Dickens's widely read satirical account of the Industrial Revolution. Dickens creates the Victorian industrial city of Coketown, in northern England, and its unforgettable citizens, such as the unwavering utilitarian Thomas Gradgrind and the factory owner Josiah Bounderby, and the result is his famous critique of capitalist philosophy, the exploitative force he believed was destroying human creativity and joy. This edition includes new notes to the text. About the Author: Jane Jacobs is one of the most influential social thinkers of our times. Her books include The Death and Life of Great American Cities and The Nature of Economies . She lives in Toronto.