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[Unregistered]

Interesting to see that as soon as you find a book that you can't simply plough straight through (what other stuff have you read that only takes one evening, I wonder? The Mr Men books perhaps?) you decide it's rubbish. Actually, it's an exquisite work of fiction that has stood the test of time. As for the headmaster visiting Sissy Jupe's 'house', try reading up on Victorian attitudes and values. PS Dickens was writing this to highlight serious flaws in the education system, so slight exaggeration is to be expected. You'll find this when you read real books.

[Unregistered]

I would agreed that Hard Times is a hard book but I doubt it would take two weeks to get to only page 37; that would be totally out of the world unless you have read it for like 20 mins and didn't continue. Even I wouldn't take that long although I am an advanced reader. I began reading classics such as The Prince And The Pauper, The Little Women, 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea and others; Ender's Game, Ender's Shadow both in sixth grade and I finished the companion to Ender's Shadow in the beginning of seventh grade and tons of other books in fact I have read so much that the reader hasn't read as much as or than me. One summer I read over 150 books. Back to the book, I think you are exaggerating that you would put your hands in acid than to read the rest.

[Neil]

I know exactly what you mean. Even the critics of the time didn't like the book. My main grievance with it is that his opinions are misinformed and very thinly veiled, and as such it is hard to read through, seeing as it is so descriptive of everything and slow moving. In fact, Dickens wrote the book a little too late, as the country was then entering a time of prosperity. It is all too often that books are dismissed as classic on the basis of their author rather than their content.

[Unregistered]

i am only 14 years old and i found this book incredibly hard to understand, i was told i had to read it, in order to get a certain grade in my book report, but when i found the inner willingness to do so, i enjoyed it very much.

[Unregistered]

I have to admit that Hard Times is one of the hardest books to understand I have ever read. I usually finish books the night I get them but I have had this book for two weeks now and I am only on page 37. The story seems to drag on and doesn't look like it is going anywhere. The story seems to be abit daft, if a child got a question wrong the headmaster would not visit that childs house. I think this book is AWFULL and if I had the choice I would rather put my hand in acid than read the rest.