"Thomas Gradgrind is the guiding luminary of the Coketown school, stern proponent of the Philosophy of Fact, whose ill-conceived idealism blinds him to the essential humanity of those around, with calamitous results. His daughter Louisa becomes trapped in a loveless marriage and falls prey to an idle seducer, and her brother Tom is ruined thanks to their father's pet theories. Meanwhile Sleary's circus offers a vision of escape and entertainment,...

The Invisible Empire of the Ku Klux Klan begins to rise as soon as the Civil War ends, in the sequel to The Leopard's Spots.

First published in 1854, Hard Times is a profoundly moving, articulate and searing indictment of the life-reducing effects of the industrial revolution, and certain aspects of enlightenment thinking. Set in the fictional midlands mill-town of Coketown, the narrative centers on the industrialist, Mr Thomas Gradgrind, whose belief in scientific utilitarianism skews his world view and is a motive force, carrying the narrative towards farce

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Myths and misconceptions covered in the book include: Is the media unbiased? Are our schools helping or hurting our kids? Do singles have a better sex life than married people? Do we have less free time than we used to? Is outsourcing bad for American workers? Suburban sprawl is ruining America; money makes people happier; the world is too crowded; we're drowning in garbage; profiteering is evil; sweatshops exploit people. Investigative reporter Stossel...

Offers guidance for transforming fears about environmental issues into useful forces in individual lives, advocating the taking of small, constructive steps toward handling problems that seem beyond our control, and maintaining hope.