A Tale of Two Cities

A Tale of Two Cities is a historical novel published in 1859 by English author Charles Dickens, set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution. It tells the story of the French Doctor Manette, his eighteen-year-long imprisonment in the Bastille in Paris, and his release to live in London with his daughter Lucie, set against the conditions that led up to the French Revolution and the Reign of Terror. Described as Dickens's best-known work of historical fiction, it is said to be one of the best-selling novels of all time, was ranked 63rd on the BBC's The Big Read poll in 2003, and has been repeatedly adapted for film, television, radio and the stage.