Classics

Hard Times

Hard Times

  • Downloads：5217
  • Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date：2021-11-04 05:51:39
  • Update Date：2025-09-07
  • Status：finish
  • Author：Charles Dickens
  • ISBN：1853262323
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Summary

Unusually for Dickens， Hard Times is set， not in London， but in the imaginary mid-Victorian Northern industrial town of Coketown with its blackened factories， downtrodden workers and polluted environment。 This is the soulless domain of the strict utilitarian Thomas Gradgrind and the heartless factory owner Josiah Bounderby。 However， human joy is not excluded thanks to 'Mr Sleary's Horse-Riding' circus， a gin-soaked and hilarious troupe of open-hearted and affectionate people who act as an antidote to all the drudgery and misery endured by the ordinary citizens of Coketown。

Macaulay attacked Hard Times for its 'sullen socialism'， but 20th-century critics such as George Bernard Shaw and F。R。 Leavis have praised this book in the highest terms， while readers the world over have found inspiration and enjoyment from what is both Dickens' shortest completed novel and also one of his important statements on Victorian society。

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Reviews

Mark Buckley ，

This was one difficult book to read。 Between the flowing prose and the indiscernible Gaelic or Cockneyaccents of some of the characters I had to stumble along painfully in parts。。 I enjoyed the story of a family raised by a stoic and their problems。 The book had some interesting thoughts and ideas and the characters were very good but it was a hard time reading Hard Times。 If you are new to Dickens don't start with this one。 This was one difficult book to read。 Between the flowing prose and the indiscernible Gaelic or Cockneyaccents of some of the characters I had to stumble along painfully in parts。。 I enjoyed the story of a family raised by a stoic and their problems。 The book had some interesting thoughts and ideas and the characters were very good but it was a hard time reading Hard Times。 If you are new to Dickens don't start with this one。 。。。more

Fred Dameron ，

An interesting work。 Shorter than most dickens works but a quick read。 Dickens does another good job of showing he difference between the working class and the bosses。 And how the bosses always win。

Steventhesteve ，

A cautionary tale as to why a conservative education minister would make a terrible school teacher。 If you only teach children what you can test them on， you deprive them of their true education， their moral compass and their ability to express themselves。Also Bounderby is a bounder and a cad。

Anouk⭐ ，

this is a good book but I personally don't love Dickens' way of storytelling this is a good book but I personally don't love Dickens' way of storytelling 。。。more

Urvi C ，

The ending was kind of sudden but the message and content was actually quite fun to read。 Some of the Victorian Era language was harder to understand but nonetheless， not bad for an AP English Literature book。

James M ，

A good read。 Known to be Dickens shortest book。 A book does not need to be long to be good。

Palomillasalvaje ，

Un poco rebuscada， la historia， que trata más de impresionar y educar en un momento histórico， en el cual se dio mucha importancia a lo practico， por encima de lo bello。Pero trata un tema magnífico， el de 'ser para los demás' ante el 'ser uno mismo'。 Ahí， el libro es impecable。 La parte psicológica de algunos personajes está de lujo， no me imagino lo que debiera significar cuando se editó por primera vez。Espero pero， leer algo más entretenido de Dickens。 Està novela se pierde en su afán moraliza Un poco rebuscada， la historia， que trata más de impresionar y educar en un momento histórico， en el cual se dio mucha importancia a lo practico， por encima de lo bello。Pero trata un tema magnífico， el de 'ser para los demás' ante el 'ser uno mismo'。 Ahí， el libro es impecable。 La parte psicológica de algunos personajes está de lujo， no me imagino lo que debiera significar cuando se editó por primera vez。Espero pero， leer algo más entretenido de Dickens。 Està novela se pierde en su afán moralizador。 。。。more

Jonathan ，

Solid book about love， fact， and fancy

Eng。 Mohamed ali ，

معرفش اذا كان غيرى حس بسوء فى الترجمة ولا انا بس اللى شايف كده لكن فعلا انا حظى سئ مع تراجم الهيئة العامة للكتاب

Zoë Marie ，

Dnf - distracted by a new release

Colleen ，

This is the first of Dickens’ novels I’ve read， and I do see why he is well known for his writing。 Plot wise， this book had lots of twists and turns that were well executed and thought out; unfortunately， that alone was not enough to keep my attention for long。 I had a hard time （get it？） reading this story， as the plot didn’t start until about halfway through and the writing style was very dull。 Things did pick up with Louisa’s story however， and I loved her and Sissy as characters。 They were t This is the first of Dickens’ novels I’ve read， and I do see why he is well known for his writing。 Plot wise， this book had lots of twists and turns that were well executed and thought out; unfortunately， that alone was not enough to keep my attention for long。 I had a hard time （get it？） reading this story， as the plot didn’t start until about halfway through and the writing style was very dull。 Things did pick up with Louisa’s story however， and I loved her and Sissy as characters。 They were the only part of this book I really found to be enjoyable。 Overall， there were some parts of this book I liked， and others I simply loathed。 I might give Dickens’ other books a shot though， and hopefully they’ll be a little less dry。 。。。more

lottie❀ ，

dnf will pick up again at a later date seemed promising really only read the start but just decided to read a different book

Rachel ，

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 My previous experiences of Dickens – having to speed-read Bleak House and David Copperfield years before my ability to cut through 900-pages tomes in a week – did not leave me with a positive impression。 I came to Hard Times， then， as I do to many of my shelf-clearance TBR: with a sigh of resignation。I was thus pleasantly surprised when this turned out to be a politely-clothed screed against capitalist abuse and the prioritisation of STEM over creative arts。 “They kept him， many times， from what My previous experiences of Dickens – having to speed-read Bleak House and David Copperfield years before my ability to cut through 900-pages tomes in a week – did not leave me with a positive impression。 I came to Hard Times， then， as I do to many of my shelf-clearance TBR: with a sigh of resignation。I was thus pleasantly surprised when this turned out to be a politely-clothed screed against capitalist abuse and the prioritisation of STEM over creative arts。 “They kept him， many times， from what did him real harm。 And often and often of a night， he used to forget all his troubles in wondering whether the Sultan would let the lady go on with the story， or would have her head cut off before it was finished。”I have to say I don’t think Dickens stuck the landing – Sissy Jupe， the circus， and the Stephen-Tom storyline sort of trailed into nothing。 There’s also the fact that the chapters tend to start with a bird’s eye view that circles into a focal point – usually a conversation – and while this works some of the time， it doesn’t work all of the time， yet it’s there all of the time。I did like the fact that Louisa didn’t run away with a fancy-man so much as come to a realisation that marrying a man you don’t love is another sort of crime， and throwing herself on her father’s mercy。“[…] so oppressed him， that what was about the very best passage in his life was the one of all others he would not have owned to on any account， and the only one that made him ashamed of himself。”It’s also bitterly funny！ I probably should have expected it， given Dickens’ reputation as a comic writer， but it never resonated with me in other books。“His skin was so unwholesomely deficient in the natural tinge， that he looked as though， if he were cut， he would bleed white。”“[…] some Coketowner was sure to seize the occasion of alluding to his eminently practical friend Gradgrind。 This always pleased the eminently practical friend。 He knew it to be his due， but his due was acceptable。”“By nonsense he meant fancy; and truly it is probably she was as free from any alloy of that nature， as any human being not arrived at the perfection of an absolute idiot， ever was。”“[…] that after eight weeks of induction into the elements of Political Economy， she had only yesterday been set right by a prattler three feet high， for returning to the question， ‘What is the first principle of this science？’ the absurd answer， ‘To do unto others as I would that they should do unto me。’”“ ‘I thought that I couldn’t know whether it was a prosperous nation or not， or whether I was in a thriving state or not， unless I knew who had got the money， and whether any of it was mine。 But that had nothing to do with it。 It was not in the figures at all，’ said Sissy， wiping her eyes。” 。。。more

Bill ，

Many great moments， but even Dickens couldn’t pull off some of the contrivances。

Jon Anderson ，

Sad

Claudia ，

better than i expected

ladydusk ，

Started the Audio on 10/13/2021。

Thomas Neyland ，

I don't like Dickens because of how many of his novels we had to read in high school， but this was probably my favorite novel of his that I have read。 Interesting commentary on the trends of wealth， economics， and politics in his time that still hold true today。 I don't like Dickens because of how many of his novels we had to read in high school， but this was probably my favorite novel of his that I have read。 Interesting commentary on the trends of wealth， economics， and politics in his time that still hold true today。 。。。more

Jordan Murray ，

Actual rating: 3。75✨My first Dickens book， Hard Times was quite enjoyable for me。 At least， the first half was。 I was surprised at how much I was reading until the 1/2 way mark， at which things slowed down。 I’m not sure what it was， but things felt boring， for lack of a better term。 Themes include:- Fact vs Fancy- Monotony and realism in the Victorian era- Effects of the Industrial Revolution - Challenging the norms of realism- and more！

Rosamund ，

Dickens' attempt at a northern industrial novel。 Lots to like but not as brilliant as Bleak House that immediately preceded it。 Dickens espouses the cause of factory reform but feels equivocal in condemning those who promote workers combining to seek better conditions。 Dickens' attempt at a northern industrial novel。 Lots to like but not as brilliant as Bleak House that immediately preceded it。 Dickens espouses the cause of factory reform but feels equivocal in condemning those who promote workers combining to seek better conditions。 。。。more

Michael Powers ，

A wonderful view into the lives of Dickens world with it's class structure， social status， and gender interelations。 New to my experience of Dickens were examples of different dialects and speach impediment。 A good example of a classic novela with multiple characters and divergent stories。 A wonderful view into the lives of Dickens world with it's class structure， social status， and gender interelations。 New to my experience of Dickens were examples of different dialects and speach impediment。 A good example of a classic novela with multiple characters and divergent stories。 。。。more

Christopher Smith ，

Great storyThis was hard for me to read at first。 The style， some of the word usage， especially the written accents were difficult for me。 After a while， you get the flow a little better and it is easier to pick up the pace without feeling lost。 It’s a great story you can almost guess the outcomes， but still keeps you interested and coming back for more until it’s done。

ellie ，

This was an unexpected delight

Albie Fasseau ，

Excellent book very interesting to read with amazing characters。 Little problematic at times and story sometimes goes off a bit probs bc it used to be magazine instalments。 Story and symbolism really good definitely a tale that feels important

Valentina ，

omggggg this was the biggest snooze fest I've had in a while， I really thought it was never gonna end。 I'm not the biggest fan of Dickens in general， but at least I could enjoy Great Expectations。 This just wasn't it fellas。 Anyway I'm glad it's over lol omggggg this was the biggest snooze fest I've had in a while， I really thought it was never gonna end。 I'm not the biggest fan of Dickens in general， but at least I could enjoy Great Expectations。 This just wasn't it fellas。 Anyway I'm glad it's over lol 。。。more

Lexi Mellott ，

Not my favorite classic， but I did enjoy the complex character arcs， especially Mr。 Gradgrind's and Louisa's Not my favorite classic， but I did enjoy the complex character arcs， especially Mr。 Gradgrind's and Louisa's 。。。more

Kristen Brazwell ，

Really good book。 Definitely want to reread later。

Madelyn ，

I really enjoyed this book。 There were some parts that were slow to me， but it kept my interest overall。 The ending left me feeling sad， but I also think that it was fitting。

Aaron Michael ，

“Dear reader！ It rests with you and me， whether， in our two fields of action， similar things shall be or not。 Let them be！ We shall sit with lighter bosoms on the hearth， to see the ashes of our fires turn grey and cold。”Coketown。

Robert Jere ，

This is perhaps the first Dickens book I have read that doesn't have pornography of poverty。 Not only that， it also doesn't have the kind of prolonged suffering that is typical of Dickens。 "Hard Times" is a story of a couple of men who run a school according to a "system"。 They basically teach their students （quite young） that all of life is about logic and calculation。 It is some parody of Ayn Rand。 This school produces some very interesting characters when they grow up。 It is a slow book， slow This is perhaps the first Dickens book I have read that doesn't have pornography of poverty。 Not only that， it also doesn't have the kind of prolonged suffering that is typical of Dickens。 "Hard Times" is a story of a couple of men who run a school according to a "system"。 They basically teach their students （quite young） that all of life is about logic and calculation。 It is some parody of Ayn Rand。 This school produces some very interesting characters when they grow up。 It is a slow book， slower than Dickens usually is。 I also think that I highlighted very few passages throughout the whole book。 Which says something about the content。 。。。more

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Hard Times

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Hard Times&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Hard Times&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0