A Tale of Two Cities
Words by David Zane Mairowitz
Art by Ryuta Osada
Paperback with flaps, 128 pp, £14.99
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..."
Book-ended by some of the most famous opening and closing words in literature, A Tale of Two Cities (1859) looks back to the 'Terror' of the French Revolution, and forward to our own Age of Reason – and the fractures, splits and madness that have accompanied both. Part history lesson, part psychological thriller, part whodunit, Charles Dickens' classic fable of double lives and mistaken identity laid a finger on the pulse – and a thumb on the blade – of his (and our) time.
Book-ended by some of the most famous opening and closing words in literature, A Tale of Two Cities (1859) looks back to the 'Terror' of the French Revolution, and forward to our own Age of Reason – and the fractures, splits and madness that have accompanied both. Part history lesson, part psychological thriller, part whodunit, Charles Dickens' classic fable of double lives and mistaken identity laid a finger on the pulse – and a thumb on the blade – of his (and our) time.
David Zane Mairowitz
David Zane Mairowitz is an author, playwright, radio director and translator. As a professional freelance writer for 40 years, he has collaborated on numerous books, including the successful Introducing Kafka (with Robert Crumb), Introducing Camus and Wilhelm Reich for Beginners. His plays for the theatre include a critically acclaimed theatrical version of Kafka's The Trial. His articles have appeared in Harper's, Vogue, Plays and Players, The Village Voice, The Progressive and The Sunday Times. His short stories have appeared in various literary magazines, including Partisan Review, New Directions and the prestigious Penguin Modern Stories. For the past 25 years, he has produced radio dramas and documentaries in over 20 European countries and for the BBC, winning various international radio prizes. He lives and works in France and Berlin.
Ryuta Osada
Ryuta Osada was born in Tokyo. He moved to the UK in 2000, after graduating from Nihon University. He went on to study graphic design at the Surrey Institute of Art and Design and, after that, at Central St Martins College in London. In 2009, Osada returned to Japan, where he worked on several illustrated reference books for publisher Shinkigensha. He is also a historical advisor on Shinich Sakamoto's manga series Innocent.