Books "HARD TIMES"

Title : HARD TIMES

Copyright © by Charles Dickens

Text © Wordsworth Editions Limited 1995

Introduction & Notes © Wordsworth Editions 2000

Illustrated by F. Walker & Maurice Greiffenhagen

Cover Design by Robert Mathias

First published in 1995 by Wordsworth Editions Limited ; 248 p ; ISBN 978-1-85326-232-6

This month my reading schedule on Dickens is The Old Curiosity Shop and part of Dickens Reading Challenge host by Fanda too. But unfortunately, I could not manage nor finished it it time, due the incident happens lately in my family. But then, I already made preparation by reading another book, this book, who also have another ‘interesting’ storyline.

At first, I though is common drama about people in urban societies, but then I found this whole story are pure fictional, or I must say rather mixed between dystopian fantasy. But don’t be confuse because Dickens never wrote pure fantasy, just another life in another world who happens adapted from real life (if there is mixed-up between past and present situation).

This is a story is about conflict with two families, Thomas Gradrind and Josiah Bounderby – a hertless factory owner in city called Coketown. Thomas Gradrind is a good man, raising his two children, Tom and Louisa with good education, knowledge and principles of life. Despite his continous effort to do his part as good parent, do his life as good man, helping everyone in need, the two children grows-up not quite as expecting.

Louisa, as the oldest, trying to do her life as principles, but finally she decided to marry Mr. Bounderby, who almost 30 years older than she is, simply because she thinks is the right and easy way for her future and her brother, Tom. In other hand, Tom Gradrind is a troublemaker, because he never try or do anything harder to achieve anything in his life. If troubles comes to him, all he had to do is ‘running- for the help of his sister. But Tom is also heartless, egocentris person, he never once thinks or thanks for all the helping and troubles that his sister must do for him.

Then conflict after conflict show-up, involving bad-person, scandal and conspiracy, all because some people just thinking of themself, and choose the wrong choices, makes others misery. This story reveals humans-instings and behaviors, when bad things and danger facing in front of them. Which choices their made and what comes as responsibilities or even damager result of those acts. Using the sets in industrials environments, when gaps between richer and poorer are so wide, just like mostly themes in Dickens works, it is another story that quite interesting for Dickens-fans. (but I still prefer historical themes like A Tale of Two Cities)

~ This Post are include in 2014 Reading Challenge ~

1^st Book in What’s A Name Challenge

1^st Book in Finding New Author Challenge

1^st Book in TBRR Pile

Best Regards,

Hobby Buku