Show Notes
North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell chapter 39 "Making Friends" narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on KO-FI and support me as an independent creator :Dhttps://ko-fi.com/theessentialreadshttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/joinSummary:Margaret shuts herself up in her room after her meeting with Mrs. Thornton, thinking over everything that was said and waiting for the woman to leave the house. Though disappointed, she determines that she is innocent of her accusations and cannot be hurt by the matron’s words. But she also comes to the conclusion that Mr. Thornton must also take Frederick for a lover, and is shocked, and is curious why she is shocked; why should she care. While thinking about all of this she gets ready to leave the house. She goes on a walk in the countryside and when she returns, she runs into her father at the door and says that she will go and visit Mrs. Boucher. The woman in incredibly ill, and more or less on her deathbed. She goes instead to visit Higgins. He is looking after some of Mrs. Boucher’s children. Margaret asks him if he went to Mr. Thornton. The man’s attitude suddenly changes, and he tells her that he wasn’t given a job and says that Thornton spoke to him in a similar way to the other Masters. Margaret goes to say how disappointed she is in Thornton, only to hear a footstep on the door, to turn around, and to see Thornton standing there. She bows politely and rushes out of the room. Thornton feels very awkward about Margaret having been there. Thornton was shocked by the 5 hours that Higgins spent waiting to talk to him, and while he didn’t have 5 hours to spare, he spent 2 hours going around trying to confirm Higgins’ story and was very pleased to find it to be truthful. He then asks Higgins if the “woman” he spoke about was Margaret. He then asks about the children, asking if they are his. Higgins retaliates a little to this and defends his position from that morning. Thornton then asks if Higgins will take work with him. Higgins looks at the children, and says that Thornton called him names, and he called him names in return, finally asking, if after all they, they could get on together. Thornton laughs a little at this and says that they can’t think worse of each other than they do now. The then talk a little business and Mr Thornton then leaves. Outside he runs again into Margaret, and instead of leaving her, he finally bucks up the courage to speak with her. He tells her that he took Higgins on and apologises for what he said about women meddling. Margaret then goes to say that Higgins didn’t tell him the whole truth, but the word Truth makes her stop. Thornton catches on this and asks her why she lied about being at the station. Margaret refuses, saying that she cannot betray the trust of the man she was with. Thornton leaves her. Walking home, Margaret is very confused about everything that he said to her. When home, she gets a letter from cousin Edith saying that she will be moving back to Harley Street, filling Margaret with joy at the possibility of returning to London life with her friends.SEO stuff I don't want to do. Elizabeth Gaskell's classic, "North and South" sees Margaret Hale's live uprooted as her family moves to the north of England. Initially disgusted by the ugliness of the industrial town of Milton, Margaret develops a strong sense of social justice after seeing the poverty and suffering of local mill workers.
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A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens Book 2 chapter 1 "Five Years Later" narrated by Isaac Birchall Subscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on KO-FI and support me as an independent creator :Dhttps://ko-fi.com/theessentialreadshttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/joinPodcast Link: https://open.spotify.com/show/13b1qP3WhCWxam9yc49vIF?si=4e279ef4f5f143a0Summary: 1780. Tellson’s Bank in London prides itself on being “very small, very dark, very ugly, very incommodious.” The partners believe that if it were more welcoming then it would lose its status as a respectable business. It’s located at Temple Bar, where the heads of executed criminals were displayed until very recently. Jerry Cruncher, the bank’s runner awakens in his apartment, in a dodgy part of London. He begins his day by yelling at his wife, the conversation culminating with him throwing a muddy boot at her. Around 9, he and his son camp outside the bank to await instructions. The door opens and a man calls for a Porter, at which Jerry heads off to do the job, leaving his son alone. SEO stuff I don't want to do. Charles Dickens' novel A Tale of Two Cities is one of the most sold books on the planet with over 200 million copies having been sold world wide. It is the most famous of Dickens' works and set in the bloody and violent French revolution. It blends the great history of the French revolution with the tale of a family. Raising enduring themes of imprisonment, injustice, social anarchy, resurrection, and the renunciation that fosters renewal, there is a reason that this novel has stood the test of time and has been enjoyed by readers all across the globe in many different languages.
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens Book 1 chapter 6 "The Shoemaker" narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on KO-FI and support me as an independent creator :Dhttps://ko-fi.com/theessentialreadshttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/joinPodcast Link: https://open.spotify.com/show/13b1qP3WhCWxam9yc49vIF?si=4e279ef4f5f143a0Summary:Manette talks with a very distant and quiet voice, as if it hasn’t been used for many years. He says that he is making a ladies’ shoe in the modern fashion after a template he had held. When asked his name he responds, “One Hundred and Five, North Tower.” Lucie makes her way over to him and noticing her hair, Manette opens up a knotted rag that wears around his neck and takes out some strands of hair.At first, he believes Lucie to his wife but claims that would be impossible as she is too young. Lucie then implores her father to weep for her if her voice or her hair recalls a loved one to him. She hints to him that a home far away awaits him, and that his “agony is over.” Manette collapses after this emotional event, and Lucie urges Lorry to take them back to England as fast as possible. At first, he is hesitant, but he soon agrees and heads off to arrange the affairs with Mr. Defarge. Later, they usher Mr. Manette down the stairs and into a coach and they sent off for England. SEO stuff I don't want to do. Charles Dickens' novel A Tale of Two Cities is one of the most sold books on the planet with over 200 million copies having been sold world wide. It is the most famous of Dickens' works and set in the bloody and violent French revolution. It blends the great history of the French revolution with the tale of a family. Raising enduring themes of imprisonment, injustice, social anarchy, resurrection, and the renunciation that fosters renewal, there is a reason that this novel has stood the test of time and has been enjoyed by readers all across the globe in many different languages.
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens Book 1 chapter 5 "The Wine-shop" narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on KO-FI and support me as an independent creator :Dhttps://ko-fi.com/theessentialreadshttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/joinPodcast Link: https://open.spotify.com/show/13b1qP3WhCWxam9yc49vIF?si=4e279ef4f5f143a0Summary:The setting moves to Paris. In a street, a wine cask falls to the street and breaks, flooding it with wine, and wish people who rush to drink as much as they can. Women take off their scarves and dip it in the wine, men cup their hands to drink, and even children get their fill. The wine shop is owned by Monsieur Defarge, a man of around 30. His wife, Mrs. Defarge sits behind the counter and watches everything that goes on around her. She signals to her husband to announce the presence of an older man and a young lady. Defarge looks over the strangers (Lorry and Lucie) and pretends not to notice them as he goes to speak to some familiar faces. They all refer to each other as Jaques as a way to identify each other as revolutionaries. Defarge soon sends the men out and then Lorry goes to see the wine shop owner. They converse for a few seconds and then Defarge guides Lorry and Lucie into the main building and up the stairs. They come to a dirty landing where the three men from before are gathered, Defarge tells them to go away and is accosted by Lorry for letting the man get looked at like an animal in a zoo. Defarge responds that he trusts the men and the look of what’s behind the door will do them well. Defarge then opens the door to reveal a white-haired man making shoes in a very dark room.SEO stuff I don't want to do. Charles Dickens' novel A Tale of Two Cities is one of the most sold books on the planet with over 200 million copies having been sold world wide. It is the most famous of Dickens' works and set in the bloody and violent French revolution. It blends the great history of the French revolution with the tale of a family. Raising enduring themes of imprisonment, injustice, social anarchy, resurrection, and the renunciation that fosters renewal, there is a reason that this novel has stood the test of time and has been enjoyed by readers all across the globe in many different languages.
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens Book 1 chapter 4 "The Preparation" narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on KO-FI and support me as an independent creator :Dhttps://ko-fi.com/theessentialreadshttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/joinPodcast Link: https://open.spotify.com/show/13b1qP3WhCWxam9yc49vIF?si=4e279ef4f5f143a0Summary:The next morning, Lorry arrives in Dover and gets out of the mail coach at the Royal George Hotel. After changing out of his travel clothes he transforms himself into his usual sixty-year-old businessman self. That afternoon, a waiter announces the arrival of Lucie Manette and says that the girl is ready to meet Mr. Lorry. Lorry meets the girl in her room and she says that she had word from the bank that some intelligence had been made respecting the small estate of her father – long presumed dead. After restating his duties as a businessman, Lorry tells miss Manette that the real reason she has been summoned to Paris is because her father has been found alive and has been taken to an old servant. Lucie is to go and restore her father to his health, and Mr. Lorry is to go and identify the man. Lucie then goes into shock, and he servant, Miss Pross rushes in to save her charge.SEO stuff I don't want to do. Charles Dickens' novel A Tale of Two Cities is one of the most sold books on the planet with over 200 million copies having been sold world wide. It is the most famous of Dickens' works and set in the bloody and violent French revolution. It blends the great history of the French revolution with the tale of a family. Raising enduring themes of imprisonment, injustice, social anarchy, resurrection, and the renunciation that fosters renewal, there is a reason that this novel has stood the test of time and has been enjoyed by readers all across the globe in many different languages.
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens Book 1 chapter 3 "The Night Shadows" narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on KO-FI and support me as an independent creator :Dhttps://ko-fi.com/theessentialreadshttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/joinPodcast Link: https://open.spotify.com/show/13b1qP3WhCWxam9yc49vIF?si=4e279ef4f5f143a0Summary:The narrator thinks about the secrets and mysteries that each human is to the every other. Lorry, as he rides in the mail coach with the two strangers, dozes in and out of sleep. His dreams are of the inner workings of Tellson’s Bank. But the shadows passing through the coach play tricks on him, and he dreams that he is digging someone out of a grave. He converses with this spectre and learns that the man has been buried alive for nearly 18 years. Lorry tells the spectre that he has been recalled to life and asks it if it wishes to live. He also asks “shall I show her to you? Will you come and see her?” The ghost has different answers to these questions all night, sometimes claiming that he would die if he were to see this woman, and at other times he pleads to see her immediately; at other times he weeps.SEO stuff I don't want to do. Charles Dickens' novel A Tale of Two Cities is one of the most sold books on the planet with over 200 million copies having been sold world wide. It is the most famous of Dickens' works and set in the bloody and violent French revolution. It blends the great history of the French revolution with the tale of a family. Raising enduring themes of imprisonment, injustice, social anarchy, resurrection, and the renunciation that fosters renewal, there is a reason that this novel has stood the test of time and has been enjoyed by readers all across the globe in many different languages.