Charles Dickens' novels for a beginner

[Andrei]

If you read Dickens thoroughly and enjoyed his books greatly, what would you say to a 50+ novice, who likes R.P.Warren, Gr.Greene, N.Honby, J.Braine, S.Maugham and R.Aldington, among others, when he asks you: Is it a good book for me to begin reading Dickens? If not, which is?

I'd love to add, that I like such English classical writers as R.L.Stevenson, L.Stern, W.Hazlitt.

[Robert]

Good question! At 50+ It’s interesting that you haven’t had to read Dickens for a high school or college class! My exposure to Dickens was “A Tale of Two Cities” as required reading in a freshman European history class. And it engendered a life long love. Dickens’ earlier works are more popular, not necessarily better, and I prefer them to his somber (and sometimes somnolent) later works.

“Nicholas Nickelby” isn’t the worst novel to start with and its representative of Dickens in general. I doubt it will turn anybody off Dickens’ but it isn’t his best. Nicholas is a bit of cipher and the surprise revelation that brings the novel to its close feels forced and a little pointless.

I’d start with “Great Expectations.” In it I think Dickens nicely balanced some of his worst tendencies (too many stock characters, longwindedness, final-act surprise from out of nowhere) with some of his best (superb mood & atmosphere setting, keen eye for the absurdities of human society, suspenseful plotting) .
Cheers!