This Norton Critical Edition includes: * The first edition of the novel (1859) accompanied by twenty-seven illustrations, from original images by Halbot Knight Browne ("Phiz") to cartoons from The Simpsons. * An expansive introduction and detailed explanatory annotations by Robert Douglas-Fairhurst. * Thematically organised contextual materials designed to promote classroom discussion. Topics include "Dickens on France and the French", "Revolution and Aftermath", "Living Graves", "Learning French", "The Composition of A Tale of Two Cities" and "Theatrical Versions". * Fourteen major critical assessments of A Tale of Two Cities: five contemporary reviews and nine modern essays. * A chronology and a selected bibliography.