Oliver Twist / Great Expectations

by Charles Dickens, Hablot Knight Browne (Illustrator)

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Genres: Fiction, Classics

704 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1935

About the author

Charles John Huffam Dickens (1812-1870) was a writer and social critic who created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era. His works enjoyed unprecedented popularity during his lifetime, and by the twentieth century critics and scholars had recognised him as a literary genius. His novels and short stories enjoy lasting popularity.

Dickens left school to work in a factory when his father was incarcerated in a debtors' prison. Despite his lack of formal education, he edited a weekly journal for 20 years, wrote 15 novels, five novellas, hundreds of short stories and non-fiction articles, lectured and performed extensively, was an indefatigable letter writer, and campaigned vigorously for children's rights, education, and other social reforms.

Dickens was regarded as the literary colossus of his age. His 1843 novella, A Christmas Carol, remains popular and continues to inspire adaptations in every artistic genre. Oliver Twist and Great Expectations are also frequently adapted, and, like many of his novels, evoke images of early Victorian London. His 1859 novel, A Tale of Two Cities, set in London and Paris, is his best-known work of historical fiction. Dickens's creative genius has been praised by fellow writers—from Leo Tolstoy to George Orwell and G. K. Chesterton—for its realism, comedy, prose style, unique characterisations, and social criticism. On the other hand, Oscar Wilde, Henry James, and Virginia Woolf complained of a lack of psychological depth, loose writing, and a vein of saccharine sentimentalism. The term Dickensian is used to describe something that is reminiscent of Dickens and his writings, such as poor social conditions or comically repulsive characters.

On 8 June 1870, Dickens suffered another stroke at his home after a full day's work on Edwin Drood. He never regained consciousness, and the next day he died at Gad's Hill Place. Contrary to his wish to be buried at Rochester Cathedral "in an inexpensive, unostentatious, and strictly private manner," he was laid to rest in the Poets' Corner of Westminster Abbey. A printed epitaph circulated at the time of the funeral reads: "To the Memory of Charles Dickens (England's most popular author) who died at his residence, Higham, near Rochester, Kent, 9 June 1870, aged 58 years. He was a sympathiser with the poor, the suffering, and the oppressed; and by his death, one of England's greatest writers is lost to the world." His last words were: "On the ground", in response to his sister-in-law Georgina's request that he lie down.

(from Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Scott McGowan · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I started reading this, I realised why I don't read Dickens all too often. Although the stories are compelling, the literary style and wording/references used can, at times, be hard to follow. I found myself going back a number of times to re-read a paragraph because I hadn't understood it.

I would say that it does get easier. I am on the 5th chapter of Great Expectations and am more used to the way he says things and can enjoy the plot more than at the start.

All in all. This is a very good book and I am looking forward to reading the rest in this collection.

[John Senner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much better than Pickwick Papers. It is good to remember that the good old days were not so good for a lot of people. Religious prejudice (all you need to describe a character is call him "The Jew"), squalor, disease, class barriers. In the end, it is not Oliver's character that saves him so much as the discovery that he comes from a noble background.

[Turow · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oliver Twist: 1/5

Great Expectations 5/5

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can never get enough of Dickens