A TALE OF TWO CITIES
by CHARLES DICKENS
ILLUSTRATED by CHARLES KEEPINGINTRODUCTION by CHRISTOPHER HIBBERT
A TALE OF TWO CITIES
'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times ...'
Dickens's story of the French aristocrat Charles Darnay and dissolute barrister Sydney Carton, drawn together by the love of the same woman, reaches its memorable climax in the bloody cauldron of Paris during the Terror. The book was first published in 1859, a time when revolution threatened many European countries and some feared that Britain too might succumb. Dickens was passionately alive to the social injustice that fed revolt, but equally aware of how ideals soured as anarchy and violence spread. In A Tale of Two Cities, Dickens evokes the early hopes and eventual horror of the French Revolution with unforgettable intensity, from Monsieur Mannette traumatised by long years of imprisonment in the Bastille to Madame Defarge, the incarnation of implacable vengeance. This novel also contains some of Dickens’s most chilling scenes and memorable lines: ‘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’ Physical description below...
- DESIGN - Above all, the feature that distinguishes folio books from most others produced today is the rich variety and sophistication of the binding designs. A wide range of traditional materials - such as buckram, cotton, silk or leather - is employed for the bindings. These costly fabrics are the foundation upon which the artists and designers produce their creations. Sometimes their designs are printed in ink, but more often they are blocked - that is to say, impressed with foil into the surface of the material; frequently the two processes are employed together.
- BINDING - All books are sewn in 16-page sections: this gives strength to the book and enables the pages to be opened flat with ease. There are decorative head- and tailbands; many have gilded or colored top edges where they feel they are appropriate. The endpapers, in a wide array of colours, are often printed with maps, illustrations or other designs. Most important of all, the books are hardback-bound to the highest standard, so that they not only look well on the shelves but are always a pleasure to open and read.
- PAPER & TYPOGRAPHY - In the typography of Folio books the traditional virtues of legibility and elegance are paramount. The selection of paper for a particular book will involve deciding on a shade and character which harmonises with the illustrations and binding materials. The papers for Folio Society books are produced by a small number of European mills, chosen for their ability to produce the highest quality papers with absolute consistency. Books printed on inferior stocks will go brown and brittle within a few years; all Folio books are printed on wood-free and acid-free paper, designed for reading and rereading over many generations.
- THE SLIPCASE - A distinctive feature of Folio Society books which immediately strikes the eye is their presentation not in dust-jackets but in slipcases - the traditional protective covering for fine editions. The dustjacket evolved in the 20th century as a marketing device designed to catch the eye in a crowded bookshop. It does not, however, protect the book, and is itself easily damaged. With Folio books the design emphasis is on the binding itself, a permanent part of the book. Fine bindings need protection from dust and light, and this is furnished by the slipcase, which matches the binding materials and design of the book.
Folio Society Books are a testament to an uncompromising dedication to the craft of bookmaking, a commitment to striving towards perfection which rises above mere commercial considerations.
INTRODUCTION by CHRISTOPHER HIBBERT
A TALE OF TWO CITIES
by CHARLES DICKENS
ILLUSTRATED by CHARLES KEEPING
If you are looking for a fine investment or phenomenal gift idea, consider this as a prime option..
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