Hard Times
For These Times
Hard Times, published in 1854, is Charles Dickens's shortest novel and his most direct attack on the industrial philosophy of his age. In Coketown, a northern mill town of smoke and identical streets, Thomas Gradgrind raises his children on facts alone and marries his daughter Louisa to the blustering manufacturer Josiah Bounderby; his son Tom goes to the bad, the mill hand Stephen Blackpool is destroyed by both his union and his employer, and only the circus child Sissy Jupe keeps any warmth alive. The book is a fable rather than a panorama, and its fierceness has divided readers since it appeared. Ruskin thought it the best thing Dickens wrote. The full text is available to read online in your browser on Vinteuil, and the first chapter is free.
Start reading right away, without signing up. The complete text is included in Vinteuil Reading, or yours forever with a one-time purchase.
Frequently asked questions about Hard Times
Hard Times by Charles Dickens can be read online on Vinteuil, directly in your browser. The first chapter is free for everyone; the complete book is included in Vinteuil Reading ($4.99/month or $39.99/year) or yours forever for $2.99.
Can I read Hard Times online?
Yes. Hard Times opens right on this page, in a reader designed for long reading: adjustable text size, light, sepia and dark themes, a clickable table of contents and your place saved when you are signed in. No download or app is needed.
Is Hard Times free to read on Vinteuil?
The first chapter of Hard Times is free, without an account. To read the whole book, either buy its online reading for $2.99 (£2.99 in the UK) and keep it forever, or subscribe to Vinteuil Reading for $4.99/month (£4.99/month in the UK) or $39.99/year, with 1 month free for new subscribers. The subscription opens every book in the library and can be cancelled at any time.
Is Hard Times in the public domain?
Yes. Hard Times by Charles Dickens is a public-domain work. Vinteuil offers a carefully prepared digital edition made for comfortable reading on screen.
How long does it take to read Hard Times?
About 6 h 54 min of reading, at an average reading pace. Your place is saved automatically when you are signed in, so you can read in several sittings and on several devices.
What kind of book is Hard Times?
Hard Times by Charles Dickens is filed under "Fiction" in the Vinteuil library.
