Charles Dickens Four Complete Novels (Great Expectations, Hard Times, A Christmas Carol, A Tale of Two Cities)

Book Description

Includes the major works by one of the greatest names in literature. Namely, Great Expectations, Hard Times, A Christmas Carol and A Tale of Two Cities. This Library of Literary Classics edition is bound in padded leather with luxurious gold-stamping on the front and spine, satin ribbon marker and gilded edges. Other titles in this Library of Literary Classics series include: Charlotte & Emily Bronte: The Complete Novels; Edgar Allan Poe: Selected Works; Mark Twain: Selected Works; Jane Austen: The Complete Novels: Lewis Carroll: The Complete, Fully Illustrated Works; and William Shakespeare: The Complete Works.

Customer Reviews:

Great value for the price.......2007-08-02

Let's face it, there are better editions of Dickens out there. You get what you pay for. This is not a top of the line leather edition. For the price, though, you can't beat it. It is what it is, a reasonably priced leather edition of four of his novels. At five dollars apiece, the price can not be beat.

Pretentious.......2007-06-07

Buying books because they look good on your shelf is pretentious and phony - and this book capitalizes on that. I got this as a gift and was amazed when I read it at the number of typos in it. There is simply no way this collection was proofed by an editor - that or the editing company is one of the worst in the world.

Buy these fantastic books, but not this edition, unless you just want people to think you read Dickens.

If nothing else, it looks good on your bookshelf........2007-03-13

You would do better off buying these books individually from a different publisher.
It sounds impressive, leather bound, gilded edges, but it is very cheaply done. On the plus side, it does have a ribbon book mark so you don't have to buy your own.
But this book was poorly edited, filled with needless typos, and with all four of these books available from numerous other publishers, I would suggest to just buy it from them.

Loved it,.......2006-02-12

I'm a big fan of long drawn out novles. I've always been a fan of Dickens. This book has on eof my favorite stories by his pen: Great Expectations. His style is very personal I found it a lot like Tolkien. His ability to tell a good tale is clear as the reader becomes part of the story. Very nice volume and worth the time and money in my opinion.

Lousy Binding.......2005-12-20

I've read all but "A Christmas Carol" in this edition. I've found several typos. Moreover, the binding is becoming unglued. I estimate by the time I finish "A Christmas Carol" the binding will be totally exposed. I value permanent books (otherwise I would buy paperbacks). I suggest anyone who enjoys Dickens buy a better edition.

What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew: From Fox Hunting to Whist-The Facts of Daily Life in Nineteenth-Century England

Average customer rating:

An Easy to Read and Interesting Reference
Fun and Interesting
What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew
Cute but glib--and wrong!
that's what they meant

What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew: From Fox Hunting to Whist-The Facts of Daily Life in Nineteenth-Century England
Daniel Pool
Manufacturer: Touchstone
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0671882368

Book Description

For every frustrated reader of the great nineteenth-century English novels of Austen, Trollope, Dickens, or the Brontës who has ever wondered whether a duke outranked an earl, when to yell "Tally Ho!" at a fox hunt, or how one landed in "debtor's prison," here is a "delightful reader's companion that lights up the literary dark" (The New York Times).

This fascinating, lively guide clarifies the sometimes bizarre maze of rules, regulations, and customs that governed everyday life in Victorian England. Author Daniel Pool provides countless intriguing details (did you know that the "plums" in Christmas plum pudding were actually raisins?) on the Church of England, sex, Parliament, dinner parties, country house visiting, and a host of other aspects of nineteenth-century English life -- both "upstairs" and "downstairs."

An illuminating glossary gives at a glance the meaning and significance of terms ranging from "ague" to "wainscoting," the specifics of the currency system, and a lively host of other details and curiosities of the day.

Customer Reviews:

An Easy to Read and Interesting Reference.......2007-09-30

If you read Regency or Victorian literature this is a reference you will want close at hand. Both Interesting and fun to read, the author says he wanted to "answer some of the questions that nag any half-curious reader of the great nineteenth-century English novels." He does just that. This book is meant as an overview, or introduction, to the period not an in-depth reference. You will not find lengthy discussions of what Jane Austen might have eaten, but there are several sections on foods and dinner parties.

The book includes a large glossary of terms peculiar to the period. I have found it handy when I've come across an unfamiliar word in a novel and didn't want to stop reading and go research it.

While I feel the book does cover both the Regency and Victorian era fairly well, I believe it can be criticized for spanning too great of a period. Imagine a book attempting to give insight into the entire twentieth century, a period that would include the Wright Brothers and the moon landings and corsets and miniskirts, and many more contrasts. The nineteenth century had many similar contrasts making it difficult to write a single volume cover the entire period.

I recommend two other books for anyone reading Victorian literature, Inside the Victorian Home: A Portrait of Domestic Life in Victorian England and To Marry an English Lord by Gail MacColl and Carol McD. Wallace

Recommendation: Anyone starting down the road of enjoying Regency or Victorian literature should find this a handy reference.

Kyle Pratt

Fun and Interesting.......2007-06-11

What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew: From Fox Hunting to Whist-The Facts of Daily Life in Nineteenth-Century England, by Daniel Pool, is a nice book that is full of fun facts and answers to questions that come about from the reading of some of the great English writers. The book needs to be taken for what it is... entertainment, rather than relied upon as a historical textbook of any kind. I find the book an interesting diversion occasionally, and fun for picking up a bit of the Victorian period. Enjoy. Three stars.

What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew.......2007-05-13

That's a perfect book. If you want to know anything interesting about the 19th century in England, you should read it.I teach English as the second language and it's sometimes too difficult to draw students' attention through the whole lesson. There are many interesting and unknown things, that help students to imagine this time in England. On the other hand, the book is written by clear and easy English so I could not stop reading till I finished.

Cute but glib--and wrong!.......2007-03-30

This is an error-ridden, foolish little book that is just fine for casual consumption but is a terrible place for anyone serious about history to try to learn anything. I write Victorian-set novels, and I really think that books like these are a major problem with my genre as they fool would-be writers into believing that they actually have actually done "research."

*sighs*

Read through George Eliot, Trollope, Austen, Dickens, the Eyres, and Thackeray. Then read articles from popular newspapers and real histories of the period. And then collect fashion plate images and discriptions. Buy copies of Mrs. Beeton and Mayhew. THEN you will have done some research about the 19th c.

that's what they meant.......2007-03-16

i am a dickens, austen, bronte, hardy, wharton, etc. reader. this book relates the conditions of the times and the reasons things were done as they were. eye-opening, fun to read, very informative. even a glossary at the end of the book.

Average customer rating:

Hands down best book I've ever read
cover in horrible shape
The Hobo Philosopher
Expectations Met...
A Classic With A Few Flaws, Not As Good As David Copperfield

Great Expectations (Penguin Classics)
Charles Dickens
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0141439564

Customer Reviews:

Hands down best book I've ever read.......2007-10-13

I can't give this book enough praise. I read David Copperfield after, which was supposedly Dickens' most belove character, but I enjoyed GE much more. You won't be disappointed.

cover in horrible shape.......2007-09-29

My book was supposed to be brand new, yet there were slashes across the cover.

The Hobo Philosopher.......2007-09-15

This is Charles Dickens' version of the poor kid fantasy. This is almost a fable, I would say. This is the kind of story that you hear over and over growing up in poverty. It is almost in the category of Robin Hood, but this is the real thing in the flesh and blood. The old man in the cemetery scene still plays over and over in my mind. I should have read everything written by Charles Dickens by now, but yet I haven't. I started A Tale of Two Cities a little while ago and I have it on my night stand. I think that I'll get back to it tonight. I don't know who beats Dickens in superb phrasing and style. He is the Master.

Expectations Met..........2007-09-11

All the standard Dickensian motifs are present in this book: deus ex machinae, factitious coincidences, longueurs, inventive names, an empathy towards children in a world of pompous adults, and sheer expository brilliance.

Dickens paints a picture in your mind...you see the country, smell the air, and hear the voices of the characters as if they are actually speaking. This being Dickens, you must allow for some patness in the plot...grant that, and then you can enjoy the genius of his phrases, metaphors, characterizations, and recounting of the absurd.

(Wopsle's go at Hamlet in London should have you laughing out loud.)

This is an excellent book...a classic.

A Classic With A Few Flaws, Not As Good As David Copperfield.......2007-07-04

As background information, I am in the process of reading most of Dickens 22 novels. I bought the Penguin Popular Classics version of the novel. It is very basic and comes in a simple green cover. It contains no introduction or analysis, just the text plus a very brief historical sketch of Dickens. It seems to be an excellent value for the money and I bought three Dickens novels in the series. I was a bit disappointed in that one book seemed to fall apart as I read it: the binding seemed very weak and cheaply made. It was marginally okay for the present book which is just 400 pages, and the book did not fall apart, but did seem damaged after one read. Another Dickens novel, which was 700 pages long, fell apart with at least 50 pages coming loose. After this bad experience, I bought other versions of Dickens's works - Wordsworth Classic versions and the regular Penguin Classic versions, the ones with the photo on the covers.

Charles Dickens, who lived from 1812 to 1870, is the best know male English writer of the 19th century. He authored 22 novels plus numerous short pieces. Most of his writing was first written in serialized form, later published as single novels.

A young Dickens at the age of 12 had the unenviable job of attaching labels 10 hours a day at the Warren's boot blacking factory. That experience shaped much of his writing career. Still in his teens he became a law clerk, then later in his twenties a journalist. The last job as a reporter led to the serialized writing of his novels. His works were social commentaries with larger than life characters, or colorful caricatures, living in the slums of London. He was a critic of poverty, social injustice, and the slow moving court system. Those themes permeate most of his novels and it is present her in Great Expectations. This is a novel set in London and the countryside close to London. It is a story of a young boy who wants to grow up and become wealthy and to be a gentleman. Those are his "great expectations."

Without giving away critical plot elements, it is the story of a young boy called Pip, whose parents are dead, and who lives with his sister and her husband Jo who is a blacksmith. They want Pip to learn the trade and be a blacksmith as well. They live in a small town near marshlands near London. His ambitions are grander and he wants to escape to London and become a gentleman. Will Pip find happiness? Will he succeed? Action shifts back and forth between the small town where Pip first lived and the city of London. It involves Pip, lawyers, accountants, Pip's new friends, his love interest, etc.

The novel is not used by Dickens for any pressing social issues, although one might argue that it shows how Pip's ambition blinds him to his true friends. But mostly it is pure entertainment. The book is a classic but has a choppy feel that one can attribute to the way it was written. It was written as a series of dramatic stories for popular serialization which were then combined to make a single novel. I enjoyed the read and would highly recommend the book.

Having read 10 of Dickens's novels I still rate David Copperfield as best, and ahead of the present book, both as a work of literature and for entertainment value. In many ways the two novels are similar, but the plot is far more interesting and realistic in David Copperfield, and Dickens has many more interesting characters in that book, and as a bonus it is almost twice as long.

Average customer rating:

Great ending to what otherwise I found stale
"He is Recalled to Life..."
The Political Intrigue of Dickens
A Masterpiece Novel Set Before The French Revolution
Much to Offer

A Tale of Two Cities (Penguin Classics)
Charles Dickens
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0141439602
Release Date: 2003-05-27

Book Description

Edited with an Introduction and Notes by Richard Maxwell.

Customer Reviews:

Great ending to what otherwise I found stale.......2007-07-21

It always takes me a while before I really get interested in any story. Unfortunately this story took until almost the end before it really grabbed me. It may not be that bad for you, but I found some of the sentences extremely long. After reading David Copperfield I'm put off by his diction or older cliches, as long as the story is compelling. Many of his descriptive narratives were just too long and drawn out. I think there might have been some clever metaphors that I was just to lazy to think about; or as an excuse I don't know that much about that time in history. The end was full of action and suspense, I don't know if it was more disappointing that the story ended or that the first five-sixths of the book was flat. I hope your experience will be better than mine.

"He is Recalled to Life...".......2007-07-09

Everyone knows the opening line of this novel: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times," but have you ever stopped to think about what it actually means? Putting a context on famous lines of literature is (for me at least) one of the best parts about reading classic novels, something that everyone should attempt to do at some stage during their lifetimes. "A Tale of Two Cities" definitely falls into that category, as it contains some of Dickens's best and most complex work. The title stems from the fact that it is London and Paris - rather than any individual character - which make up the central character of the novel, and the way in which these two cities guide the fates of their inhabitants.

This is certainly one of Charles Dickens's more unique novels, being one of only two of his works (the other being Barnaby Rudge (Penguin Classics)) that is best described as historical fiction. Incorporating events of the French Revolution such as the storming of the Bastille, the September massacres and the infamous Revolutionary tribunals that sent thousands to their deaths at the gulliotine, the novel is set against a wide sweep of history that provides the context for the intrigues of his characters. As Dickens himself articulated, characters are not as developed as they are in his other works, and are revealed through action rather than dialogue or exposition. Thus, "A Tale of Two Cities" is far from a character study, though Dickens provides several vivid scenes that give us insight into the players, whether it be the monotonous shoe-making of Doctor Manette, the lethargic leaning of Sydney Carton or the frantic knitting of Madame Defarge.

Pulling together a complex story of betrayal, intrigue, danger, hidden identities and past secrets, Dickens weaves his three protagonists (insofar as you could say this novel *has* protagonists) into a complicated tale set against the dangers of the French Revolution: Doctor Manette, a freed prisoner of the old aristocratic regime, Charles Darnay, an exiled French aristocrat who has denounced his heritage, and Sydney Carton, a brilliant English lawyer with a wastrel lifestyle (who is also the most vivid character in the novel). Each man becomes swept up in the events of the Revolution, each facing their inner demons and the secrets of the past that rise up to threaten their lives and the lives of their loved ones.

As is to be expected, at the centre of this maelstrom is a young woman, with whom all males are besotted. She is a typical Dickensian heroine: meek, virtuous, beautiful, tearful, and the object of everyone's dearest affections. As someone who has read several Dickens books, she is a somewhat frustrating character - is there really a difference between Lucie Manette and say, Rose of Oliver Twist (Penguin Classics) or Agnes of David Copperfield (Penguin Classics) or Biddy of Great Expectations (Penguin Classics)? Lucie is the paragon of Victorian expectations in a woman, the domestic goddess, the angel of the house, the damsel in distress (in fact, the most memorable aspect to her character is Dickens's mention of her talent at arranging furniture. I'm not kidding). Yes, she is a product of the time, and no doubt a reflection of Dickens's own longings (considering his own domestic lifestyle was far from ideal), but you can't help but wish that Dickens had taken the time to explain why Lucie had such an extraordinary effect on the men around her, rather than just tell us that such a thing was so.

Despite this, Dickens has a tightly plotted novel, which gradually reveals the intricate connections between each character as the story progresses. By any other author, these connections would seem melodramatic or too coincidental, in Dickens's hands, they take on the sense of an inevitable pattern taking shape, almost a fateful air. Juggling the intimate details of the inner turmoil relationships of the characters with the grander scale of the political upheaval, Dickens strikes the perfect balance between the two, personified in the cities themselves. London becomes the place of peace and security, but also dignified secrecy and disclosure (as Dickens famously ponders in the opening chapters, pointing out that we - as human beings - are all mysteries to each other), whereas Paris is swept up in violence, blood-lust and a witch hunt for enemies of the new order. Yet as Richard Maxwell points out in his enlightening introduction to this edition, the two cities exist together in the course of the novel - without Paris, Carton's melancholic and wasteful life was in vain; without London, there is no safe haven for the Darnay family to flee to.

Dickens also has room for his own commentary on the Revolution, and is careful in his portrayal of those involved, making none of them totally evil, nor completely virtueous. Everyone involved is painted in shades of grey, making the Revolution itself a complicated process of upheaval, cruelty, justice, madness, victory and tragedy. Just as the revolt of the people is perceived as justified against the tyranny of the aristocracy that abuses their position so appallingly, the madness that follows becomes just as horrifying as the rule of that which preceded it. As it stands, Dickens ends the novel by alluding to the execution of Madame Roland, who was said to have cried out just before her death: "O Liberty, what crimes are committed in thy name!" This is one of my favourite Dickens's novels, and leaves you with plenty to mull over long after you've finished reading.

The Political Intrigue of Dickens.......2007-07-03

** This review is a synthesis of the three Charles Dickens books that I've read: A Tale of Two Cities (Penguin Classics), Great Expectations (Penguin Classics), and David Copperfield (Penguin Classics). The rationale for reviewing in this manner is to provide a foundation point of reference for those not new to Dickens' work.

In the last two years I have read, in this order, Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations, and David Copperfield. All three of these books were exceptional reads, and if you are thinking about dipping your toes in the waters of Charles Dickens you can't go wrong with any of them. However, notwithstanding the fact that these three books are all in the upper echelon of world literature, I have no difficulty in distinguishing between them and coming to the conclusion that they are properly ordered, from "most best" to "least best": David Copperfield, Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations.

It seems generally to be the case that, for those who have read just one of Dickens' books, Great Expectations is the book most people have been exposed to. And most people who read Great Expectations love it. The genre is probably best described as romance meshed with individual tragedy among numerous characters. However, perhaps the strongest part of the book is the manner in which the secondary characters present a contrast to the primary story. I liked the book very much, but I think it suffers from two flaws not present in the other works reviewed here. First, the characters are not as believable as in the other two works. Second, the plot follows an unlikely path, especially in the end. Concerning this second point, it should be noted that Dickens struggled with the ending of this work, and I think it shows.

Tale of Two Cities ranks second in this group in my mind. This book is a combination of political intrigue, romance, and personal triumph. I rank this book above Great Expectations for the sole reason that the characters in this book are so strongly developed. I don't think I have been exposed to more memorable characters in any book I've ever read. The story is interesting, too, because it takes place against the backdrop of a historical event, the French Revolution. I think Dickens had an easier time writing a convincing plot in this story than in Great Expectations because he had the aid of a real historical event.

Great Expectations and Tale of Two Cities are both excellent books, but David Copperfield is simply the best piece of literature I've ever read. To be sure, I'm only 24 and have only read 10 pieces of classic literature since my high school years. However, David Copperfield so outdid anything I've read that I feel more than comfortable in recommending it as certainly one of the best books of all time. Dickens did a remarkable job of capturing a wide variety of human emotions and mindsets. He was aided in this by two things. First, the length of the book gave him space to fully develop his sentiments. Second, the book is written in a first-person autobiographical voice, which I think made capturing sentiments much easier than in attempting to narrate them in the third-person. Further, because the book chronicles David's life from childhood through middle-age the reader is exposed to a wide variety of human thoughts. The characters, for the most part, are more believable and the plot is generally good; I took offense to only one chapter in the whole book.

Now, if you haven't read any of Dickens' books, I don't recommend starting with David Copperfield. I would start with Great Expectations and work through a couple others before David Copperfield. In terms of the plots, David Copperfield is much more similar to Great Expectations than Tale of Two Cities. So if you loved Great Expectations I think you will be well satisfied with David Copperfield. The plot from Tale of Two Cities is the odd-ball of this trio. In any case, all three of these books are great pieces of literature... enjoy.

A Masterpiece Novel Set Before The French Revolution.......2007-07-01

Charles Dickens, who lived from 1812 to 1870, is the best know male English writer of the 19th century. He authored 22 novels plus numerous short pieces. Most of his writing was first written in serialized form, later published as single novels.

A young Dickens at the age of 12 had the unenviable job of attaching labels 10 hours a day at the Warren's boot blacking factory. That experience shaped much of his writing career. Still in his teens he became a law clerk, then later in his twenties a journalist. The last job as a reporter led to the serialized writing of his novels. His works were social commentaries with larger than life characters, or colorful caricatures, living in the slums of London. He was a critic of poverty, social injustice, and the slow moving court system.

Those themes permeate most of his novels. A few novels are different, including the present A Tale of Two Cities, written towards the end of his writing career. This is a historical novel set in England and France during the years leading up to the French Revolution, starting around the year 1775. At first glance it appears less complicated than his other works, but on closer inspection one will find that the novel is relatively complicated. It is a three part story with time shifting and with many characters, and with lots of intrigue and drama.

Without giving away critical plot elements - and it is a complicated plot which most will have trouble remembering anyway - the story opens in England as a bank representative, Lorry, travels to Dover to meet a young woman, Lucie Manette. They proceed to Saint Antoine near Paris in search of Lucie's father, Dr. Manette, who was in prison, but who has now been released. During the incarceration, he has lost his mind.

Action then shifts back to England, five years later, to the trial of Chalres Darnay for spying. Lucie and her father testify at the trial. Darnay is acquitted and released. In Paris, Darnay's uncle, the Marquis, is involved in a street accident and other plot elements. Back in England, Darnay marries Lucie. Then, Darnay returns to Paris to help a friend of the Marquis and is imprisoned as an emigrant or aristocrat. The rest of the novel involves the return to Paris of Lucie, her father, and Lorry, and their struggle to get Darnay released. Will they be able to free him from prison or will he be executed?

Beyond the intrigue and drama, the novel is a vehicle for Dickens to describe the horrors of the French Revolution in a serial form, later made into a novel.

I enjoyed the read and would recommend the book.

Much to Offer.......2007-04-02

A Tale of Two cities is a vivid story of the French Revolution filled with imagery and motifs that are thick in the literature. So many stories collide in as the numerous characters are all connected some way, some how. There's a dramatic love triangle, a revenge story, a recovery from an eighteen year imprisonment and much more.

Charles Dickens writes as someone from his day would, filled with commas and metaphors. For children under thirteen this might be inappropriate, not because of content, but because they might not understand it enough to appreciate all it has to offer. It shows the immoral side of humanity, even though revenge isn't the only purpose. The aristocrats were mercilessly taken from there homes and to La Guillotine.

Motifs such as The Sea, Redemption, Secret Sins, Letters, and many others reinforce what is trying to be demonstrated. They are occurring events or ideas that keep the book interesting. So many of these characters come to their doom and it the affects the reader just as it would if you were actually watching it. Dramatic foreshadowing is also very affecting, but the actual events are even more thrilling.

Overall, I recommend this book to all willing to read, it's a wonderful book to enhance your literary vocabulary. It has tastes for men with its brutal wars and battles, but also has a sense of feminism as the love story will interests the women.

Ancestry and Narrative in Nineteenth-Century British Literature: Blood Relations from Edgeworth to Hardy (Cambridge Studies in Nineteenth-Century Literature and Culture)

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Ancestry and Narrative in Nineteenth-Century British Literature: Blood Relations from Edgeworth to Hardy (Cambridge Studies in Nineteenth-Century Literature and Culture)
Sophie Gilmartin
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0521560942

Book Description

This study addresses the question of why ideas of ancestry and kinship were so important in nineteenth-century society, and particularly in the Victorian novel. Sophie Gilmartin discusses what makes people believe that they are part of a certain region, race or nation, and what part is played by superstitious belief, invented traditions and fictions. Gilmartin's study shows that ideas of ancestry and kinship, and the narratives inspired by or invented around them, were of profound significance in the construction of Victorian identity.

Average customer rating:

Still a Masterpiece
Suffer The Child
Gripping Classic Literature.
Oliver Twist is a classic novel from Dickens prolific pen.
Oliver Twist-

Oliver Twist (Penguin Classics)
Charles Dickens , and Philip Horne
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0141439742
Release Date: 2003-04-29

Book Description

Edited with an Introduction by Philip Horne.

Download Description

An adaptation of Dickens's story of the orphan forced to practice thievery and live a life of crime in nineteenth-century London.

Customer Reviews:

Still a Masterpiece.......2007-07-28

I bought the Penguin Classic version and recommend that purchase highly. This is among Dickens's best and almost on par with other great novels such as Anna Karenina, Pride and Prejudice, Madame Bovary, etc. In short, it is a masterpiece that brings together all of Dickens's writing skills with a great story. It has some literary flaws, and I would rate it slightly behind David Copperfield but it remains one of the most original and interesting of Dickens's novels.

As background information, I am in the process of reading most of Dickens's 22 novels and longer short stories, and set up a Listmania list. I bought the Penguin Classics version of the novel. As a suggestion, avoid the Penguin Popular Classics with the plain green covers (I bought two). They fall apart and do not stand up to a read, especially books over 500 pages in length. The Regular Penguin Classics with the photo or painting on the front are excellent and some have maps and illustrations (drawings). The Wordsworth Classics are not as good, and some are illustrated.

Charles Dickens, who lived from 1812 to 1870, is the best know male English writer of the 19th century. He authored 22 novels plus numerous short pieces. Most of his writing was first written in serialized form, later published as single novels.

A young Dickens at the age of 12 had the unenviable job of attaching labels 10 hours a day at the Warren's boot blacking factory. That experience shaped much of his writing career. Still in his teens he became a law clerk, then later in his twenties a journalist. The last job as a reporter led to the serialized writing of his novels. His works were social commentaries with larger than life characters, or colorful caricatures, living in the slums of London. He was a critic of poverty, social injustice, and the slow moving court system.

All of Dickens's experiences come together in his novels. The Pickwick Papers is mostly humorous, but Oliver twist is a dark novel set in the crime plagued streets of early 19th century London. There are very few nice characters here. Mostly, they seem very unfriendly, and most a lot worse: criminals, and abusing social workers. The pull between the good and the bad or negative, is personified by the difference of opinion between Oliver's benefactor, Mr. Brownlow, and the criminal Fagin. As is generally well known, the tale contains a cast of very odd characters with even odder names, such as The Artful Dodger, Fagin, and magistrate Fang. The only flaw in the story is that there are too many coincidences; otherwise it is a stunning tale and an innovative book.

Having read many of Dickens's novels I still rate David Copperfield as best as a work of literature and rate Oliver Twist as close behind and a must read. The book was read by Queen Victoria and Karl Marx, and both enjoyed the read. The novel had a far reaching social impact. It is hard to fathom that this is one of Dickens's first novels and written in his mid-twenties.

Suffer The Child.......2007-06-23

Does anyone enjoy "Oliver Twist" nearly so much when things are going well for the novel's young protagonist as when they are going badly? Do you notice how quickly you scan the pages when names like "Mr. Brownlow" "Rose" and "Mr. Losberne" are in the text, only slowing down when it's "Fagin" "Sikes" and "Mr. Bumble"?

Cruelty can be a positive quality when writing fiction. Dickens' torture test for his young hero saves the book from mawkish excess and, along with an uncompromising social conscience, gives it readability and drive.

Oliver Twist is a miserable orphan, his birth a mistake and his life a matter of no consequence to anyone but himself. Yet time and again, a guiding hand of mysterious providence suggests something of deeper importance connected to the business of his life. This is so even when he finds himself in the London underworld, under the guileful care of the master thief Fagin, who bestows praise upon Oliver's eager ears while coaching him down a criminal path where only a scaffold awaits.

A bit overlong, yes. "It is a tale told of grief and trial, and sorrow, young man, and such tales usually are; if it were one of unmixed joy and happiness, it would be very brief."

Though it is ironic how that formula works in reverse in "Oliver Twist", one understands what Mr. Brownlow means by that statement. The narrative of "Oliver Twist" covers a lot of ground, and presents a strong case for the reasonless cruelty of life even as it argues for humanistic compassion. If there is any release from life's savagery, it may only be found in death or dreams.

In his introduction to my Signet Classic edition, Edward Le Comte notes the "fairy tale" quality of "Oliver Twist" as a license for its sentimentality. That may be a hard sell for the casual reader. People come out of nowhere to sacrifice themselves on Oliver's behalf for vague reasons, often involving freakish coincidences. One fair maiden languishes under a life-threatening condition that can only be described as "acute Victorianism". Oliver himself soon becomes a helpless bystander in his own story, albeit one with perfect manners and diction despite his dirt-poor upbringing. Reading through this only works as a window to Dickens' time.

But the novel excels in the negative, in its conception of bad guys such as the homicidal Sikes, the engaging Artful Dodger, and especially smooth Fagin, the real center of menace in the story despite Sikes' bluster. You feel the soot and desperation of these people's sad lives in every bitter page.

With Fagin, Dickens plays with his audience's anti-Semitism mercilessly, always calling him "the Jew" and making Fagin's motives around Oliver obscure early on to recall the insidious "blood libel" of the time that supposed Jews guilty of slaughtering innocents.

Was Dickens anti-Semitic? No. He did write an anti-Semitic book, albeit not by design. It's hard to imagine Dickens' audience in 1838 making a distinction between the criminal and his ethnicity. Nor did Dickens think they would. He didn't care. He was on a mission.

And there's the rub. Dickens is not holding back anything grabbing his readers by the throat, which is why "Oliver Twist" worked then and still does today. It's not his best book, but it's a good one all the same, uniquely committed, maybe his most powerful. Seeing a debased world through the prism of middle-class morality has its flaws, but the focus is painfully keen and Dickens makes it hard to look away.

Gripping Classic Literature........2007-01-22

I always wanted to read this book--and any other Dickens--after being subjected to the musical featuring child stars Mark Lester and the late Jack Wild. It is with great sarcasm that, though I love the musical, to find that the novel differs greatly is such a surprise. I will also admit that this is the first Dickens novel I have ever read, and find it interesting to note that children have never had easy lives since the beginning of man's origins up until now. We just hear more about it these days.

The amazing cruelty with which orphans have been treated through history is depicted here with a verbal imagery which the reader will not soon forget, and the cast of supporting characters keeps one fascinated due to the human characteristics Dickens gives them. How a largely bland, yet sympathetic little boy stays true to the purest of righteous virtues seems far fetched at times given his treatment at the workhouse and being constantly surrounded by thieves and murderers like Fagin, Sikes, the Artful Dodger, and Master (All he does is laugh) Bates (I won't even elaborate on that name, but snickered quite a bit at it). Most children would have succumbed to their surroundings long before 12, but Dickens seems to be going for nature verses nurture here, pointing out that people can rise above their environment, and I cannot argue. Most people know someone who came from awful circumstances, only to become the opposite of all the negativity they've been surrounded with. So then, maybe there are street walkers like Nancy--the true hero of this story--who have hearts of gold as well, and there are wealthy people who are the antithesis of everything you have ever heard like the man who comes to adopt Oliver.

Dickens makes one thing very clear in Oliver Twist: right makes might, and if you hold on long enough goodness can indeed win the day, no matter how hard life gets sometimes. He also stresses that, among the many paths in life one chooses, the virtues of goodness and honesty are the best roads to take in the end. A classic worth reading more than once.

Oliver Twist is a classic novel from Dickens prolific pen........2007-01-04

The young genius Charles Dickens (1812-1870) was still publishing monthly installments of "The Pickwick Papers" when he began writing Oliver Twist.
What a tale! Young Oliver is born in the workhouse to a mother who dies giving him birth. He is apprenticed to the undertaker Sowerby; fights with one of the undertakers idiotic apprentices Noah Claypool; flees to London and comes into the clutches of the evil Fagin arch pickpocket. In this den of thieves we meet such unforgettable characters as the Artful Dodger; the despicable Bill Sikes and his mistress Nancy.
There are also many good people who populate the many pages of this novel. The Maylie family especially young Rose who rescue Oliver after he is injured in a foiled robbery escapade are helpful to the young waif. Mr. Brownlow is also a rescuer who eventually adopts Oliver. This novel is a fine bildungsroman as we follow child Oliver on his tempestuous journey through the London streets.
Oliver Twist contains many scenes which are film worthy. These scenes include the flight of Bill Sikes from the London mob following his murder of Nancy; Fagin's last hours in Newgate Prison prior to his being hanged;
the vivid descriptions of nineteenth century London and pastoral scenes
of beauty. The portrait of Oliver's half-brother Monks is well drawn.
The novel is not perfect. It relies too much on coincidence to be realistic. It is if you will a fairy tale but a great one!

Oliver Twist- .......2006-11-08

The story of Oliver Twist, written by Charles Dickens, is a classic bildungsroman, about the difficulties a child had to endure to survive in the 1800's. Dickens satirizes the atrocious trait of human selfishness by illustrating how it comprises ones humanity as the helpless and vulnerable are victimized for personal gain. Oliver Twist is an orphan from a small village not far from London, who is forced into social conventions by a city council. He escapes his horrible captor, a woman who steals food money for her personal use, but unfortunately lands in the hands of a criminal mastermind, who forces him to pickpocket in the London streets. He luckily is taken under the loving care of a family who gains the information of Oliver's previous captor. Many scenes are dedicated to the fallout of this criminal family which proves that with a positive environment, people are able to succeed in life. Oliver Twist has been around for nearly 200 years and I found it a very good novel, not only for its content but also for its moral truths. It is interesting because it allows children and young adults to imagine what life was like back then and to contrast their lives to Oliver's. This realization allows the reader to see that some people have more difficult lives then others and to not take advantage of them.

The Speeches of Charles Dickens (Collected Works of Charles Dickens)

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The Speeches of Charles Dickens (Collected Works of Charles Dickens)
Charles Dickens
Manufacturer: Classic Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

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ASIN: 0742623459

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Nonesuch Dickens Boxed Set
Charles Dickens
Manufacturer: DUCKWORTH G
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Cambridge Companion to Charles Dickens (Cambridge Companions to Literature)

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Good guide to what's new with Dickens

The Cambridge Companion to Charles Dickens (Cambridge Companions to Literature)

Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0521669642

Book Description

The Cambridge Companion to Charles Dickens contains fourteen chapters by leading international scholars that cover the whole range of Dickens' writing. Separate chapters address important thematic topics: childhood, the city, and domestic ideology. Others consider formal features of the novels, including their serial publication and Dickens' distinctive use of language. The volume as a whole offers a valuable introduction to Dickens for students and general readers, as well as fresh insights, informed by recent critical theory, that will be of interest to scholars and teachers of his novels.

Customer Reviews:

Good guide to what's new with Dickens.......2003-10-09

This provides some interesting critical essays of recent scholarship on Dickens work. A must have for any student of Dickens.

Great Expectations (The Classic Collection)

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Marvelous Audio Edition....Will Be Enjoyed By 1st Time Or 50th Time Readers
Expectations fell short
Brilliantly acted, addictive listening!
Marvelously read by Michael Page
Great way to experience Great Expectations

Great Expectations (The Classic Collection)
Charles Dickens
Manufacturer: Brilliance Audio on CD Unabridged
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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A Tale of Two Cities
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ASIN: 1597371319
Release Date: 2005-08-25

Book Description

Great Expectations chronicles the progress of Pip from childhood through adulthood. As he moves from the marshes of Kent to London society, he encounters a variety of extraordinary characters: from Magwitch, the escaped convict, to Miss Havisham and her ward, the arrogant and beautiful Estella.

In this fascinating story, Dickens shows the dangers of being driven by a desire for wealth and social status. Pip must establish a sense of self against the plans which others seem to have for him - and somehow discover a firm set of values and priorities.

Customer Reviews:

Marvelous Audio Edition....Will Be Enjoyed By 1st Time Or 50th Time Readers.......2007-08-07

This review refers to the audio(CD - Brilliance Audio) edition of "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens, read by Michael Page

This unabridged audio edition of Dickens' classic superb chronology of "Pip's' journey through life going from a poor boy to becoming a man with "expectations" is simply marvelous. As Pip comes into a small fortune, and becomes a "gentleman" he learns the value and true meaning of friendships and life. But the journey is a long one, with many lessons to be learned along the way before he can find his true self. Dickens has given us a wonderful story, with rich details of the setting and characters that grow and are among the most interesting and magnetic to be found in literature.

I don't need to go on and on about the book itself(although I could easily go over my allotted word count here), if you haven't read it yet ,just know you are in for one heck of a literary treat. It is a story that will transport you to another time and place, and you may not want to come back. I will however, talk about this marvelous audio edition. Michael Page is the reader, and what a reading he gives. Just curl up and listen to this master storyteller. Every voice, every nuance is captured. There is no doubt who is speaking as he gives each character the personality and cultural characteristics as Dickens intended. He even does the women wonderfully, without going over the top. In my mind Miss Havisham has always sounded just the way Page portrayed her, Estella as uppity as ever,the humble Joe, along with all the rest.

The book is an unabridged reading on 16 discs. each discs has 90 very short tracks(about 45 seconds each), I had no trouble starting up where I left off(when I absolutely had to leave off). I just made a mental note(or you could even write it down) of the track number and disc where I stopped it. The sound quality is excellent, and total running time is about 20 hours. Each disc is in it's own paper CD holder with a clear front so you can see the disc number you are looking for.

If you are a fan of this book, this audio edition will give you a fresh read and new appreciation of this fascinating book. If you are experiencing it for the first time, you can't help but to become enthralled. Great to take on long drives or for younger readers to be introduced to classic literature in a most entertaining way.

Enjoy the read...for the 1st Time or the 50th time!....Laurie

Expectations fell short.......2007-01-05

As an English teacher, I purchased the collection to use in my classroom. We had already started the novel when the cd's came in. Because the cd's were not marked according to chapter, it was difficult to find the starting point each time we used the cd's. I would have liked to have chapters to correspond with the tracks for easy listening. On the up side, it was easier for the kids to follow along once we did find the spot, and the animated voices brought the story to life.

Brilliantly acted, addictive listening!.......2006-10-17

I did not want this to end! I knew the book, I knew the characters, but I doubt anyone else could have made them come more alive as they had existed in my mind's eye. The period of the time, the nuances of language and emotions - it is all captured here. I caught myself - a Dickens' fan, completely entranced. And you absolutely forget that it is all one person reading. The wonderful descriptors Dickens so artfully paints in complete portraits and scenery with words, flow effortlessly, almost musically so that the it unfolds in the listeners mind as sure as one were reading Dickens' words. I found myself taking the long routes home as I listened in the car on commutes. I would be pleased to purchase any other set read by Michael Page, particularly from this period. Now if we could just get Page to record any of Wilkie Collins' work...

Marvelously read by Michael Page.......2006-08-08

If you want a Dickens-phobe to convert, buy him/her this CD. Michael Page is one of those rare narrators who can bring male and female characters to life with equal credibility.

Great way to experience Great Expectations.......2006-08-05

If you have a student who either hates to read or struggles to read I would highly recommend this audio book. This unabridged version brings the Dicken's story to life. There are 16 CD's to listen to, but it is an enjoyable experience.

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