Hard Times Audiobook

" I love Dickens, and this may be one of my favorites now. Clever, entertaining, and a great commentary on issues of the time, including children's education, the industrial revolution, and the birth of labor unions. "

" Well the parts of this book I was able to read before my dog mercilessly chewed it up were pretty good. I wouldn't say it's my favorite book by Dickens, but I found the characters views on "Facts" interesting, and I enjoyed the contrast between Jupe who seemed to be able to think deeply about things beyond their facts with Thomas Gradgirnd who has a starkly concrete view of the world. I only was able to make it about halfway through, so maybe if I ever get the chance to finish the book, I'll be able to speak more on it's merits. "

" The audio version that I listened to was read by Anton Lesser - he was fantastic! This story of how Thomas Gradgrind's teachings had such a negative effect on his children Louisa and Tom and their emotional well-being stills rings true today! "

" More studied than read but very enjoyable. Facts, Mr Gradgrind, Facts! "

" So far, amazing. I'm blown away by his writing, his keen perception of people's inner worlds. "

" The Dickensian irony is seen very clearly in the novel but his portrayal of British life in the Industrial revolution lacks alot. "

" Very well written, and highly descriptive. A very slow moving book however, it seems that all of the action takes place in the third book, however this is typical Dickensian literature. "

" I love Dickens, but this wasn't one of his better ones. The moral of the story is very blatant from the beginning. The characters are not as well fleshed out as in other books, nor are they as interesting. I think it is worth reading, but it is not one of his novels that I will be reading again and again. Still, it is Dickens, and his writing style is always very interesting, and it kept my attention, so it deserves three stars. I liked it; it just wasn't one of my favorites of his. "

" Good God I hated this book. A plot that had the sole purpose of repressing people's imaginations... Did he seriously think that it was going to capture ours? It wasn't just that Dickens and I don't get along and probably never will... It was that it was a stupid concept with dull characters who don't think for themselves and it took about 500 pages of treacherously boring work to reach the end. If it wasn't for the fact that it's required reading, I would have stopped WELL before then. "

" I really really liked this book, recomend it. "

" Thankfully, this is the shortest of Dickens' works. Read it for a college course and glad to have gotten through it. Not my favorite author, perhaps also because this is not my favorite time period. Has the potential to be good for those who are Dickens fans or like reading Victorian fiction. "

" it was quite a hard book to read, especially the characters who spoke with an accent. i did enjoy it in the end though. "

" it is a classic however for todays generation the style is quite heavy this is why I rated it okay ( the only reason ) "

" After having read Hard Times, I remember why I have always loved Dickens. I must read the few I haven't read yet and reread all my old favorites. "

" Early Dickens child labor in England "

" 3.9 stars. A harrowing tale that brings home just how hard like could be for ordinary folk on whose backs empires are built. "

" It seems that I'm not a Dickens person and since I'm an English Literature student, it's pretty scandalous!! "

" This book made me hate Charles Dickens. I read it in Sophomore Honors English and thought I'd poke my eye out from all the critques we had to do on the book. "

" Little known and one of my favorites of his. "

" Hard (times) to read, but worth it. Good book. "

" Dickens is what he is - and I love it. Is it over-long? Yes. Is it overly sentimental and moralistic? Yes. Great, super, smashing! I feel better about the world after reading Dickens. Contemporary literature needs more humanity and less criticism - is that ironic? "

" i have study this at colege and it was really good novel expressing the age of machines & factorys with all of thier negative aspects on humans. "

" Gosh I didn't like this book! It's so depressing and I felt I missed Dickens' message because of it. "

" Hard Times is my favourite of Dickens' punishment of the false and annoying. There is not a revenge sweeter than having a life's worth of lies unpoured over tea and cakes. "

" From the title one can guess this is a bleak story, however, I was surprised and impressed by Mr. Dickens' sense of humour. "