Publisher's Synopsis
- Illustrated Edition: This edition includes vivid illustrations, a comprehensive summary, an insightful author biography, and a detailed list of characters.
"Hard Times" by Charles Dickens is a powerful novel set in the fictional industrial town of Coketown. Through the lives of the central characters-Thomas Gradgrind, a strict utilitarian; Louisa Gradgrind, his daughter, caught in an emotionally barren marriage; and Stephen Blackpool, a working-class man trapped in the harshness of his environment-Dickens critiques the dehumanizing effects of industrialization and the rigid application of utilitarian philosophy. The novel examines themes of education, society, and human emotion in a rapidly changing world. This illustrated edition brings Dickens' narrative to life with rich visuals, offering readers a deeper connection to the characters and setting of this timeless social commentary.