Artful Dodger, invite Oliver to stay with them and become a thief. During one of Oliver's pick pocketing adventures; he is caught by Mr. Brownlow. Instead of reprimanding the young lad, Mr. Brownlow decides to raise him. Oliver desperately searches for the answer to his past while trying to stay alive on the streets of London. Ironically, Mr. Brownlow is Oliver's grandfather. A dominate theme of Oliver Twist examines the importance of family. Oliver's early years taught him to fend for himself and he suffers from never experiencing a loving and nurturing childhood. The setting of the book plays a powerful role as the story unfolds. Dickens describes the setting of London and all the places that Oliver stays very descriptively. "The street was very narrow and muddy, and the air was impregnated with filthy odor. The walls and ceiling of the room were perfectly black with age and dirt..." (page. 56). Dickens explains the facilities that were available to poor Oliver and makes them sound unbearable. He does an excellent job making the setting come alive and allows the reader to plight. I would recommend all readers at some point in life to delve into this classic. I found Oliver Twist very moving and towards the end hoping only the best for poor Oliver.

I loved this book!
I picked this book up at my local library for a book report. Since I am 14, I didn't expect to really enjoy this book, but I had heard so much about it so I decided to read it. Once I had read the book, I was surprised at how much I liked it! I could not put this book down. There were numerous occasions where I kept wondering what would happen next. I was surprised by the murder. I guess I kind of saw it coming though since Sikes seems as if he has it in him. The trials Oliver goes through in this book really make you think. I was disappointed by Mr. Bumble. He treated Oliver as if he weren't human. All in all, I enjoyed the characters. I give 5 stars to Dickens for writing this novel. He has made me an admirer of his books. Now I truly know why he is such a great author. Everyone should experience this book!

Charles Dickens' Best Novel
This is my favorite novel by Charles Dickens. The book hooks you in and is a fascinating page turner from beginning to end. It has loads of adventure, mystery, and drama. It also has a lot of melodrama which reminds me of the old silent movies. Dickens writes about the villainous characters with a great deal of sarcasm, often calling them "philosophers." He describes the good characters in angelic terms. I was surprised to read a very virulent description of the Jew Fagin. It reminded me of Nazi propaganda. I got the impression that Fagin's business associates, the merchants who sold the stolen merchandise, were also Jews. This book thoroughly goes over the phenomena of how badly lower class people are treated in their lives. They are constantly abused, verbally and physically, by authority figures. I really wonder what it is about poverty that makes people treat each other so abusively and inhumanely. Some people say Dickens' books are flawed. That doesn't matter whatsoever. The important thing is that Dickens was the greatest storyteller of the 19th century.

Gripping Classic Literature.
I always wanted to read this book--and any other Dickens--after being subjected to the musical featuring child stars Mark Lester and the late Jack Wild. It is with great sarcasm that, though I love the musical, to find that the novel differs greatly is such a surprise. I will also admit that this is the first Dickens novel I have ever read, and find it interesting to note that children have never had easy lives since the beginning of man's origins up until now. We just hear more about it these days.

The amazing cruelty with which orphans have been treated through history is depicted here with a verbal imagery which the reader will not soon forget, and the cast of supporting characters keeps one fascinated due to the human characteristics Dickens gives them. How a largely bland, yet sympathetic little boy stays true to the purest of righteous virtues seems far fetched at times given his treatment at the workhouse and being constantly surrounded by thieves and murderers like Fagin, Sikes, the Artful Dodger, and Master (All he does is laugh) Bates (I won't even elaborate on that name, but snickered quite a bit at it). Most children would have succumbed to their surroundings long before 12, but Dickens seems to be going for nature verses nurture here, pointing out that people can rise above their environment, and I cannot argue. Most people know someone who came from awful circumstances, only to become the opposite of all the negativity they've been surrounded with. So then, maybe there are street walkers like Nancy--the true hero of this story--who have hearts of gold as well, and there are wealthy people who are the antithesis of everything you have ever heard like the man who comes to adopt Oliver.

Dickens makes one thing very clear in Oliver Twist: right makes might, and if you hold on long enough goodness can indeed win the day, no matter how hard life gets sometimes. He also stresses that, among the many paths in life one chooses, the virtues of goodness and honesty are the best roads to take in the end. A classic worth reading more than once.

Never expected it to be funny!
I wuz robbed! Back in high school I had an English teacher who hated Charles Dickens. He found him dull, boring, wordy, and complained of Dickens' endless descriptions, formulated story telling, length of his books, and endings that were easy to predict. In his class, we focused on Mark Twain, Herman Melville, and Nathaniel Hawthorne, among others. We were never assigned Dickens or expected to read him. And I generally respected the opinions of this teacher, so I refrained from the work of Dickens. Now, many decades later, I read in Stephen King's "On Writing" that "Oliver Twist" was one of the books he had read in the past three years that he thoroughly enjoyed. So, as we are about the same age, I decided to give it a try. Was my teacher dead wrong! Yes, the book is long, but it certainly isn't boring. Who knew that Dickens had a terrific sense of humor? And as the sarcastic narrator of this tale, he is laugh-out-loud funny. Yes, the book follows a pretty strict formula. But Dickens admits in the telling that he is following the popular style of the day: A chapter of anguish followed by a chapter of relief. Repeat. And each chapter ends with a cliffhanger. But we must remember that Dickens' books first appeared as magazine serializations. And yes, there is a ton of descriptive text, but so well written that I found it interesting. Also, I did know early on how the book was going to end. However, not knowing how Oliver was going to get to that end made the book compelling to read. There are terrific characters within, exciting plot twists, and to top it all, Dickens surprising humor. Now I'm anxious to read more Dickens. I should have started years ago. By the way, in the Penguin Classics version, there is a long Introduction, but writer Philip Horne had the courtesy to warn new readers not to read it because of the "spoilers" that are included. Also, Horne presents almost 100 pages of notes at the end of the book. Don't let that scare you off. I never had to refer to them. ... Read more

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Reviews

The classic version
This is the classic version of _Beauty and the Beast_, the one that Disney based the film on. The movie was a surprisingly close adaptation, and fans of the movie will recognize many elements here (such as Beauty's love of reading), though other elements are markedly different (here, Beauty's father is a merchant, not an inventor, though still unusually middle-class for a classic fairy tale; Gaston is nonexistent here, a Disney invention).

It is very short, at only 196 kindle locations, and the text is fairly clear of typos.

If you're a fan of this story, there are a host of other classic fairy tales that follow the same basic model, all of which should be available for free online. Beaumont's version was an adaptation of a longer original version by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve. If you're interested in reading other fairy tales with similar if slightly extended plotlines, try looking for "East of the Sun and West of the Moon" or "The Black Bull of Norroway." If you want to get really classical, look up the story of Cupid and Psyche in Apuleius' "The Golden Ass."

Swept Away - If Only for A Moment!
This book brought a smile to my face. It is such a good, sweet story. I discovered how well the screenwrtiers followed the original story, yet along with the imagineers at Disne, introduced new characters that fit right in It made me want see the animated film again. It is short and would make a great bedtime story for your kids or for yourself. Definitely worth the read.

More Than a Romance
"Beauty and the Beast" is classic, I've always known that. But only recently have I read it and been able to take it for what it is. A beautifully simple story about the importances of being virtuous. It's such a sweet romance, but under that is the subtext of the time it was written in.

That traditional belief that good things come to those who wait is what drives the story forward. Beauty is a sincere soul, who loves her family and perseveres through tough times with them, even when she is offered the chance to marry out of her family's poverty. While her sisters are terrible creatures who only live in the hopes that they will be wealthy again someday.

Beast, himself, is an excellent metaphor for why judging a book by it's cover is a terrible practice. And that lesson resounds loud all these years later in today's society. You never know what you are passing up. It's a great children's story that teaches young and old to shelve their discriminating tendencies, and go into things with an open mind.

short and sweet
beauty and the beast was my fav movie as a child and i have heard many diffrent versions of the story. this one however is the least dark and being the 'o.g' story i was surprised it was so. considering the nature of most early fairytales.

Wonderful short story
Have always known about the Disney version, but never read the book. Was pleasantly surprised at how faithful the film was to the story. I would recommned the story if you love the film. I finished the story in half an hour. ... Read more

Editorial Review

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Reviews

Misleading cover image is of wrong version!
If you rely on the user-submitted image of the cover attached to this item, you might think that this is the highly-praised modern Richmond Lattimore translation (which would be one of the great bargains of classic literature!). However, the actual version you download will be an 1864 prose translation by "Edward, Earl of Derby." Not bad, if you like older language, don't mind prose instead of poetry, and can't afford any but the free version, but it certainly isn't Lattimore's translation.

The ground is dark with blood
With many books, translations are negligible, with two obvious exceptions, one is the Bible, and surprisingly the other is The Iliad. Each translation can give a different insight and feel to the story. Everyone will have a favorite. I have several.

For example:

"Rage--Goddess, sing the rage of Peleus' son Achilles,
Murderous, doomed, that cost the Achaeans countless losses,
hurling down to the House of Death so many souls,
great fighters' souls. But made their bodies carrion,
feasts for dogs and birds,
and the will of Zeus was moving towards its end.
Begin, Muse, when the two first broke and clashed,
Agamemnon lord of men and brilliant Achilles."
-Translated by Robert Fagles

"Sing, O Goddess, the anger of Achilles, son of Peleus, that brought countless ills upon the Achaeans. Many a brave soul did it send hurrying down to Hades, and many a heroes did it yield a prey to dogs and vultures for so were the counsels of Zeus fulfilled from the day on which the son of Atreus, king of men, and great Achilles first fell out with one another."
-Translated by Samuel Butler

"Rage:
Sing, Goddess, Achilles' rage,
Black and murderous, that cost the Greeks
Incalculable pain pitched countless souls
Of heroes into Hades' dark,
And let their bodies rot as feasts
For dogs and birds, as Zeus' will was done.
Begin with the clash between Agamemnon--
The Greek Warlord--and godlike Achilles."
-Translated by Stanley Lombardo

"Anger be now your song, immortal one,
Akhilleus' anger, doomed and ruinous,
that caused the Akhaians loss on bitter loss
and crowded brave souls into the undergloom,
leaving so many dead men--carrion
for dogs and birds; and the will of Zeus was done.
Begin it when the two men first contending
broke with one another--
the Lord Marshal Agam�mnon, Atreus' son, and Prince Akhilleus."
-Translated by Translated by Robert Fitzgerald

"Sing, goddess, the anger of Peleus' son of Achilleus and its devastation, which puts pains thousandfold upon the Achains,
hurled in the multitudes to the house of Hades strong souls of heroes, but gave their bodies to be the delicate feasting of dogs, of all birds, and the will of Zeus was accomplished since that time when first there stood the division of conflict Atrecus' son the lord of men and brilliant Achilleus."
-Translated by Richmond Lattimore

You will find that some translations are easier to read but others are easier to listen to on recordings, lectures, Kindle, and the like.

Our story takes place in the ninth year of the ongoing war. We get some introduction to the first nine years but they are just a background to this tale of pride, sorrow and revenge. The story will also end abruptly before the end of the war.

We have the wide conflict between the Trojans and Achaeans over a matter of pride; the gods get to take sides and many times direct spears and shields.

Although the more focused conflict is the power struggle between two different types of power. That of Achilles, son of Peleus and the greatest individual warrior and that of Agamemnon, lord of men, whose power comes form position.

We are treated to a blow by blow inside story as to what each is thinking and an unvarnished description of the perils of war and the search for Ar�te (to be more like Aries, God of War.)

Troy - The Director's Cut [Blu-ray]

The ground is dark with blood
With many books, translations are negligible, with two obvious exceptions, one is the Bible, and surprisingly the other is The Iliad. Each translation can give a different insight and feel to the story. Everyone will have a favorite. I have several.

For example:

"Rage--Goddess, sing the rage of Peleus' son Achilles,
Murderous, doomed, that cost the Achaeans countless losses,
hurling down to the House of Death so many souls,
great fighters' souls. But made their bodies carrion,
feasts for dogs and birds,
and the will of Zeus was moving towards its end.
Begin, Muse, when the two first broke and clashed,
Agamemnon lord of men and brilliant Achilles."
-Translated by Robert Fagles

"Sing, O Goddess, the anger of Achilles, son of Peleus, that brought countless ills upon the Achaeans. Many a brave soul did it send hurrying down to Hades, and many a heroes did it yield a prey to dogs and vultures for so were the counsels of Zeus fulfilled from the day on which the son of Atreus, king of men, and great Achilles first fell out with one another."
-Translated by Samuel Butler

"Rage:
Sing, Goddess, Achilles' rage,
Black and murderous, that cost the Greeks
Incalculable pain pitched countless souls
Of heroes into Hades' dark,
And let their bodies rot as feasts
For dogs and birds, as Zeus' will was done.
Begin with the clash between Agamemnon--
The Greek Warlord--and godlike Achilles."
-Translated by Stanley Lombardo

"Anger be now your song, immortal one,
Akhilleus' anger, doomed and ruinous,
that caused the Akhaians loss on bitter loss
and crowded brave souls into the undergloom,
leaving so many dead men--carrion
for dogs and birds; and the will of Zeus was done.
Begin it when the two men first contending
broke with one another--
the Lord Marshal Agam�mnon, Atreus' son, and Prince Akhilleus."
-Translated by Translated by Robert Fitzgerald

"Sing, goddess, the anger of Peleus' son of Achilleus and its devastation, which puts pains thousandfold upon the Achains,
hurled in the multitudes to the house of Hades strong souls of heroes, but gave their bodies to be the delicate feasting of dogs, of all birds, and the will of Zeus was accomplished since that time when first there stood the division of conflict Atrecus' son the lord of men and brilliant Achilleus."
-Translated by Richmond Lattimore

You will find that some translations are easier to read but others are easier to listen to on recordings, lectures, Kindle, and the like.

Our story takes place in the ninth year of the ongoing war. We get some introduction to the first nine years but they are just a background to this tale of pride, sorrow and revenge. The story will also end abruptly before the end of the war.

We have the wide conflict between the Trojans and Achaeans over a matter of pride; the gods get to take sides and many times direct spears and shields.

Although the more focused conflict is the power struggle between two different types of power. That of Achilles, son of Peleus and the greatest individual warrior and that of Agamemnon, lord of men, whose power comes form position.

We are treated to a blow by blow inside story as to what each is thinking and an unvarnished description of the perils of war and the search for Ar�te (to be more like Aries, God of War.)

Troy - The Director's Cut [Blu-ray]

The Iliad of Homer
First I would like to say thanks for making it free to public domain, what a blessing. Second this is the one used in the Great Books class for those who are taking it. I almost missed it because it did not have a cover picture on the search engine.

One of the Greats
What can I say? This is up there on one of my favorites! I had to have it on my Kindle just because of that. ... Read more

Editorial Review

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Reviews

A Classic for a Reason
I initially approached this book with a great deal of trepidation. I had never read Dostoyevsky, and was concerned that I would get bogged down in some lengthy, mind-numbingly boring, nineteenth-century treatise on the bestial nature of man or something. I am happy to report this is not the case. Instead, and to my delight, it is a smoothly flowing and fascinating story of a young man who succumbs to the most base desire, and the impact this has both psychologically and otherwise on himself and those around him.

To be sure, the book seems wordy in places, but I suspect this has to do with the translation. And what translator in his right mind would be bold enough to edit the great Dostoyevsky? But this is a very minor problem.

What we get with Dostoyevsky is dramatic tension, detailed and believable human characters, and brilliant insight into human nature. Early in the novel our hero meets and has a lengthy conversation with Marmeladov, a drunkard. This conversation is never uninteresting and ultimately becomes pathetic and heartbreaking, but I kept wondering why so much time was spent on it. As I got deeper into the book, I understood why this conversation was so important, and realized that I was in the hands of a master storyteller. This is also indicative of the way in which the story reveals itself. Nothing is hurried. These people speak the way we actually speak to one another in real life, and more importantly, Dostoyevsky is able to flesh out his characters into whole, three-dimensional human beings.

And what a diverse group of characters! Each is fleshed out, each is marvelously complex. Razujmikhin, the talkative, gregarious, good-hearted, insecure and destitute student; Sonia, the tragic child-prostitute, with a sense of rightness in the world; Petrovich, the self-important, self-made man, completely out of touch with his own humanity; Dunia, the honorable, wronged sister: we feel like we know these people because we've met people like them. They fit within our understanding of the way human beings are.

Dostoyevsky also displays great insight into human nature. Svidrigailov, for example, talks of his wife as liking to be offended. "We all like to be offended," he says, "but she in particular loved to be offended." It suddenly struck me how true this is. It gives us a chance to act indignantly, to lash out at our enemies, to gain favor with our allies. I don't believe I've ever seen this thought expressed in literature before. In fact, it never occurred to me in real life! Petrovich, Dunia's suitor, not only expects to be loved, but because of his money, and her destitution, he expects to be adored! To be worshipped! He intentionally sought out a woman from whome he expected to get this, and is comletely flummoxed when she rejects him. His is an unusual character, but completely realized.

There is so much more to talk about: the character of Raskolnikov, which is meticulously and carefully revealed; the sense of isolation which descends on him after committing his crime; the cat and mouse game played on him by the police detective. I could go on and on. I haven't even mentioned the historical and social context in which this takes place. Suffice to say this is a very rich book.

Do not expect it to be a rip-roaring page turner. Sit down, relax, take your time, and savor it. It will be a very rewarding experience. And thank you SL, for recommending it.

Wonderful new translation
Crime and Punishment centers upon the story of a young Russian student, Raskolnikov, who plots and carries out a brutal murder. However, this is less than a quarter of the story. The rest centers upon his attempts to come to terms with the philosophical and psycological consequences of his act. Aiding, or hindering, him in this endevor are a series of characters from the kind-hearted prostitute Sonia and her drunken father, the unrepentant scoundrel Svidrigailov, Raskolnikov's best friend Razumihin, and the police detective come amateur psychologist Porfiry Petrovich. Though the story develops slowly, with many detours, Raskolnikov's journey through crime and punishment remains gripping until the very last page.

I first encountered Crime and Punishment in the classic translation by Constance Garnett and loved it for Dostoyevsky's careful balance of character and philosophy. Dostoyevsky's genius lies in his ability to create simultaneously a psychological novel and a novel of ideas. Though each character represents a certain philosophy of life, they never become lifeless or stereotyped. Instead, each is a memorably developed and psychologically deep person, who could easily carry a story in their own right. Dostoyevsky's genius is in the perfect counterpoint between conflict of personality and conflict of philosophy between each of these fascinating people. Dostoyevsky also specializes in garnering the reader's interest and sympathy for the most unlikely characters. This is a novel, after all, with an ax murderer as the protagonist.

However, until I read this new translation of Dostoyevsky, I never realized that besides psychologist and philosopher, Dostoyevsky was also a masterful stylist. Pevear and Volokhonsky succeed in faithfully translating the literal meaning of the original Russian, while still capturing the vivid liveliness of Dostoyevsky's prose. The heat of a St. Petersburg summer night fairly radiates off the page in the first part, while his descriptions of Raskolnikov's cramped bedroom gave me claustrophobia.

Admittedly, this is no beach-read thriller. The Russian names can be confusing, and Dostoyevsky's manages to be both dense and long-winded. Nontheless, this is one of the greatest works of fiction ever written that should be read both as a "classic book" and as a gripping psychological exploration of crime.

This soldier's favorite book
If you read one murder novel in the rest of your life, read "Crime and Punishment" by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. It's only 500 pages but it speaks volumes.

I discovered Dostoyevsky a few months ago while I was deployed to Iraq and my literary world will never been the same.

I found a copy of "The Brothers Karamazov" in a pile of miscellenious books that had been dedicated to troops to boost morale and took it to a literary savvy Lt. Col. I knew. When I showed him my find, he insisted I read Crime and Punishment first. I'm certainly glad I decided to take his advice.

Crime and Punishment tells the story of a brutal murder in pre- revolutionary Russa and the emotional torment of the eccentric murderer, Raskolnikov. The book is as dark and suspenseful as anything I've ever read, but it also manages to convey things on the opposite end of the emotional spectrum like redemption and love. My favorite passage of the book (a hard pick, for sure) is when Porfiry, a jovial but formitable detective, interrogates Raskolnikov.

The deployment is over, but my infatuation with Dostoyevsky's books has just begun. I'm now reading "The Idiot" and enjoying it, though it's too early to see if it matches "Crime and Punishment."

Whether you are deployed to the farthest reaches of the world or sitting comfortably at home, "Crime and Punishment" promises to be an exhilerating read.

It's classic, it's free, it's a masterpiece - what more can you ask
Many of the 'classic novels' I have read were originally written in English, and therefore forego translation in modern bindings. Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, although written in the latter half of the 19th century, holds up well to the conversion from the original Russian to English.

Rodion Raskolikov is a student, an author, an intellectual. Like countless others in Russia at the time, he is also very poor. His empassioned mind imagines that a local woman, a pawnbroker is evil, a parasite, for taking the valued trinkets of her neighbors and paying them a pittance in return, and for holding promisary notes over their heads. His rage turns to murder, justifying his actions later on as doing a greater good for many by taking the life of this one person. However, his crime is two-fold, as he is discovered by the woman's sister, still with the murder weapon in his hands, and in a moment of terrified frenzy, murders her as well.

The bulk of this novel, exquisitly written, is the slow realization of Raskolnikov that his crime was just that, a crime, no matter how good his intent. Raskolnikov struggles with the guilt of his actions, even as he time and again proves his worthiness as a person in his actions regarding others, giving up his last bit of money to help another less fortunate than himself, attending to a dying man in the streets, trying to secure a good future for his sister, with a worthy man. Raskolnikov, as the reader discovers, is a good and decent man.

The underlying message of this book seems to be that even a man of conscience cannot commit an unconscienable act without repurcussion, without 'punishment', and that no matter how justified you think you may be in your actions, no matter how many good deeds you may do, with conscience there is always a higher authority to answer to, that of your own mind, and what you can or cannot live with.

Dostoevsky had been described to me as dry, turgid reading. I found it to be nothing of the sort. The story never drags on or belabours a point without logic and qualification. The characters, although the focus of the story is Raskolnikov, are all well realized, and developed.

The story itself remains interesting and engaging throughout every page, with a well crafted conundrum once you reach the epilogue, and leaves the reader, at least this one, with a desire to read more about this man, beyond the final words of the book.

The mind of a killer
Dostoevsky, with his book Crime and Punishment, unknowingly influenced every great writer since. There are many books that stay with a person, days or weeks after reading them, but Crime and Punishment is one of the few that live on forever. After reading the book, my eyes have been opened to the light of the human soul. Raskolnikov, the central character, is an unmotivated, destitute man. He is symbolic of the so called "dirt", that the world tries so desperately to rid. The novels plot is tight as they come, but it is Dostoevsky's supreme insight and reality into the mind of a killer, Raskolnikov, that makes this novel a testament to genius. Some may read this novel to be "well-read", I say read this novel to gain the foothold to the bottom of your own soul. It will help you gain the realization of self, with a better understanding of the society that can bring men down and subsequently lift them up. I will not give away the ending, but read the book not for the ending, but for the journey that it takes you through, the journey into hell.

A great novel
This is, of course, one of the great novels of all time. Fyodor Dostoyevsky created a number of truly wonderful works over time, such as "The Brothers Karamazov," "The Gambler," and "The Devils" (or "The Possessed"). The "Translator's Introduction" to "Crime and Punishment" provides useful context. David Magarshack, the translator, observes that (page 11) ". . .the main theme. . .had occupied Dostoyevsky ever since he gave up his career in the army to devote himself to literature." Shortly thereafter, Magarshack quotes Dostoyevsky himself from an earlier work, "White Knights," with the author saying (page 11): "'It is said that the proximity of punishment gives rise to real repentance in the criminal and sometimes arouses remorse in the most hardened heart; it is said to be chiefly due to fear." Thus, there is a psychological element to this novel, whether is approximates reality or not (I have my doubts that a lot of criminals really repent and show remorse, but that is neither here nor there).

The novel itself was important for Dostoyevsky since, as was not uncommon, he was in dire financial straits. He signed a contract to provide a serialization of the work to a literary publication. This is apparent at some points, when different parts of the novel may not fit together so well or when certain strands of discourse aren't fully developed.

The protagonist, Raskolnikov, faces a series of problems. For one thing, he is a student who faces dire poverty and has a difficult time just making ends meet. At another level, he has a sense that special human beings can be above the law and so on to do great deeds. These two factors plus others are interlinked to lead him to murder a pawnbroker to help gain enough money to survive. On being "superman," Raskolnikov says at one point (page 276): "I simply hinted that the `extraordinary' man has a right--not an officially sanctioned right, of course--to permit his conscience to step over certain obstacles, but only if it is absolutely necessary for the fulfillment of his idea on which possibly the welfare of all mankind may depend." And, in a following commentary (page 277): ". . .I maintain that all men who are not only great but a little out of the common. . .must by their very nature be criminals. . . ."

After committing the murder, he begins to come apart, as he suspects that people know of his deed. In another plot twist, after meeting a civil servant, Marmalodov, he comes to be attracted to his daughter, Sonya. He comes to confess to her of his deed. Later, he falls in love with her, but his imprisonment means that they would need to delay a life together. She follows him to Siberia, and the novel ends with hope for the future.

This is one of the great novels, no doubt. There are problems, as noted above, with the development of the story and with its ending (almost deus ex machine). Nonetheless, an interesting psychological analysis of the human mind. Still worth reading long after he completed writing it in 1866. Raskolnikov remains one of the great characters in literature, and his slow unraveling after the murder creates gripping drama.

Dostoevski's best book
This is Dostoevski's greatest masterpiece. Supposedly, he was in a prison camp lying on a bunk serving time for fostering radical ideas against the Russian regime when the idea came to him. If your favorite author is John Grisham or Stephen King, you should skip it, because the ideas presented are so deep and masterful, you must peel the layers off each character slowly and painfully to fully understand and comprehend the vision Dostoevski was trying to convey. Crime and Punishment is the one book of Dostoevski's which is different from his other four big novels. In the Possessed, Brothers Karamozov, Idiot, and Raw Youth, Dostoevski usually presents his structure very much like a play. He introduces his characters and like the end of a first act, he has them come together in one room and something dramatic happens, whether it is Natasha throwing money in the fire, or Stavrogin getting slapped in the face. Crime and Punishment does not follow his usual form. The drama occurs in the very first chapters and the rest unfolds itself through that one act. This is a book of religious affirmation, don't forget that when reading, and Dostoevski makes a personal statement at the end which should not be brushed off. The story is thrilling and intellectual, but it's up to you, the reader, to make it so, because the book itself can't do it. It's you actively thinking about the various ideas presented that will create the images needed to absorb the brilliance you keep hearing about. ... Read more

Editorial Review

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Reviews

The Eternal Error
According to Tolstoy, the genesis of Anna Karenina was derived from three specific events: (1) An idea for a story Tolstoy developed in 1870 about a woman who deserts her husband for another man, based, in part, on the life of his sister, Marya; (2) a newspaper story concerning the mistress of one of Tolstoy's neighbors, who, feeling only despair at being abandoned by her lover, hurled herself under a train; and (3) a sentence from Pushkin's Tales of the Balkins ("The guests were arriving at the country house..."), that Tolstoy read by chance one day in 1873. Supposedly, this sentence from Pushkin fueled Tolstoy's imagination to such a degree that he completed a first draft of Anna Karenina in only three weeks.

A novel about the meaning of life and the role happiness does or does not play in it, Anna Karenina is the story of a married woman's adulterous affair with Count Vronsky. As foreshadowed in the book's early pages, the affair ends tragically, for both Anna and Vronsky.

The novel (which Tolstoy's contemporary, Dostoyevsky, considered "a perfect work of art"), also tells the story of Constantine Levin, a gentleman farmer whose lifelong pursuit of happiness and fulfillment culminates, not in his long-awaited marriage to Kitty Shcherbatskaya, but with the advice of a simple peasant about "living rightly, in God's way."

From a few simple, yet melodramatic events (and the depths of a dizzyingly fecund imagination), Tolstoy fashioned a beautiful, profound and enduring novel dealing with stark questions of both life and religious faith as seen through the eyes of the farmer, Levin. Also a morality play, Anna Karenina delves deeply into the damaging effects of society's ostracization, especially regarding the characters of Anna and Vronsky.

Many consider Anna Karenina Tolstoy's most personal work and, indeed, many of the novel's scenes do mirror Tolstoy's relationship with his own wife, Sonya. Levin's courtship of Kitty and his expressions of love for her, written with chalk on a table are reflective of Tolstoy's courtship of Sonya. Even more evocative of Tolstoy, himself, is the soul-wrenching scene in which Levin gives Kitty his diaries to read, exposing his very soul to the woman he has come to love so completely.

The final scenes of the novel, especially Levin's intense search for the answer to the meaning of existence are reflective of Tolstoy's own search, dramatically documented in his beautiful memoir, A Confession, and considered by many to be one of the most truthful, agonizing and soul-searching statements of authentic spirituality.

The publication of Anna Karenina coincided with the end of Tolstoy's life of material and emotional luxury. From this point on, he concentrated on a deeper and more mature quest. Although he would go on to write the beautiful novel, Resurrection, and The Death of Ivan Ilyich, a true existential masterpiece, Tolstoy's career reached its zenith in the character of Anna Karenina and her seemingly irrational embrace of death. Anna's husband, Karenin, is often overlooked, although he is equally compelling; a complex and emotional character who briefly embraces the doctrine of Christian forgiveness in his emotional denial over the loss of Anna.

No doubt the second most famous line of the book is Vronsky's startling realization: "It showed him (Vronsky) the eternal error men make in imagining that happiness consists in the realization of their desires."

Almost epic in scope and poignantly detailed, Anna Karenina represents the perfect balance of drama, morality and philosophical inquiry. How are we to live our lives, the novel asks, when all the illusions we hold so close to our heart have been stripped away? What are we to believe in and cling to?

With its emphasis on drama over polemic, Anna Karenina thus embodies art of the highest order. In its portrayal of man's timeless struggle to make sense out of life while coming to terms with death, both its theme and its characters remain, now and forever, timeless.

A great master
This will not, perhaps, be very helpful to you, future reader, to hear but: in my humble opinion, there is no way to *learn* to like Tolstoy. There's no process of adjustment, no method of accustoming oneself to the prose, the descriptions, the style, the themes. It's either there within you or it's not.

In other words, if you begin "Anna Karenina" and you are not immediately swept up into the story, with its many characters, family tensions, and ornate depiction of Russian society on many levels... If you are ten chapters in and going forward on pure stubbornness... Put the book down. Walk away. This is not for you.

For example: I read in an earlier review that the reader was "bored" by Levin's description of working in the fields with the peasants on his estate. Personally, I find that to be one of the most compelling passages in the entire book. I'm not right while the other reader is wrong, but I will say this: it's a matter of taste. If you are not engrossed by the complexities of this vast and entrenched society, if you do not feel sympathy for Levin, or feel drawn to Anna, or understand the attraction of Vronsky, then do not torture yourself, and move on.

If you're staying, though -- Anna remains, I believe, one of the most interesting protagonists in literature, and precisely because while the reader is almost unwillingly forced to sympathize with her feelings, it is similarly impossible to remove the stigma of blame from her, watching the wreck she makes of her life. Her transformation from the alluring and enchanting woman who so impresses young Kitty, to the sad and scorned woman that Vronsky himself no longer truly loves, in the end, is all of her own doing -- but who among us can say we would have successfully avoided all of her misjudgments?

Contrasted with Anna is Levin, though their lives are intertwined only through friends and relatives and they have no real knowledge of each other -- Levin is Anna's exact opposite. We meet him as an awkward and abrupt, solitary man, with troubled family relations and an unrequited love -- and in the end, after his long journey of self-awareness, we leave him in a place of pure contentment. We warm to Levin and take him to our hearts, perhaps because his choices are the ones we would *like* to think we would make.

If you ask the average American to name a Tolstoy novel, they will generally say "War and Peace", but I've always thought "Anne Karenina" to be the more human story, the more accessible, and perhaps the greater classic because of that. It truly is a matter of taste -- but if it's to yours, you'll have stumbled upon a literary find you'll treasure always.

All of life...in one book...the best novel ever written
I picked up this novel while travelling in India, and read for two days straight, the last few hours of which I was standing in a very crowded unreserved train. But it was so unbelievably good that I simply could NOT put it down. The last few hundred pages were a spiritual experience, something I would not say about any other book I've ever read. I had the feeling that I had been transformed in some mysterious way, that life was suddenly far more vast and deep than I'd thought before turning the first page. I HIGHLY recommend it to anyone, but especially to those who have a hunger for life and the pursuit of experiencing its deepest, most spiritual aspects.

Great summer read!
Don't go through life without reading "Anna Karenina." This novel is excellent on so many levels that you can read it again and again, as I have, and still thoroughly enjoy it. Tolstoy skillfully tells two different stories simultaneously, based on the same theme: How does one find true happiness? Anna makes a choice and tries to bravely see it through, trying all the while to persuade herself that she's found happiness, but you can feel the strain build as the novel nears its climax. Levin nearly drives himself insane in his mental tug-of-war over where his place in life should be, but eventually comes full circle. In their journeys, Anna and Levin cross paths, with fascinating results. I can't stress enough that this book is a must-read. Be prepared to be thoughtful, depressed, elated and emotionally drained.

Vanished world, eternal emotions
'Anna Karenina' is not just a window on a vanished time, place, and society - it is a lucid reflection on our own times and a spellbinding work of art. By taking us so intimately into the passions of Anna and the internal musings of Levin (just two out of a huge, colorful cast), Tolstoy creates an unforgettable exploration of happiness and sadness, conflict and peace, morals and emotions, mind and heart. Read this book for its wonderful story, Tolstoy's magically down-to-earth language, the subtly sketched characters - and the thoughts it is sure to provoke long after the last page.

Sublime reading
Tolstoy's classic Anna Karenina is a masterpiece. If I were stranded on a desert isle, this is one of the books I would want with me. The story is essentially about a woman who leaves her husband for another man, only to come to a tragic end. Yet the main character is not really Anna, but Kostya Levin, almost the antithesis of Anna. And it is this polarization of characters that is one of the sublime features of this novel.

The characters themselves are especially an element that engrossed me. While there are a dizzying number of personalities, each lives "outside" of the story as well as within it - that is to say, even the most minor of characters seems to have a life of their own, only dropping in the story to play a small part before going on about their business. Each character has depth - they are much more than characitures of "good" and "evi", showing their humanity in their follies and in their decisions - for both good and evil.

Tolstoy has an alternative motive in Anna Karenina, though. The story has a barely perceptable religious tone to it, Tolstoy makes a moral statement about how life should be lived, and what a person's role in life should be in order to be "truly happy". This is the result of an epiphany that Tolstoy experienced while writing the novel - an event that changed his life and eventually estranged him from many of his children.

The only problem I foresee readers having is keeping characters straight (as this translation uses names as well as patronymics - meaning "the son / daughter of" as in Stepan Arkadyvitch: Stepan, son of Arkady). Individuals are referred to by name, patronymic or sometimes nickname (Kostya for Konstantin for example.) My recommendation is to write the characters down in order to keep track of them. With this said, I highly recommend this book - the language is beautiful, the plot is riviting, the story line although a bit moralistic is superb, and the characters are vivid and real. ... Read more

Editorial Review

What readers are saying"Whoa, Darcy!""Some parts are hilarious and some a walk on the wild side for Austen characters. Curl up and enjoy!""Tells the tale I always wanted to hear...how the Darcys lived happily ever after...""The only fault I found with this book was that it ended."Every woman wants to be Elizabeth Bennet Darcy-beautiful, gracious, universally admired, strong, daring and outspoken-a thoroughly modern woman in crinolines. And every woman will fall madly in love with Mr. Darcy-tall, dark and handsome, a nobleman and a heartthrob whose virility is matched only by his utter devotion to his wife.Their passion is consuming and idyllic-essentially, they can-t keep their hands off each other-through a sweeping tale of adventure and misadventure, human folly and numerous mysteries of parentage.Hold on to your bonnets! This sexy, epic, hilarious, poignant and romantic sequel to Pride and Prejudice goes far beyond Jane Austen. ... Read more

Reviews

I wish I could erase this from my memory..., February 25, 2006
It is a truth universally acknowledged that an author who ventures into writing the continuation of a beloved classic should write something that would give said classic justice. I'm always wary of trying sequels of classics written by a different author because the few that I have read have let me down. In most cases, the authors who write these sequels don't understand the original characters well enough and proceed to write a version of the aforementioned characters that are incongruous to the ones you know and love and leave you wishing you hadn't given such a poor attempt at reliving the magic of said novel a whirl. That is definitely the case with Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife by Linda Berdoll. This is a continuation of Pride and Prejudice, after Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett get married. They are in complete newlywed mode and have lots and lots of sex. (And I do mean lots and lots of sex, some of which borders on being pedantic. More on that later.) When they are not in the sack, they are dealing with misunderstandings, namely one centered on Darcy's supposed bastard son. Elizabeth also tries to help her sister Jane and her less than exciting marriage to Mr. Bingley. There are some twists throughout the novel.

Jane Austen's writing style was often criticized as being "soulless" because of the lack of emotional and sexual tension between her main characters. (Well, there have been people who've said that, but in my opinion Darcy and Lizzy and the characters in her other novels had plenty of romantic tension.) I believe it was Charlotte Bronte who was the most critical of the back-then anonymous romance writer we all now know as Jane Austen. It appears that Ms. Berdoll tried to remedy that by adding eroticism in her continuation of the classic. Ordinarily, I love erotic retellings of classic fairytales and novels, but I was unimpressed with the erotica aspects this time around. I had actually looked forward to reading an erotic telling of P&P, which means that I'm not an Austen purist by a long shot, but the sex between Darcy and Lizzy is so over the top I found myself rolling my eyes. After the tedious too large, too small explanation, the virgin who had hitherto lived a sheltered life with her parents and four sisters has sex not unlike a courtesan from the first go. You also get cliche descriptions of the hero's enormous appendage. Ugh. I am an avid erotica reader and I do like the men to be well endowed in said novels (and I have, in fact, pictured Darcy as a well-endowed man, especially after watching Colin Firth's lake scene in the A&E/BBC mini-series adaptation), but those descriptions were just silly and not at all erotic. Also, the protagonists are not believable here. This version of Darcy and Lizzy drove me crazy because I found myself thinking, "The real Lizzy would never do that," or "The real Mr. Darcy would never say that." Elizabeth isn't the intelligent, spirited and witty young woman this time around. It seemed to me that all she did was swoon over Darcy's sexual prowess. As for Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, he is not the misjudged gentleman in this one. The author has turned him into the jerk Elizabeth had thought he was in P&P. And what the author did to Mr. Bingley is nauseating. He cheats on Jane and has an illegitimate child? Ick! Anyway, once the reader gets the sexual part out of the way (well, sort of), the storyline is kind of interesting, except that the misunderstanding frustrated me because the characters react in ways that they never would have if Austen had written this (which, of course, she never would have). Also, the author's attempt at adding an Austen- and Regency-like language seemed forced and fake. (If I ever read the word "howbeit" again I will scream.) The author of this erotic continuation of a beloved classic missed the mark big time. I used to enjoy imagining what Mr. Darcy would be like in bed. And that is just it. This novel is nothing but the author's sexual fantasies centering on Darcy and Lizzy, not unlike a piece of fan fiction you would find on the Internet. Ms. Berdoll has proven that some things are better left to the reader's imagination.

Howbeit the unromantic sex scenes and pseudo-Regency prose bade me get my money back...., August 9, 2005
My experience with this novel can be summed up in one sentence: "You keep using that word; I do not think it means what you think it means." [Inigo Montoya, The Princess Bride] Mr Darcy Takes a Wife is full of malapropisms and misapplied SAT words. Time and again I found myself cringing on behalf of the author and her editor. The writing is soooooo bad! I was afraid to continue reading it lest I suffer irreversible left-brain damage.

For that reason, I did not finish MDTAW. So, although, to be fair, I rated the book 2 stars instead of 1 (in case the end was more entertaining than the beginning), I would advise that you avoid it if any of these things apply to you: 1) you're a JA purist; 2) stupid metaphors drive you crazy; OR 3) you have a basic affinity for English grammar.

I intend no insult to those reviewers who thought this book was well-written (for everyone has different tolerance and tastes, and it is unnecessary in such a forum to resort to pettiness), but there can be little doubt that the writing in Mr Darcy Takes a Wife *is* almost embarrassingly bad. I say this not only as an avid reader, but as one who reads critically.

First, let me say that I love Jane Austen. Like many here, I, too, have re-read Pride and Prejudice every year since I was 12 years old. I also have a degree in English literature, and have read many, many British novels over the course of my life. Thus, I can safely say that the overblown language of this book bears little resemblance to that of any classic from the 19th century (or any other era, for that matter).

That said, I am not some humorless snob who whines about a few split infinitives and cannot appreciate a fun, fluffy romance novel. And I am not at all put off by romantic re-interpretations of JA's books, especially well-written sequels that alter the characters somewhat. So I guess I'm not a purist in the strictest sense. In fact, I love reading different interpretations of Lizzy and Darcy--if they're well-conceived. Sadly, this book is neither well-written nor well-conceived.

Case in point: Although the cover said the author is American, I felt as if the book had been inexpertly translated from another language! Whichever reviewer said that the author wrote this with thesaurus in hand was correct. It seems as if she used her word processor's thesaurus to come up with obsolete/complicated synonyms for ordinary words, then simply substituted them without regard to precise connotation and nuance. Even Charles Dickens, who was supposedly paid by the word, used fewer pretentious adjectives than Ms. Berdoll. Furthermore, whereas Mr. Dickens was a master of the mot juste, Ms. Berdoll seems to have little regard for the precision of the synonyms she uses. I did many a double take over a poor word choice, and even went back and checked the dictionary on the chance that, perhaps, I was mistaken. I was not.

Plus, her faux-Victorianisms are ridiculous!!! Actually, I think she may have confused Elizabethan with Georgian English--and still she got it wrong! The resulting prose is so stilted and convoluted, that it's often hard to understand what the author is trying to say. For example: "To her dismay, their re-emergence into company bade the Master of Pemberley serve compunction by abandoning that much-appreciated endearment." WTF???!!! It doesn't even make much sense in context!

I cannot imagine that the author read much 19th century English literature (nor even watched much British TV) prior to seeing the 1995 P&P miniseries, because she displays no understanding of the appropriate rules of style and grammar. That wouldn't be a problem, if she didn't try so very awkwardly to imitate them!!! I laughed out loud when I read: "Propitious fortune allowed her to descry whom the crepuscular light yielded." Wow. That sentence should be entered in one of those world's lousiest fiction contests.

Worst of all, even if I try to judge the book in it its own right (as a lurid romance novel), it fails miserably. The sex scenes in this book are surprisingly unmoving. They are neither romantic nor sensual, merely graphic and technical--wherein descriptions of size and seepage (ew!) proxy for eroticism. They are devoid of tenderness and passion. In short, they're boring. Furthermore, the convoluted sentences and clumsy euphemisms distance the reader from the action. I like a good romance novel, but this isn't one.

I am so sorry I paid money for this book. I don't remember who recommended it to me, but I'll have to have a word with them. As a book lover, I very rarely return books, even those I do not like. I have thousands of books--literally. But I returned Mr Darcy Takes a Wife, because I hate to think that my money supports or, worse, encourages this sort of thing.

I'm all for injecting passion into Jane Austen's wonderful stories. But this is just depressing. I've read better JA fan-fiction on the Internet. No, really.

Jane Austen Must Be Rolling in Her Grave, June 11, 2006
I LOVE Jane Austen, PARTICULARLY Pride and Prejudice, so I was excited at the prospect of a good sequel. Was I in for a suprise. Reading through it, there were parts that I had to put the book down and just laugh my head off. A few examples of what set me off: When Lydia is trying to warn her sisters concerning the evils of intercourse, she says to Jane: "...if you allow Mr. Bingley to kiss you too ardently, he will be aroused to such lust his loins will ache and his engorged lance will burst from his nether garments to ravish you! Wickham's waggled at me more than once!"
Another example: When Elizabeth was trying to decide how to tell Darcy about her monthly, she thought of saying, "Sorry my dear, we cannot make the beast with two backs for I am riding the red stallion." I mean...come on.

Once I stopped laughing, I started becoming offended. Not at the sex, although it was raunchy, ridiculous, and ubiquitous, but more at the way she portrayed the characters. I suppose that if you were not a fan of the original, it would not be as insulting, but having fallen in love with Austen's complex, realistic, and honorable characters, it was humiliating to watch Berdoll turn them into typical romance-nonsense characters obsessed with sex. Elizabeth was changed from a strong, confident, intelligent woman into a weak and pathetic doll who follows her husband's every command. Plus she says and does things that she certainly never would in the original story. And Bingley, Bingley of all men has an illicit-love child. Furthermore, the writing itself was MONSTROUS. I think she tried to mimic the writing style of Austen's period, but the result was a miserable failure. The sentences were filled with extra words and phrases, none of which made the slightest bit of sense, and period phrases were mixed in with modern slang. Berdoll has forever destroyed the words "heretofore", "hence", "subsequent", and "therefore" for me by using them improperly AND in every other sentence, and if I never hear the word "howbeit" again, it'll be too soon. I think she was under the impression that it's a direct synonym for "although", and it's definitely not.

I only managed to read 1/3 of the book, and then just skimmed through parts of the rest, but I think that I can safely say this ranks high in my top ten list of "The Worst Books EVER". DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME!!

Sullying Jane Austen's Reputation, June 21, 2004
I have loved the works of Jane Austen for nearly 40 years, having read each of her novels many times and her unfinished works as well. Like most of the world, I loved the Pride and Prejudice series that appeared on A&E a number of years ago and which starred Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth. Apparently unlike author Linda Berdoll, however, I knew that the "wet shirt" version of Mr. Darcy departed from Jane Austen's understanding of her character and his world.

This sequel shows no understanding of Darcy and Elizabeth; no understanding of Jane Austen's writing style (I don't believe she ever used the word 'howbeit'); no understanding of the laws of entail (Mr. Bennet's estate could not have been entailed on his sister's son, nor could Lady Catherine have taken possession of Pemberley in the event that Mr. Darcy died without a male heir); and no understanding of a world that was still primarily agricultural, but on the cusp of industrial.

This sequel is a sad representation of Jane Austen's great characters and sullies her reputation as a novelist. If the author cared to write an early 19th century bodice-ripper, she could at least have changed the names.

Pemberley Polluted, September 13, 2006
"Are the shades of Pemberley to be thus polluted?" Apparently, they are. This is by far THE WORST book I have ever read. I might have been able to express interest in the story line had my better sensibilities not been outraged over the treatment of Jane Austen's original characters. In my mind, Linda Berdoll has DEFILED the characters of both Mr. Darcy and Bingley. The sex between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy can only be described as pornographic. It is disgusting rather than romantic. Bingley, who in the original is so enamored of Jane, has an adulterous affair. It doesn't even make sense. Not only has Berdoll butchered Austen's endearing characters, but she has also butchered the English language. I'm not sure whose style she is trying to imitate, but it is certainly not Austen's. I love to re-read and pass on my books, but this book is destined only for my trash can.

Romantic Trash, April 14, 2007
I absolutely agree with PonyExpress and ChicBookFiend. This book is AWFUL!!! I couldn't even finish it. (My opinion of it was backed up by someone else who had read the whole thing.)

This book is nothing more than supermarket romance trash. (Which would be FINE, we all like a little fun now and then, if it was SUPPOSED to be a romance novel with Fabio on the cover, but it seems the author is trying for so much more.) She doesn't succeed, because she can't write. She isn't witty, funny or anything in between. Her attempt to write like Jane Austen is laughable.

As others had said, I am no Jane Austen purist, and I am no prude. However, this book has way WAY too many sex scenes. There was no plot that I could discern of outside of the sex. (Morning/noon/and night that's all the Darcy's seem to do.)As others have said, the sex is so over the top, it becomes quite silly. (For instance, Darcy instructs Elizabeth not to wash afterwards so that he can get off on knowing his juices are seeping down her leg at the party.)THAT was the moment I put the book down...disgusting.

There is nothing recognizable in Darcy or Elizabeth from Ms. Austen's novel. As another reviewer said, the idea of Darcy and Elizabeth together as man and wife is much better left to the imagination. (Or a better writer.)

Can't force myself to finish it, November 26, 2006
I know my review will be a little myopic. I couldn't read past the first 70 pages, and I only read that much because I was on a plane at the time and had nothing else to read. Someone who knows I love Jane Austen gave me this book, thinking I would enjoy reading what allegedly happened next. Within the first 20 pages, it was evident that this book is largely a bodice ripper, which is not my particular taste. I found myself rolling my eyes with every subsequent mention of the size of Darcy's immense manhood -- and there were waaaaay too many such mentions. There were sexual details in this book that I would never expect to read in a modern-day love story (with the exception of bodice ripper paperbacks), let alone a story from this era. It was also clear from reading these first few chapters that the author was writing a sequel to the BBC/A&E miniseries more so than the original novel. And be advised that this is a sequel with flashbacks, so it takes liberties in fleshing out the original novel's storyline. I found that a bit presumptious. If you love romance novels and loved the original P&P, this is your book. Otherwise, I'd give it a pass.

Unbearably bad!!, March 6, 2006
This is one book I wish I had checked out from the library, rather than wasting my hard-earned dollars on. Quite simply, Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife, Linda Berdoll's so-called "sequel" to the great Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, is trash! I understand, from reading the "about the author" notes, that Berdoll is a "self-described Texas farm wife," and that this is her first novel. I am SO not surprised at this information. This woman has all the literary talent of a bad Harlequin romance novelist, and she would do well to go back to canning her tomatoes, cooking her armadillos, or whatever else it is that "Texas farm wives" like to do with their time -- and leave the novel-writing to those who know how to tell a good story.

What's wrong with the book? Well, what ISN'T wrong with it? Where do I start? I suppose, to be completely fair, I have yet to read a sequel to any great novel which I have found satisfying. I experienced my first sequel disappointment when I read Alexandra Ripley's Scarlett, a continuation of Margaret Mitchell's Gone With the Wind. I can still remember how breathlessly I waited for Scarlett to finally hit the book store, how quickly I raced out to buy it once it DID hit the stores, and how I turned the pages in great anticipation, only to be bitterly disappointed at the end. I experienced the same disappointment after reading Susan Hill's Mrs. DeWinter, the sequel to Daphne duMaurier's Rebecca. While these books were, at best, only pale reflections of the original great novels, at least Ripley and Hill did their homework! Unfortunately, Ms. Berdoll did not do so. One might have expected her to expand somewhat upon the last few paragraphs of Austen's novel, where she tells us a little bit about the subsequent lives of our beloved characters. For instance, Austen tells us that Darcy and Elizabeth eventually reconciled their differences with his aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Berdoll would have us believe that Lady Catherine and Elizabeth remained the bitterest of enemies, and that Elizabeth actually fired a gun during one of their confrontations! Further, when giving us a bit more of Darcy's family history, Berdoll refers to his mother, and gives her the name Elinor. How can this be, when Austen refers to his mother by name in the original novel, as "Lady Anne Darcy?" Austen tells us, at the end of Pride and Prejudice, that Wickham and Lydia's "manner of living, even when the restoration of peace dismissed them to a home, was unsettled in the extreme." The worthless Wickham and the flighty Lydia did manage to stay together in spite of their instability, according to Austen. Yet Berdoll would have us believe that Wickham faked his death at Waterloo, shot his own illegitimate son in order to effect his desertion from the army, left Lydia a supposed "widow," and ran off to places unknown! How can this be? I could go on for pages about the inconsistencies here, but I think you get the general idea. I have to wonder whether Berdoll ever read the original novel in the first place, because HER characters are as similar to the Bennets and Darcys of Austen's book as Santa Claus is to the Great Pumpkin!

A minor annoyance for me was Berdoll's fondness for, and overuse (to put it mildly) of, antiquated words and phrases, most notably the "howbeit" (although, nevertheless) found several times throughout the book. In the unlikely event that I EVER open this book again, I may, just for my own amusement, actually count how many times she uses this ridiculous word. I own every single novel that Jane Austen ever wrote...and honestly, I don't believe that she ever used the word "howbeit" in any one of them!

Major annoyances in this book include Berdoll's incredible preoccupation with the sex lives of her characters. While I'll be the first person to admit that I have no problem with a LITTLE bawdiness, Berdoll's erotica is not only laughably written, it's...nasty! Is it supposed to be erotic when Darcy examines his blood-stained fingers while doing the "wild thing" with his menstruating wife? Do Austen fans REALLY need a description of how Darcy shows Elizabeth the joys of oral sex? And what IS this preoccupation with the enormous size of Darcy's manly equipment or the tightness of Elizabeth's "womanhood"? Puh-leeze!!! Not only are the sex scenes too numerous, badly written and completely over the top, so is the general plotline! Are we actually supposed to believe that in the first few years of her marriage, Elizabeth suffers kidnapping and attempted rape, and has to watch while her husband kills those responsible; suffers two miscarriages and a stillbirth; has her husband's cousin fall in love with her; has her brother-in-law make a pass at her; and finally gives birth to the Pemberley heir in a carriage, while on her way home from her father's funeral? How many people suffer this much angst throughout an entire lifetime??

Another thing I hate about this book is its character assassination. Not only does Wickham turn out to be an adulterous cad (I don't think that anyone was surprised by that), but we're supposed to believe that our beloved Bingley was also unfaithful to his Jane -- and had a child from this adulterous union? And are we really supposed to believe than an honorable man like Colonel Fitzwilliam could make a declaration of love to the wife of his favorite cousin? Surely not! This "Texas farm wife" is completely unfamiliar with her characters, and undoubtedly, poor Miss Austen is rolling in her grave over this absolute travesty of a sequel! Berdoll obviously doesn't think it's enough to commit mere character assassinations, however, so she throws in a bit of gratuitous violence just for fun. Not only do we have the aforementioned kidnapping, beating, and attempted rape of Elizabeth, along with Darcy's revenge, but the same man who attacks Elizabeth commits numerous acts of violence earlier in the story. Further, Elizabeth's toadying cousin, Mr. Collins, meets an exceptionally frightful and undignified demise...but why?? Since it was NOT an "essential" plot device, I can only assume that it happened because Berdoll gained the majority of her storytelling experience from the watching of bad soap operas. Finally, was it REALLY necessary to kill off our beloved Mr. Bennet before he had the joy of seeing his favorite daughter safely delivered of her twins? Supposedly, Berdoll is in the process of writing her sequel to the sequel...but what on Earth is she ever going to find to write about when she's managed to create such destruction among the original characters? Heaven only knows -- but I do know that I'll not be stupid enough to buy any Austen "sequels" written by this ridiculous excuse for an author again. Do yourself a favor, and DON'T buy this book!

Painfully bad, March 20, 2007
I love Jane Austen's novels, but this author is no Jane Austen.. As a Georgette Heyer devotee, too, and an English major who concentrated in 18th and 19th century women's literature, I am not daunted by archaic language, but this novel reads as if the author tried to make every statement as convoluted, complex and arcain as possible, even using words out of context just to make a sentance as "18th centuryesque" as possible.

Really, I'd rather have a tooth pulled than read in graphic detail about the size of Darcy's unit or the soreness of Lizzie's girly bits. I mean, come on already! The love between them is depicted as more laughable cinemax-style soft core than passionate and heart wrenching.

Really, there's nothing of Austen's original Pride and Prejudice here, just an abomination with characters bearing the same names.

Reader, I enjoyed it., May 15, 2004
I have to say the responses to this book are as funny as the book itself. I, on the other hand, thoroughly enjoyed it. Austen wrote the nineteenth-century equivalent of pulp fiction, and this is the "transliteration" of said pulp--metaphors fully materialized, in keeping with twenty-first century sensibilities. So Darcy and Lizzy like sex. What else is romance about? Isn't that implicit throughout? These prudish reviewers are like so many Mr. Collinses, aren't they? Lighten up. This book was fun. The diction wasn't exactly on target, I admit. I'm a literature professor, and can't help noticing that it is a little strained at the beginning. But once you get into it, it's like Austen meets Fielding, really. Tom Jones and P & P, with a little pulp romance thrown in. This is supposed to be entertainment, not Literature. And I think an early nineteenth-century reader, one familar with Moll Flanders or Shamela, for example, would have appreciated it more than some of these readers seem to. If you don't like the sex, there are lots of great overly-euphemised novels out there. But they won't be as wicked a read as this one. Sometimes I fear that the reading public is just losing its appreciation for irony. Not to mention burlesque. We're a sober lot, this century. Alas. ... Read more

Editorial Review

This special edition of Pride and Prejudice includes the famous illustrations by Henry Matthew Brock, originally created in 1898. Brock and his brothers were all successful illustrators of the day and often posed for each other using costumes, props and furniture in their Cambridge studio. Brock’s older brother Charles also illustrated other editions of Pride and Prejudice, and joined him in illustrating other Austen releases for this set of 1898 editions.

Pride and Prejudice was published anonymously in 1813. It was Jane Austen’s second novel and became her most popular. Considered by many to be the very first romance novel, the book features Elizabeth, an independent-minded heroine, and Darcy, a dark, brooding, rich, handsome hero. Jane Austen’s wit and insight into human nature are legendary and make Pride and Prejudice a book to be savored over and over again.

Pride and Prejudice is the deceptively simple story of Elizabeth Bennet, second eldest of five unmarried daughters of an affable country gentleman and a very silly lady whose mission in life is to marry them off. When a wealthy young man moves into the neighborhood, he brings with him his friend Mr. Darcy, who falls in love with Elizabeth - much to his own chagrin - after insulting her and earning the derision of the entire neighborhood. The necessity for both of them to overcome their pride and see each other for the people they really are is the backbone of an enduring comedy of manners and love story.
... Read more

Editorial Review

This special edition of Sense and Sensibility includes the famous illustrations by Charles Edmond Brock, created in 1898. Brock and his brothers were all successful illustrators of the day and often posed for each other using costumes, props and furniture in their Cambridge studio. Brock’s younger brother, Henry, also illustrated Austen’s books and joined him in illustrating other Austen releases for this set of 1898 editions.

Sense and Sensibility, first published in 1811, was Austen’s first published novel. The story revolves around the Misses Dashwood, Elinor and Marianne, left in reduced circumstances after their father’s death. Their new home is a cottage on a distant relative’s property, where they experience both romance and heartbreak.

Marianne meets the dashing John Willoughby who courts her with poetry and flowers. Meanwhile, staid, sober neighbor Colonel Brandon also falls in love with Marianne, but she makes her preference for his rival clear. Elinor is in love with the diffident Edward Ferrars, a young man of good breeding and high moral standing. Their sentiments are quite compatible but his ambitious sister Fanny has other plans for him and works to separate these kindred souls.

As true love finds its way to persevering over all obstacles, the impetuous sister gains maturity and balance and the cautious sister has her emotional awakening.
... Read more

Editorial Review

This special edition of Emma includes the famous illustrations by Charles Edmond Brock, created in 1898. Brock and his brothers were all successful illustrators of the day and often posed for each other using costumes, props and furniture in their Cambridge studio. Brock’s younger brother, Henry, also illustrated Austen’s books and joined him in illustrating other Austen releases for this set of 1898 editions.

In conceiving Emma Woodhouse, Jane Austen set out to create a heroine “whom no-one but myself will much like.” A naive and spoiled young lady, she is at the pinnacle of local society and lives with her doddering father. Her neighbor Mr. Knightley is the hero of the tale. Ten years her senior, he sees Emma’s faults, and delights in pointing them out to her.

Emma, as an heiress, has no need to marry, but she feels strongly that her less fortunate friends must certainly do so, and she is tireless in promoting the best interests of those she holds dear. Her first project is her new friend Harriet Smith, a young lady of unknown parentage, but sweet disposition. After thoroughly disrupting a match between Harriet and a handsome young local farmer, Emma pushes Harriet to aim for the vicar, who himself has his eye on Emma. By the time that misunderstanding is untangled, Emma has Mr. Knightley thoroughly disapproving of her. Against the backdrop of Highbury society, Emma is a charming tale of a young woman coming of age, learning to mind her own business, and discovering her own heart resides with the strong, steadfast gentleman next door.
... Read more

Editorial Review

This special edition of Persuasion includes the famous illustrations by Charles Edmond Brock, created in 1898. Brock and his brothers were all successful illustrators of the day and often posed for each other using costumes, props and furniture in their Cambridge studio. Brock’s younger brother, Henry, also illustrated Austen’s books and joined him in illustrating other Austen releases for this set of 1898 editions.

Persuasion was Austen’s last completed novel, published in 1816 and featuring a heroine who has rejected her true love when her family and friends discourage the match. When he reappears eight years later, having made his fortune, Anne Elliott must now decide whether she is strong-willed enough to decide for herself where her own best interests lie.

Eight years after rejected suitor Frederick Wentworth goes off to sea, Sir Elliott’s extravagance has forced his family into reduced circumstances. His daughter, twenty-seven year old Anne, no longer expects to marry, and has fond memories and somewhat stinging regrets about her decision to turn Frederick down at the urging of her family, who wanted her to aim higher. When Wentworth returns, having made his fortune, Anne is given a second chance at love, but she must be strong enough to think and decide for herself, then find a way to win him back.
... Read more

Editorial Review

This special edition of Mansfield Park includes the famous illustrations by Henry Matthew Brock, originally created in 1898. Brock and his brothers were all successful illustrators of the day and often posed for each other using costumes, props and furniture in their Cambridge studio. Brock’s older brother Charles joined him in illustrating other Jane Austen releases for this set of 1898 editions.

Mansfield Park is Jane Austen's version of a Cinderella story. Fanny Price is a poor relation living with her rich uncle and aunt, Sir Thomas and Lady Bertram, and their children. Edmund, the second son, is the only one who treats her with kindness and they develop a strong bond, until the dashing Henry Crawford and his lovely sister Mary come to visit. The Crawfords are outwardly charming, but their indifferent upbringing leaves them unable to distinguish right from wrong, and Fanny must watch her beloved Edmund almost fall into Mary’s trap.

Fanny Price is meek and mild, and unfailingly good. When the Crawfords introduce risky activities into her social set, she tries to prevent disaster, but the production of a play leads all the members of the family astray and Edmund almost falls irretrievably in love with the beautiful Mary. Fanny watches with trepidation and much pain, until Edmund’s own high sense of morality brings him to the right conclusions about which is the better woman, on the inside.
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Editorial Review

This special edition of Northanger Abbey includes the famous illustrations by Henry Matthew Brock, originally created in 1898. Brock and his brothers were all successful illustrators of the day and often posed for each other using costumes, props and furniture in their Cambridge studio. Brock’s older brother Charles joined him in illustrating other Jane Austen releases for this set of 1898 editions.

Northanger Abbey was Austen's first completed novel but was published posthumously in 1817. Austen sold the novel to a bookseller in 1803 - for £10 - who decided not to publish it. Her brother bought it back for the same amount after her death.

Catherine Morland is the daughter of a country clergyman, one of ten children. She devours Gothic novels and has an active imagination. After a lively season in Bath, she is invited to Northanger Abbey, where she finds the house is not the dark, moody Gothic mansion of her imaginings.

Catherine’s exciting season in Bath leads her to become acquainted with the dashing John Thorpe, who encourages her flights of fancy and attempts to divert her from his rival Henry Tilney. But Henry extends an invitation she can’t resist and she finds herself visiting Northanger Abbey. There, as a “heroine in training,” she is determined to bring one of her favorite Gothic novels to life, but the charming and very down to earth Mr. Tilney eventually brings her to see that real life can be even more interesting than the most spine-chilling Gothic fantasy.
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Editorial Review

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Two of the most beloved novels in all of English literature--together in one extraordinary volume.

A TALE OF TWO CITIES
After 18 years as a political prisoner in the Bastille, the aging Doctor Manette is finally released and reunited with his daughter in England. There the lives of the two very different men, Charles Darnay, an exiled French aristocrat, and Sydney Carton, a disreputable but brilliant English lawyer, become enmeshed through their love for Lucie Manette. From the tranquil roads of London, they are drawn against their will to the vengeful, bloodstained streets of Paris at the height of the Reign of Terror, and they soon fall under the lethal shadow of the guillotine.

GREAT EXPECTATIONS
A terrifying encounter with an escaped convict in a graveyard on the wild Kent marshes; a summons to meet the bitter, decaying Miss Havisham and her beautiful, cold-hearted ward Estella; the sudden generosity of a mysterious benefactor--these form a series of events that changes the orphaned Pip's life forever, and he eagerly abandons his humble origins to begin a new life as a gentleman. Dickens's haunting late novel depicts Pip’s education and development through adversity as he discovers the true nature of his "great expectations."

This deluxe paperback edition features
•    French flaps
•    rough-cut high-quality paper
•    complimentary front- and back-cover designs highlighting each novel and including foil and debossing

A Charles Dickens Timeline

1812	Born February 7 in Portsmouth, England
1824	His father John sent to Marshalsea Debtor's Prison for a debt of £40 and 10 shillings
	Began working 10-hour days in shoe-polish warehouse to help support family
1833	First story, "A Dinner at Poplar Walk," appeared in the Monthly Magazine
1836	First book, Sketches by Boz, collected his early journalism and stories
	First novel, The Pickwick Papers, began its monthly serialization
	Married Catherine Hogarth
1837-39	Oliver Twist appeared in monthly installments
1838-39	Nicholas Nickleby serialized
1840-41	The Old Curiosity Shop
1841	Barnaby Rudge
1842	American Notes, based on his tour that year of the United States
1843	The Christmas Carol, the first of his "Christmas tales"
1843-44	Martin Chuzzlewit
1846-48	Dombey and Son
1849-50	David Copperfield
1852-53	Bleak House
1854	Hard Times
1855-57	Little Dorrit
1857	Met actress Ellen Ternan, his longtime companion
1858	Separated from his wife, Catherine
1859	A Tale of Two Cities
1860-61	Great Expectations
1864-65	Our Mutual Friend
1867-68	Second tour of America
1868-69	Farewell reading tour of the British Isles
1870	The Mystery of Edwin Drood (unfinished)
	Died from a stroke on June 9

Editorial Review

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Editorial Review

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more