Product Description
Following his father's death John Harmon returns to London to claim his inheritance, but he finds he is eligible only if he marries Bella Wilfur.To observe her character he assumes another identity and secures work with his father's foreman, Mr Boffin, who is also Bella's guardian. Disguise and concealment play an important role in the novel and individual identity is examined within the wider setting of London life: in the 1860s the city was aflame with spiralling financial speculation while thousands of homeless scratched a living from the detritus of the more fortunate-indeed John Harmon's father has amassed his wealth by recycling waste. This edition includes extensive explanatory notes and significant manuscript variants. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Our Mutual Friend
The novel is easily readable.It reveals a great deal about English society in the mid-19th Century in and around London.

The novel, by Charles Dickens, reveals a society in early industrialized Briain strugling to meet its Christian and economic responsabilities to the poor, as well as to the 'class assumptions' of a traditionally, and rigidly class-based society.

It deals with the challenges of moral and good people, as well as the 'not so' good and 'not so' moral people, at every station of society, attempting to deal with issues bigotry, poverty, agedness, classism, greed, and sexism.

It has many 'Dickenson-type' off-beat characters that challenge one's patience and touch the heart.It is a great read for anyone.

It has great potential for skilled English teachers at the upper high school levels and incoming freshmen in College, and certainly Graduate school, with the proper critical models for discussion.

It is a long novel, but well worth the money for purchase and the time involved in reading it.

Albeit Dickensian, this story is almost perfect!
The works of Charles Dickens fell out of favor for the same reasons they were so much beloved:they are filled with treacly sentimentality and cartoonish characters.Yet, nobody tells a tale quite like this man can and man can this man tell a tale.
This book, with its many twists and turns; violence and death; subterfuge and espionage; lies and deceit; conspiracies and skullduggery; causes one to wish that Mr. Dickens had tried his hand at murder mystery, for this book has all the elements necessary for a pot boiler in that vein.
Yet, this tale as it twists and tangles around the repercussions of a mysterious death, and disappearance of an orphan returned to Merry Old England for to claim his inheritance is really about love, requited and unrequited; loyalty and trust; and friendship and honor.
None of these things come easy in a Dickens novel so it takes some 700 pages for us to discover how all will end.In between time the reader is treated to a page turner inhabited by all manner of creatur each in his own way utterly fascinating or entertaining, and whose parts in this play cause one to stay up reading late in the night from sheer entertainment and a desire to find out what happens next.
Interestingly and thankfully Dickens doesn't turn saccharine until about 4/5's into the book and one is struck by how modern the novel is up to that point.Although one wishes it didn't the book, being by Dickens, inevitably takes a maudlin turn as the tale winds to a close.All is forgiven though for the simple fact that the story is just so darned good that this is a small price to pay for such a great ride.
Suffice it to say that nearly all of the myriad ends that come dangling down in the course of the story get tied, and one closes the book feeling replete. ... Read more

Product Description
The sensational bestselling story of Little Nell, the beautiful child thrown into a shadowy, terrifying world, seems to belong less to the history of the Victorian novel than to folklore, fairy tale, or myth. The sorrows of Nell and her grandfather are offset by Dickens's creation of a dazzling contemporary world inhabited by some of his most brilliantly drawn characters-the eloquent ne'er-do-well Dick Swiveller; the hungry maid known as the "Marchioness"; the mannish lawyer Sally Brass; Quilp's brow-beaten mother-in-law; and Quilp himself, the lustful, vengeful dwarf, whose demonic energy makes a vivid counterpoint to Nell's purity.Amazon.com Review
The sound of Little Nell clattering hurriedly overcobblestones immediately sets the stage by bringing to mind the narrowand dangerous streets of Victorian London. No fewer than 20 performersare called upon to conjure up the Dickensian world of wanderers,ne'er-do-wells, con artists, and kind Samaritans--and each performanceis excellent. Tom Courtenay plays the sadistic Quilp, "the ugliestdwarf that could be seen anywhere for a penny" with magnificentsarcastic glee, and Teresa Gallagher's silvery, childlike voice isideally suited for the role of the angelic Little Nell.

Nell is onher way home to the dusty shop where she and her grandfather live arather mysterious life. The old man disappears every night--visitinggambling dens with the naive hope of winning a fortune. Instead hesinks deeper and deeper into debt. Enter Daniel Quilp, moneylender,who becomes furious upon learning that the grandfather is a pauper andwill never be able to repay his tremendous debt. Quilp seizes thecuriosity shop and begins making lecherous overtures to Nell, so sheand her grandfather steal away one morning to seek their fortuneselsewhere. But the demonic dwarf is never far behind.

Sound effectsare employed judiciously and serve mainly as a springboard for thelistener's imagination. The sound of a crying baby is enough to conveythe image of crowded lodgings and genteel Victorian poverty, whileraucous laughter and high-pitched squawks evoke the barely controlledchaos of an outdoor Punch and Judy show. The dramatization paresDickens's weighty novel down to two and one-half hours, but does soskillfully, retaining Dickens's wit, marvelous dialogue, anddelightful characterizations. (Running time: 155 minutes, 2cassettes) --Elizabeth Laskey ... Read more

Customer Reviews (32)

My favorite Charles Dickens novel!
If you have never read a Charles Dickens novel, then you should start with this one. Out of all of his books, I find this one to be the most readable and the one most likely to hold the interest of even a non-Dickens fan! The language is easily understood, the plot moves quickly, and there are moments of such deep pathos that most people could identify with at least some aspect of this story. This edition of the book also contains very helpful footnotes, though they are not overwhelming.

SOME SPOILERS!!! STOP READING IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW!!!
I have read most of Charles Dickens's novels and The Old Curiosity Shop is my favorite (along with
Bleak House (Oxford World's Classics), but for different reasons). Within this book, Dickens captures the moments of change from childhood to adulthood in ways more accurate than in any of his other fiction. It isn't just that little Nell dies--something more dies with her. Insisting on calling Nell "the child" throughout most of the book, Dickens clings to the label with a kind of desperation that is tragic in ways unseen in other books. This novel collects into one place so many of the darker aspects of the Victorian era...even though many want to call it an immature work or a collection of caricatures. More than a sentimental novel, this book captures nineteenth-century fascination with children, death, and home. The novel was extremely popular in its time in both England and America--so, if you want a glimpse into what appealed to the popular culture during the earlier years of the Victorian era, pick up this book.

Wonderful "Dickensian" characters
Dickens' genius for character development shines in this book.The virtuous Nell, demonic Quilp, faithful Kit and many other characters create a lively and rich tale of human experience in 19th century England.The plot twists and turns and brings forth both the evil and good sides of human nature in the context of the difficulty of life in that period.The reader gets a feel for the tremendous fear of poverty that existed in the 19th century; no government safety nets existed back then!Dickens' also employs his comic wit, with many exchanges between characters absolutely hilarious, and, of course, his narration of the pony's erratic and headstrong behavior will have you chuckling out loud, especially if you have spent any time around horses.Yes, I agree with some of the other reviewers that this is not among the best of Dickens' novels, but I still strongly recommend this story - a classic read and very entertaining!

One of my least favorite
Although it is still an above average read it does not measure up, in my estimation, to most of Mr. Dickens' other novels. Try the following books first: 1- David Copperfield, 2-Nicholas Nickelby, 3-Little Dorrit, or 4- Bleak House.

A Mediocre Kindle Edition
This is a review of the Kindle version of the Fictionwise Classic edition of Dickens's "Old Curiosity Shop."

I bought the Fictionwise Classic edition (which is more expensive than many of the other Kindle versions offered of this novel) in the hopes that the higher price reflected better presentation.I was disappointed.This version contains no table of contents (linked or otherwise), no interpretive introduction or footnotes, and none of the contemporary illustrations.It is also lacking the foreword that Dickens wrote for a reprint edition done in his lifetime, and in parts it is rife with typographical errors.

Next time I purchase a Kindle version of a classic novel, I will avoid Fictionwise Classic.

Another great Dickens child protagonist
Little Nell is the protagonist of Charles Dickens's _The Old Curiosity Shop_.This sweet, angelic, beautiful, almost godly young adolescent, travels throughout England with her beloved grandfather to escape the clutches of the evil, money-hungry dwarf, Quilp.Like many of the child heroes/heroine of his books, Nell lives in dire circumstances.Everyone seems to love her and she often repays these kindnesses, not monetarily, by performing little acts of goodness towards these individuals.There is nothing Nell or grandfather would not do for each other, including engaging in gambling at cards so that he could win enough money to support Nell.Unfortunately, her grandfather is an inept card player.

Other children in the book include Kit (Christopher), a friend of Little Nell's, and his younger brother.Kit is a good and honest young adolescent, who is falsely set up by several dishonest and venial adults in the novel as a thief.Dickens goes into some detail about Kit's travails, as well as the suffering of Kit's loving mother and of his innocent little brother.As usual, Dickens is very strong in character development and the reader must bear the ghastly way Kit, his mother, and even Quilp's wife are treated.Assisting Quilp in the intended ruination of Kit are the completely slimy lawyers, Sampson Brass and his "lovely,"equally corrupt sister, Sarah.Other decent characters in the novel include Richard Swiveller and his woman friend, whom Richard lends the sobriquet, the Marchioness.Her tininess of stature stands in contrast to her worthiness.

Although many avid fans of Charles Dickens's works know of the fate of Little Nell, I will not ruin this part for those who intend to read this novel by revealing it.Also, unlike Oscar Wilde, I cannot be as blithely cruel as Mr. Wilde by stating that a certain section of the novel made me laugh.I loved Nell as much as the other people who knew her did, and found her to be one of the most unforgettable characters in all of literature. ... Read more

Product Description
Widely considered one of Dickens most superb and complete novels, "Bleak House" has a complex plot that contains one of his most elaborate attacks on a flaw of society: the chancery system. The kind John Jarndyce is tied up in litigation that only his wards Richard and Ada care to discuss. He then becomes guardian of Esther, an orphaned young woman who comprises a part of the experimental narration of the novel. A series of events take the vast array of comic and tragic characters from the slums of London to the mansions of noblemen, involving some in treachery and others in discovery. Dickens blends the perfect balance of comedy and social satire in a story that contains mystery, tragedy, murder, redemption, and enduring love.Amazon.com Review
Bleak House is a satirical look at the Byzantine legal system in London as it consumes the minds and talents of the greedy and nearly destroys the lives of innocents--a contemporary tale indeed. Dickens's tale takes us from the foggy dank streets of London and the maze of the Inns of Court to the peaceful countryside of England. Likewise, the characters run from murderous villains to virtuous girls, from a devoted lover to a "fallen woman," all of whom are affected by a legal suit in which there will, of course, be no winner. The first-person narrative related by the orphan Esther is particularly sweet. The articulate reading by the acclaimed British actor Paul Scofield, whose distinctive broad English accent lends just the right degree of sonority and humor to the text, brings out the color in this classic social commentary disguised as a Victorian drama. However, to abridge Dickens is, well, a Dickensian task, the results of which make for a story in which the author's convoluted plot lines and twistsof fate play out in what seems to be a fast-forward format. Listeners must pay close attention in order to keep up with the multiple narratives and cast of curious characters, including the memorable Inspector Bucket and Mr. Guppy. Fortunately, the publisher provides a partial list of characters on the inside jacket.(Running time: 3 hours; 2 cassettes) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (94)

Bleak House?! it was the only bright spot in the novel...
Who wants to live in a bleak house - unless it is of Dickens' making. Bleak House is a real gem in that the panoply of colorful characters allow Dickens to keep the reader entertained and rewarded while threading in the powerful main story line (which, I'm sure, keeps most readers crying). I was truly amazed at the depth of character and layers of intrigue that develop throughout this novel. This one does tread heavily on the toes of the British Legal system; but, with Dickens' unique blend of satire and the travails of the human spirit... what you get is one of his most enjoyable novels.

An Absolute Masterpiece!
At this moment, this is my favorite book!I starting reading Dickens classics about a year ago.I have read David Copperfield, Great Expectations, and Bleak House.I plan on conquering Tale of Two Cities next.I loved David Copperfield and Bleak House.I have mixed feelings about Great Expectations, but I won't go into a review here.This is about Bleak House!There is so much to like about this book.You'll laugh out loud, you might even cry (but not as much as you will reading David Copperfield), you will be blown away.I can't quite explain my reaction to this book.It made me want to stand up and start clapping.There are few books that stop me in my tracks and make me go back and reread an entire chapter.This is one I could read over and over.

I CAN SEE YOUR HALO
My second favorite part of this book, after the book part, is how the cover has Gillian Anderson's face. YEAHHHHHH. You get to the end and you're all depressed because stuff happens that isn't happy but then you close the covers and set it aside and BAM! Gillian Anderson in a lovely shade of blue. All healed. Everything is forgiven, Dickens.

In seriousness though, the font is bigger than in the Modern Library Edition and for that I am grateful.

"For the Love of God, Don't Found a Hope or Expectation on the Family Curse!"
I did it. I finally finished "Bleak House." It took me the better part of three months, and involved a sheet of paper covered in notes just so I could keep track of all the characters and their plotlines, but I finally got there in the end. A tangle of intrigues and mysteries, a scathing indictment of the time's corrupt legal system, and a massive cast of characters (just when you think Dickens can't possibly add another character to his already-extensive cast, he goes and introduces ten more) all make "Bleak House" a tough, but ultimately rewarding read.

This was one of the earliest examples of detective fiction; primarily because it includes a murder and a whodunit aspect, but also in regards to how the plethora of characters and plots add up together into a cohesive whole. The protagonist Esther Summerson has a mysterious past and is of unknown parentage (when raised by her aunt she is told: "your mother is your disgrace, and you were hers"), whilst other characters are veritably shrouded in mystery from beginning to end of the novel - it is probably more convenient to ask what character *doesn't* have a secret to hide. When removed from her unloving childhood and taken to Bleak House, Esther gradually blossoms under the love that she finds there, though there is always an ominous shadow of secrecy lingering over her.

The Court of Chancery forms the backbone of the novel, specifically the Jarndyce versus Jarndyce lawsuit, a sprawling legal case that has stretched on for years with no end on the horizon. It's gotten to the stage where no one can even understand or remember what it involves. Based on the contemporary situation, wherein several Chancery cases had indeed stretched on for over twenty years, drinking up time and money as they slugged on, this is the source around which all the cast of characters revolve, each one inextricably bound to it to one degree or another.

Just as London is concealed in the dense fog that opens the novel, so too are the interwoven destinies of the people wound up in the Jarndyce versus Jarndyce case. Seemingly unrelated at first, all the subplots and characters eventually coalesce and add up to a singular plot. In previous books, much eye-rolling was induced at Dickens' use of coincidence, as various characters are brought together by fairly long stretches of logic and happenstance. Here however, the technique works simply because such interconnectedness is precisely the *point* of the narrative, and not just a device.

The novel flits back and forth between first-person narrative by Esther Summerson and an omnipresent narrator. A lesser writer couldn't pull off this sort of thing, but in Dickens' hands the technique works brilliantly in heightening the tension between the two worlds; allowing us the comparison between the intimacy of Esther's discussion and the opaque storyteller that keeps things at a distance, tricks us into jump to the wrong conclusions, and surprises us with solutions that - though sometimes anticlimactic - are still oddly fitting in terms of their thematic strength.

Dickens has a bad track record when writing women, preferring to portray them as the Victorian ideal of "the angel of the house," rather than three-dimensional figures, but although Esther does initially come across as the typical domestic goddess, she is eventually revealed as a surprisingly fascinating narrator. Although she constantly deigns to speak about herself, often mentions her own shortcomings as a storyteller and apologizes for the necessity for making herself the centerpiece of her own tale, her narration is often contradictory, secretive and never hesitates to recount flattering compliments that other characters pay her. There is an amusing sense of false modesty about the work, a self-awareness (on Dickens behalf, rather than Esther's) that writing about oneself is always more fascinating than one might be willing to admit. And yet in spite of the sense of personal gratification in writing her life's story, Esther often holds back her innermost thoughts and feelings.

To be honest, she reminded me a little of Shakespeare's Viola of "Twelfth Night" in her astonishing passivity to just let life's current take her where it will, even with ample opportunities for her to be proactive, work toward her goals in life, and uncover the mystery of her past. But nope, she's perfectly happy (or is she?) to devote herself to the service of those around her, so achingly grateful for their love and affection that she willingly throws herself on them to the point where there's nothing left for her to do but gush excessively about how wonderful they are. Dickens is hard-pressed to make this interesting for, as always, the paragons of virtue are never - and *can* never - be as interesting as those that roam the periphery of the main story. Compared to the unfathomable Tulkinghorn (described as an oyster that no one can open), and the furious Smallweed (carried about in a chair that he slips down into every time a bout of temper gets the better of him) and the cold, languorous, mysterious Lady Deadlock, the likes of Ada Clare and Allan Woodcourt seem impossibly bland and insipid. As Terry Eagleton says in his preface: "In a society for which goodness has come to mean thrift, prudence, meekness, self-denial and sexual propriety, the devil is bound to have all the best tunes".

One thing that often goes unmentioned in various review of Dickens is just how funny he can be; even though here the humour is in a somewhat disparaging tone that reflects the general mood you'd expect from a book with the word "bleak" in the title. But one of my favourite characters is the harried figure of Mr Jellyby, married to a woman who cares nothing anything past her "mission". As a result, Mr Jellyby has taken to simply sitting in a corner, as Esther notes: "he sat down on the stairs with his head against the wall. I hope he found some consolation in walls. I almost think he did." Later, on visiting Jellyby's young married daughter, Esther is told that he often visits their household: "looking at the corner, I could plainly perceive the mark of Mr Jellyby's head against the wall."

As with every novel, Dickens' social commentary comes out loud and clear, and here it is mainly on his critique of law and justice, but also the linked side-issues of child abuse and misdirected philanthropy (Mrs Jellyby is obsessed with the welfare of Africa, to the detriment of her own children and in ignorance of the poverty right outside her doorstep). Yet it is the Court of Chancery which gets the biggest pen-lashing here, as Dickens satirizes its lawyers as cannibals and eventually has characters die from its influence: one from the exhaustion and despair that it strains on his mind and body, the other from nothing less than spontaneous combustion at the raging complexity and confusion that it causes. In a novel that has no singular, corporeal villain it is the court itself that serves as a force of destruction. Seemingly possessing a life a life of their own, humans are simply cogs in the machine; cogs who cannot even understand the situation properly. There is no enemy here: just a system of their own creation that people cannot fight let alone hope to win against. They can only endure until it burns itself out.

With that in mind, I'd say the prominent theme in my understanding and experience of the text is that of survival. Perhaps this is only because of the extensive time it took me to get through "Bleak House", but to me, this is a story of simple survival - not against any particularly dangerous odds, but against fatigue of the spirit, isolation, heartbreak and monotony - to endure and survive such things and keep plodding on regardless of the circumstances. And yet there is more to it than that, otherwise the situation would be too hopeless: as the characters struggle on, they are also on the search for love, whether it be that of a mother for her child, a man for a woman, or a person for their purpose in life.

Work of a wizzard
This is my very first Dickens book, and now I can really understand his place in the history of English literature.This book is phenomenal in every possible way.It is satirical about the rigid power and class of the British aristocracy, the incompetent legal system and government.The characters represent personifications of the wide range of social values, exploitation, juxtaposed to unchanging moral compass, love, loyalty, sacrifice and human decency.It is very interesting to have two narrative perspectives, and it is done seamlessly and with incredible mastery.The predominant motif of fog provides great visual setting of the story and the choice of the name, "Deadlock" is a brilliant one as well. I find the character developement of the two leading female characters and their love relationships very intriguing and wonderfully surprising in the end.What a joy to read a book like this! ... Read more

Product Description
This edition of one of Dickens's earlier novels is based on the accurate Clarendon edition of the text and includes the prefaces to the 1850 and 1867 editions and Dickens's Number Plans. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (9)

Reviews from Brizmus Blogs Books
Somehow, in my 27 years of life, I had NEVER read a Christmas Carol. I've seen about a bagazillion adaptations, so, for me at least, the not reading it thing is just weird. Now that I have finally read it, it far surpassed my expectations. As with most things, the book is just better than all of the adaptations. Dickens's writing is so pure and innocent; he makes you feel that, with a little push in the right direction, anyone can be good. This book is a classic for a reason, and all the hype surrounding it is well-deserved. I would have loved to see Dickens himself do a reading.
Reading it with Stephen Skelton's insight made the reading experience even more satisfying. Every time there was something I didn't understand (or I thought I understood but actually didn't), Skelton was there with an explanation. I felt like I was really able to get righ into Dickens's head and understand the true meaning of his words.
Each chapter was followed by a study guide separated into 4 sections filled with insightful questions. I really enjoyed thinking through some of my answers to these questions, as they helped me to feel truly connected to the story and understand how Dickens's message can apply to how we celebrate Christmas and to me in my daily life. The first two questions in each section, while applying to adults as well, were written so as to be applicable to and easily understood by children. Because of this, it was a great book for parents to read with their children or for a bible study group, as the questions could easily lead to lively conversation.
I'd also like to point out that, while spiritual, I am not a Christian, and yet I still found the study sections thought-provoking and enjoyable.
A superb read!

An Insightful Version of a Classic Story!
A Christmas Carol Special Edition by Charles Dickens with Stephen Skelton, an annotated version with the original 1843 text, is a treasure trove of information. Like many others I was very familiar with the story via the various movie adaptations, but I had never actually read this seasonal classic.

What a treat it was to not only read the original text, but to have a knowledgeable guide, Stephen Skelton, provide definitions, insights, and thought provoking discussion topics! As Skeleton explains:

Through the study of this work . . . we will discover the spiritual depth of Dickens and his writing and learn what lessons of Christ are woven in among the scenes of Christmas Splendor and the soul searching of a Scrooge. The notes also offer some help to twenty-first century readers in understanding some of the obscure words and phrases that appear in this presentation of the original 1843 text . . . .

A Christmas Carol Special Edition by Charles Dickens with Stephen Skelton will delight both old and new readers of this classic!


Publisher: Standard Publishing; Annotated ed. (September 1, 2009), 128 pages.
Advance Review Copy Provided Courtesy of FSB Associates.

Amazing resource
I purchased this book as a guideline for a mini kids service we did during the Christmas season.I would recommend getting the accompanying study guide as well.

The new standard!

We all, at one point or another, have heard the story of A Christmas Carol, whether we read the book in school, watched a movie with the family, or saw the Muppets version on youtube (which, by the way, is my favorite. I heartily recommend it.). But there is so much more to the story that we don't grasp because of how our culture has changed. This is the way it is with every classic book. But A Christmas Carol is a story that needs to be understood in it's full impact because of the story it tells and the lessons it teaches. Stephen Skelton has made it possible.

The Special Edition of A Christmas Carol is a small book, perfect to fit in a small handbag (or a stocking!) with a beautiful cover. The book itself is printed with Dickens' story in the main section of the pages, and the notes, subtext, and annotations printed in the outer margins. After every "Chapter" (called a Stave in the text) there is a discussion section, perfect for any age group, either young children or mature Christians. The discussion features Bible verses and questions, and relates events, topics, and themes from A Christmas Carol to our everyday Christian walk with God. Extra verses and topics follow the end of every discussion section for those older individuals who wish to go further into studying the themes targeted in the book: Selfishness, Regret, Repentance, Salvation, and Rebirth. At the end of the book is a list of resources for further study.
The story of A Christmas Carol remains, to this day, a classic in literature because it is a wonderful story of sin and greed turned around to Christianity and charity through allegory and parable. It has proved itself a wonderful story to every reader, and will continue to do so forever. Hopefully, this will be the edition that becomes the standard.

Recommendation: All ages. Wonderful for family discussions or group Bible studies. Perfect Christmas gift or stocking stuffer!
**Thank you to FSB Associates for providing my review copy!**

This is great!
I am a fan of Christmas Carol in all shapes and form, but this book is very unique. I love the side notes regarding language of the time. Also, the notes also show how some of the writing by Dickens can be correlated to the Bible. I am reading it with my 12 year old son, and find it wonderful for discussion. Fun at Christmas but a great learning tool as well! ... Read more

Product Description
"With small, teeming cartoon scenes so boisterous they frequently burst their borders, Williams catapults readers headlong through five of Dickens's best-known melodramas." — Kirkus Reviews

"OLIVER TWIST, GREAT EXPECTATIONS, A TALE OF TWO CITIES, DAVID COPPERFIELD, and A CHRISTMAS CAROL are distilled into six- to ten-page stories that include the bare rudiments of each plot and droll illustrations featuring dialogue taken directly from the original works, spilling out of the frames into the margins with additional witty commentary." — SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL

"A fresh retelling that makes a good story as well as an introduction to classroom reading assignments or school dramatizations." — KIRKUS REVIEWS ... Read more

Product Description
Definitive, concise, and very interesting...

From William Shakespeare to Winston Churchill, the Very Interesting People series provides authoritative bite-sized biographies of Britain's most fascinating historical figures - people whose influence and importance have stood the test of time.

Each book in the series is based upon the biographical entry from the world-famous Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Incredible speed!
I received this book within days of ordering it. I was VERY pleased with speed of delivery, and it was in better condition than advertised. I certainly recommend them!

A Bite-Sized Biography of Dickens by Michael Slater
Oxford University Press, home of the Oxford English Dictionary has put out a highly successful Shorter Edition of the O.E.D. Perhaps somebody there heard that Professor Michael Slater was working on a major new biography of Charles Dickens (for Yale Press) and had the bright idea to ask Professor Slater to put out a "bite-sized" biography of The Inimitable. (Actually this book is based on Professor Slater's entry on Dickens for the massive Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.)

This new book is part of a series about "Very Interesting People." Shakespeare, Newton, Darwin and George Eliot have also been given this abbreviated treatment with promises of James Joyce, Milton, Austen and Churchill to have their mini-biographies forthcoming soon. You may have noticed that the notables are all British.

I don't know how the other subjects will fare with their biographers, but Dickens could have no better biographer than Professor Slater. In just ninety pages we are treated to a surprisingly complete biography by one of today's most eminent Dickensians. Especially surprising since Dickens was not only an author, but also an editor, journalist, playwright, actor and concluded his life with a new career in public readings. All these, plus Dickens's personal life are all admirably covered, as is his work with various charities. Still the emphasis of the biography is on Dickens's novels. Professor Slater concludes with a fourteen page chapter about Dickens's reputation and legacy after his death, exploring his after-fame, his impact on world literature and his continuing presence on the stage as well as in film, television and radio. Everything of importance is here. Professor Slater's lucid writing style is, of course, a great boon, and the biography is eminently readable. ... Read more

Product Description
Originally published in 1885.This volume from the Cornell University Library's print collections was scanned on an APT BookScan and converted to JPG 2000 format by Kirtas Technologies.All titles scanned cover to cover and pages may include marks notations and other marginalia present in the original volume. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (3)

Dickens' Christmas Stories
This book is one of the Barnes & Noble Classics, reissues of classic books with added notes and in nice trade paperback editions. Most everyone will be familiar with the first story in the book - A Christmas Carol. We have seen theater productions, movies, and other books. We know who Scrooge is, what Tiny Tim says, and what the four ghosts do with Scrooge. We certainly know the expression Bah! Humbug! A Christmas Carol is indeed a classic and would always deserve five stars by itself.

However, the other two stories are not in the same league. Dickens wrote them in the years following the publication of A Christmas Carol because it had been a success and he wanted to see if more profits could be obtained. He made some money but the last two stories have not held up nearly as well as A Christmas Carol over the years.

The Chimes is a story of a messenger named Toby Veck and his efforts to eke out a meager existence and to help his daughter find happiness. Toby is fascinated by the sound of the bells in the bell tower close to where he stations himself each day hoping to find paying customers. In the story he is drawn one night up into the tower itself where he meets phantoms who show him what the future may hold if he continues on his present path. These phantoms are nothing like the ghosts in A Christmas Carol. Toby's primary belief in life is that the poorer people like him deserve their station in life. The phantoms get his attention long enough so that possible events cause him to change his belief and possibly give his family a chance at a better life. The story is fairly dense and is written in Dickens' usual style.

The Cricket on the Hearth is the third story and once again expresses Dickens' point of view that needy people can be and should be helped to lead good, productive lives. The tale takes place around the turning of the New Year. This one does not involve spirits but is more like some of Dickens' popular novels. A hardworking family just getting by finds their situation turning worse. Tensions grow between the husband and wife. A mystery guest appears, and everything works out for the best in the end.

If you like Dickens, you will enjoy this book. I also recommend that you try Les Standiford's new book The Man Who Invented Christmas. It will give you the history of the development of Dickens' Christmas stories and will help you to understand what the atmosphere was like in England when the stories were written in the mid-19th century

Christmas
I snuggle up with this book every Christmas by the tree. However, it is a story to be enjoyed all year round. A pity we all have to wait till December in order to feel ducky about celebrating the Christian faith. A paragraph of Dickens a day will keep the devil away.

A Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol
The book I read was a Christmas Carol I love this book. The reason I love this book is because it actually teaches you something about life. Scrooge is an old man who dose not like celebrating Christmas, he's whole family enjoys and they all just stay together and just tell good storied about what good thing happened thought out the whole year. Scrooge doesn't do that like that the whole time he just stays to work. To make words short his nephew who is my favorite character Tint Tim try to change his uncle to like Christmas and try's to change uncle scrooge to like Christmas again there is a really big reason that uncle scrooge dose not like Christmas. The reason my favorite character is Tiny Tim is because try's to show everybody not just his uncle but almost the whole town everything good about life. I really recommend this book to anybody because it's just fun and like a soon as you start to read it you just cant stop reading it you just have to keep on going on. What I dislike bout this book is that they made Tim feel bad well the way his uncle ignored him and his entire family well I know they where poor and everything but it was not for that much.
... Read more

Product Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Poorly Executed E-book
This edition (ASIN B002RKSXJQ) is poorly formatted. There is a wide left margin throughout, and the amusingly long chapter titles get progressively smaller every few lines.

I was willing to put up with it until I came to the scene in the parlor at Manor Farm, which appears to be missing some text. Either that, or Dickens is more post-modern than I thought, trailing off (with no punctuation) in the middle of a sentence.

Amazon needs to do some quality control on this edition, and remove it from the store. There are plenty of others, why waste our time by listing inferior product? ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (7)

Charles Dickens Heirloom Edition - Christmas Carol
I was pleased to receive this book so fast - and the description was very accurate.it was a special christmas gift - and she was thrilled with it.thank you so much

Fun presentation
Anyone who loves the story of the Christmas Carol will fall in love with this book. Great illustrations and fun largebook format make it a must have for all ages!

A Christmas Carol with illustrations
The book is excellently done and illustrated.However, there was no indication that it is abridged and that disappointed me very much.It could be a good introduction to Dickens for younger children.

Double printed
I recently purchased this for a gift, but when the book arrived the whole cover had been double printed. We are sending it back and hopefully can get a properly printed book or our money refunded.

Beautiful
This is a beautifully illustrated book of the classic story.Wonderful to share with the entire family and a great excuse to start a new tradition at this holiday season. ... Read more

Product Description
Going Into Society is a book written by Charles Dickens. It is widely considered to be one of the top 100 greatest books of all time. This great novel will surely attract a whole new generation of readers. For many, Going Into Society is required reading for various courses and curriculums. And for others who simply enjoy reading timeless pieces of classic literature, this gem by Charles Dickens is highly recommended. Published by Quill Pen Classics and beautifully produced, Going Into Society would make an ideal gift and it should be a part of everyone's personal library. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an OCR edition without illustrations or index. It may have numerous typos or missing text. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from GeneralBooksClub.com. You can also preview excerpts from the book there. Purchasers are also entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Volume: 2; Original Published by: Chapman and Hall in 1886 in 601 pages; Subjects: Fiction / Classics; Fiction / Humorous; Fiction / Literary; Literary Criticism / European / English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh; Social Science / Men's Studies; ... Read more

Customer Reviews (45)

gotta love Mr. P.
Even though The Pickwick Papers is very low on plot, I never wanted to stop reading it. Mr. Pickwick and his pals cavort around the English countryside eating, drinking, and occasionally running into unearned tussles with the law. Mr.Pickwick himself is part of a common Dickens type: the older man who cheerfully and wisely mentors younger proteges, as the younger guys negotiate the moral complications of romance and career.

Additional details important
You can certainly read this Dickens classic without the additional notes, maps and appendices, but your understanding and enjoyment will be somewhat diminished.Penquin Classics does an excellent job of helping the reader appreciate the language and the context of the era.The maps are particularly helpful when attempting to visualize the travels of this extraordinary touring group in their many adventures throughout the English countryside.An excellent edition of a timeless classic.

Underrated and Fun
This is one of Charles Dickens greatest novels and the best expression of his comedy/satirical treatment of several 19th Century English institutions.Mr. Pickwick is the English equivalent of Cervantes' Don Quiote and Sam Weller is the worldy sidekick who looks after his Masters best interest with excellent loyalty. The 24 year old Dickens draws on his many earliest experiences working in Parliament and as a reporter in London. He was the forth person asked to write this serial and you get the sense that he is flying by the seat of his pants, writing and thinking the story out as he goes, as opposed to his later practice of the planning or story mapping of some of his greatest works. It isn't until the tenth chapter and the introduction of Sam Weller, as Mr. Jingle's foil, that Dickens realizes the moment when the novel finds its focus and thrust.Weller transforms the novel in a fascining and hilarous manner. I highly recommend reading this book. It's too much fun to pass up.

addressing some complaints
I think many people miss the whole point of this story.What they're wanting is a movie, when they're watching a television series, if you catch the meaning.This is not a "novel," in the strict sense of a definitive plotline.It holds the title loosely, and is more of a collection of short, interconnected stories.It is meant to be, quite literally, a Victorian re-imagining of Don Quixote, which is set up in much the same style.(By the bye, if you enjoy The Pickwick Papers, I highly recommend reading the aforementioned literary masterpiece.)
One thing I've heard complained about--even in the good reviews--is that the characters are not "real" or "fully developed.""Real" seems to imply that the characters will grow and change.I disagree.Take the two most popular characters in the book as prime examples, Samuel Pickwick and Samuel Weller. We see the former in his later years--his development is all but passed him.He does grow as a person somewhat throughout his experiences, but just like most men his age, he is not the mindset for change.In fact, his obstinacy is shown quite vividly throughout.The latter, being Samuel Weller, is in that unflinching stage of youth, when he feels the world is his for the commanding.And just like his master, we see his obstinacy quite often--usually in the same places.These are characters Dickens did not want to change.Indeed, G. K. Chesterton goes so far as to call them eternal.They're better this way.Who didn't feel a pang of remorse when Don Quixote renounced his gallivanting ways?
As to the other characters, they are all subsidiary to Pickwick and Weller, just as the entire cast of Don Quixote is to Sancho and the Knight of the Rueful Figure.
As to the wandering storyline, that is part and parcel to Charles Dickens.He never could stay in one place.The plot was secondary to his whims, and a definite plot would usually just weigh him down.Dickens created people, not characters or caricatures.Whether they be static or no, they are always interesting and entertaining and full of all the eccentricities of the individual.The stories were just places for the people to live, and the people he created for this story certainly do live.

Put this one in the pantheon
This book proves that you don't need organization, theme, or even a plot to write one of the great books of English literature when you're one of the greatest novelists the world has ever known. There are many excellent reasons to read this book, chief among them the fact that even if you only read a few chapters you'll get more pleasure, humor, and great writing than if you read hundreds of pages from other authors.

The Pickwick Papers starts out as if the story comes from records taken down from the club itself. This allows Dickens as author to comment as a reader of someone else's chronicles, and accounts for much hilarity in the early goings. Since the book was written in monthly installments, originally intended as comic vignettes to accompany humorous sketches, there is little to connect the early chapters in terms of theme or even coherence.

This turns out to be irrelevant, because strung together each chapter becomes a crazy quilt of eccentric activities with implausibly funny situations that bring forth the basic 19th Century English difficulty of being respectable while still trying to have fun. Pickwick's problems, and those of his club members, revolve principally around courting women, getting into scrapes, and drinking...constant, incessant, over-the-top drinking. If The Pickwick Papers bears any resemblance at all to the real life of English gentlemen, they were simply never sober.

As the story evolves, Dickens chucks the device of relating these stories from the records of the club and gets down to earnest storytelling in a true narrative. One of the great characters of all time, Sam Weller, makes his appearance and literally carries the rest of the book on his humor, loyalty, philosophy, and pugilistics. If anyone is funnier than Sam, it's his father, Tony Weller.

The Pickwick Papers is also rife with the best names, names that match exactly the personality of the person. Dodson & Fogg the lawyers, Winkle the wimpy lover, Jingle the con man, Job Trotter his accomplice, Nathaniel Pipkin the parish clerk, Miss Nupkins the spoiled young lady, the Porkenhams, nemeses of the Nupkins, and of course Lady Tollimglower from the previous century. The names alone are a reader's feast.

The story takes Mr. Pickwick through a lawsuit for breach of promise to marry, time spent in debtor's prison, time spent helping his young friends get married, and more or less continuous bouts of drinking. By the end Dickens has revealed his warmth, optimism, and love of happy endings. The ending is as heartwarming as the corpus of the book is rollicking and funny. ... Read more

Product Description
You were among the first, some years ago, to expatiate on the vicious addiction of the lower classes of society to Sunday excursions; and were thus instrumental in calling forth occasional demonstrations of those extreme opinions on the subject, which are very generally received with derision, if not with contempt. ... Read more

Product 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. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A mixed bag
I've read all of Dickens' novels and take a back seat to no one in my appreciation of them, but I found this Cambridge Companion less than completely satisfying.Several of the authors did a very good job of covering their assigned topics, but several others narrowed their focus too much and seemed to be straining too hard to say something original (e.g., uncovering obscure parallels between this Dickens novel and that Shakespearean play).In academia, being original is highly prized, so I guess I shouldn't have been surprised that this collection of essays turned out the way it did.

With roughly ten thousand pages available to draw upon, it seems like there's plenty to be said about Dickens' novels--commentary that would enrich the Dickens reader's experience--without becoming overly cute.

I don't mean to be unreasonably harsh.This book deserves all four stars I gave it.Still, I was hoping for something a little bit different.

Indispensible!
Whether you read Dickens for your own enjoyment or for academic pursuits, you will find this book invaluable. What I like most about this "Companion" is that its fourteen chapters provide new, brilliant, and thought-provoking "lenses" through which to view his novels as I re-read them, as I have done countless times in the last half-century. My favorite Dickens' novels are "Our Mutual Friend" and "Great Expectations," so I eagerly chose Chapter 6, Brian Cheadle's "The late novels: "Great Expectations" and "Our Mutual Friend" to read first. What delight! Cheadle's essay alone is worth the price of this book. This "Companion" does not disappoint.

Good guide to what's new with Dickens
This provides some interesting critical essays of recent scholarship on Dickens work.A must have for any student of Dickens. ... Read more

Product Description

ReadHowYouWant publishes a wide variety of best selling books in Large and Super Large fonts in partnership with leading publishers. EasyRead books are available in 11pt and 13pt. type. EasyRead Large books are available in 16pt, 16pt Bold, and 18pt Bold type. EasyRead Super Large books are available in 20pt. Bold and 24pt. Bold Type. You choose the format that is right for you.

This is Volume Volume 2 of 4-Volume Set.To purchase the complete set, you will need to order the other volumes separately: to find them, search for the following ISBNs: 9781427048622, 9781427048844, 9781427048851

A novel with diverse sub-plots that are intricately and ingeniously linked together. Like all other fine works of Dickens, this novel also has a brooding atmosphere and the characters are put to severe moral tests. Centering on the theme of money and how the power of money can change and shape lives, it is an intricate mystery that unravels revealing the true characters.

To find more titles in your format, Search in Books using EasyRead and the size of the font that makes reading easier and more enjoyable for you.

Product Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Product Description
Charles John Huffam Dickens (1812-1870), also known as "Boz", was the foremost English novelist of the Victorian era, as well as a vigorous social campaigner. Considered one of the English language's greatest writers, he was acclaimed for his rich storytelling and memorable characters, and achieved massive worldwide popularity in his lifetime. The popularity of his novels and short stories has meant that not one has ever gone out of print. Dickens wrote serialised novels, the usual format for fiction at the time, and each new part of his stories was eagerly anticipated by the reading public. Among his best-known works are Sketches by Boz (1836), The Pickwick Papers (1837), Oliver Twist (1838), Nicholas Nickleby (1839), Barnaby Rudge (1841), A Christmas Carol (1843), Martin Chuzzlewit (1844), David Copperfield (1850), Bleak House (1853), Little Dorrit (1857), A Tale of Two Cities (1859), Great Expectations (1861) and Our Mutual Friend (1865). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A Fine Concise Version of the Landmark Two Volume Biography
It's the time of year when people start watching plays and broadcasts of Charles Dickens evergreen story "A Christmas Carol" - if you haven't read the short novel since childhood try looking it up for an unsurpassed piece of prose writing - and so here's a gentle reminder about the great Dicken's biography of Edgar Johnson. Though not the last word in Dickens scholarship - Edgar Johnson's final book on Dickens was published over three decades ago - this venerable abridged one volume biography (from the much larger 1952 two volume version) certainly remains a fine introduction to both the life and works of the larger than life English novelist.

Among this biography's most noticeable charms is the author's clarity, a quality most prized by another 19th century titan, Richard Wagner. Despite a true biographical embarrassment of riches in Dickens, Johnson restrains his subject from roaring off in a thousand different directions like one of Dicken's more peripatetic characters, and the biography focuses on framing events around a strictly chronological flow. Johnson balances the events of Dickens' life against the backdrop of the times while giving fair play to the constant outpourings of literature. Yet there is never the sense that you are reading a simplified summary or heavily edited or truncated version of a larger more developed work. Johnson has achieved a fine synthesis of his big book, and the whole moves nicely along without signs of excessive forcing or gaps. Dickens' concerns about his family and his touching concerns about his sons' careers are tied together with Dickens' own memories with their deeply embedded and near manic fears and doubts caused by his father's financial troubles. Johnson shows us how this lead up to and aggravated Dickens' forcing on himself a nearly manical late and ultimately self-destructive series of physically exhausting theatrical tours. I can think of no work that more effectively conveys the major events of Dicken's life in a single volume without brutal trimmings.

Readers who wish a larger scale work can turn to Edgar Johnson's massive two volume biography, CHARLES DICKENS HIS TRAGEDY AND TRIUMPH BY EDGAR JOHNSON (VOLUME 1 AND 2) running over a thousand pages; although a large work it's never an effort, but rather a joy to read; the rare 1,000 pagebiography that never falls prey to excessive minutiae, as is sadly evident in too many modern biographies of literary figures. (I'm thinking especially of the Parker biography of Melville.) The original larger version is not as up to date as the later shortened version, though the two volume biography does offer lengthy essays on Dicken's works, incorporated somewhat in the more recent abridged version, as well as noticeably more copious indexes, apendixes, etc.

A nice bargain if you can find it, this abridged version is wholly satisfactory for most readers, and is not only a pleasure to read, but a fine carefully thought out work that does not short-change its subject.

Seek it out
This exhaustive two-volume tome set the standard for twentieth century biography, and belongs on the shelf of every well-read Dickens fan or public library. Great for researching, critical analysis, or enjoyment ofthis monumental life. ... Read more

Product Description
The Seven Poor Travellers is a book written by Charles Dickens. It is widely considered to be one of the top 100 greatest books of all time. This great novel will surely attract a whole new generation of readers. For many, The Seven Poor Travellers is required reading for various courses and curriculums. And for others who simply enjoy reading timeless pieces of classic literature, this gem by Charles Dickens is highly recommended. The Seven Poor Travellers would make an ideal gift and it should be a part of everyone's personal library.

******************************************************
** Check Out More Great Titles From Dodo Publishing **
******************************************************
Click on "Dodo Publishing (Editor)" under the title to see a full list of all of our great books!!

New titles are being added daily, so be sure to check back often to find more great discounted books!! ... Read more