Best Selling Books by charles dickens

A Christmas Carol is one of Charles Dickens most cherished and loved stories. Loved by both adults and children. The story of Ebenezer Scrooge on a cold Christmas Eve Night, three ghosts take him on a scary journey and show him the error of his ways. Showing him his past, present and future. Scrooge eventually learns to love Christmas and everyone around him! A must read at Christmas time.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Hard Times - For These Times (commonly known as Hard Times) is the tenth novel by Charles Dickens, first published in 1854.The book surveys English society and satirises the social and economic conditions of the era.Hard Times is unusual in several ways. It is by far the shortest of Dickens'' novels, barely a quarter of the length of those written immediately before and after it.Also, unlike all but one of his other novels, Hard Times has neither a preface nor illustrations. Moreover, it is his only novel not to have scenes set in London.Instead the story is set in the fictitious Victorian industrial Coketown, a generic Northern English mill-town, in some ways similar to Manchester, though smaller. Coketown may be partially based on 19th-century Preston.

Hard Times is a novel written by Charles Dickens. Set in the fictional industrial town of Coketown, the story explores the harsh realities of life during the Victorian era, particularly the impact of industrialization, utilitarianism, and social inequality on individuals and society as a whole. The plot revolves around several characters, including Thomas Gradgrind, a strict and utilitarian schoolmaster who emphasizes facts and logic over emotions and imagination in the upbringing of his children, Louisa and Tom. As the story unfolds, the Gradgrind family becomes entangled with other inhabitants of Coketown, such as Josiah Bounderby, a wealthy industrialist, and Stephen Blackpool, a humble and honest factory worker. Through the experiences of these characters, Dickens critiques the dehumanizing effects of industrialization and the rigid social structures of Victorian society. He explores themes of compassion, empathy, and the importance of embracing the complexities of human nature beyond mere utilitarian values. Hard Times is celebrated for its vivid characters, sharp social commentary, and exploration of moral and ethical dilemmas. It remains a powerful indictment of the injustices and inequalities of the Industrial Revolution and continues to resonate with readers as a timeless work of literature.

One of the masterpieces of the written world. A must-read. Illustrated with doodles Complete and unabridged One of the most celebrated and influential novels of the past two centuries tells the vivid and unforgettable coming-of-age story of the orphan Pip In the marsh country of Victorian England, young Pip lives with his sister and her husband, the kindly blacksmith Joe, eking out a hardscrabble life. Pip''s one true aspiration is to apprentice for Joe and become a blacksmith himself, a dream that sustains him and gives him hope. But though he doesn''t know it, Pip''s fates are about to turn. Alone in a graveyard one night, he encounters a grizzled and mud-smeared escaped convict. Dragging a heavy shackle from an injured leg, the man demands that Pip steal him food and help him remove the clanging iron. Cowed, Pip accommodates his commands without resistance. It isn''t until years later, after Pip has forged a tender relationship with the eccentric Mrs. Havisham, fallen into unexpected prosperity in London, and found himself gripped by love for the charming-yet-fickle Estella, that the true consequences of that night in the graveyard finally come to light. Celebrated for its vibrant characters, engrossing plot, and universal themes of ambition and hope, Great Expectations stands as a pillar of Victorian literature and a preeminent entry in the Dickensian oeuvre.

A Christmas Carol - a story by Charles Dickens referring to Christmas Eve. The book was first published on December 19, 1843. Translated many times and published as A Christmas Carol or, in keeping with the original title, as a Christmas Carol in Prose.

Read Charles Dickens’s first novel. The Pickwick Papers was Dickens'' first novel and was a huge success when it was first published. It tells the tale of the irrepressible Mr Pickwick and his fellow Pickwick Club members who travel around the English countryside getting into all kinds of scrapes and adventures. Funny, warm-hearted and full of memorable and engaging characters, this is an enchanting novel that continues to delight readers today. ‘I was instantly swept up in Dickens'' exploding world of eccentrics and grotesques, at the heart of which a is a huge affection for mankind'' Simon Callow

Kent, England, late 19th century. The orphan Pip lives a humble existence with his sister and brother-in-law, whom he helps in his blacksmith shop. When the wealthy Miss Havisham calls on Pip to be her and her beautiful daughter''s companion, the young man will realize the hardships of his social class and will increasingly desire to move up the ranks of the social ladder. Pip will then receive a visit from a London lawyer, who will inform him that an anonymous benefactor wants to turn him into a gentleman. However, Pip will discover that the value of friendship and morals cannot be bought with money.The human heart is an instrument with many strings; the perfect connoisseur of men knows how to make them all vibrate, like a good musician. " Charles dickens

A Tale of Two Cities (1859) is a historical novel by Charles Dickens, set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution. The novel tells the story of the French Doctor Manette, his 18-year-long imprisonment in the Bastille in Paris and his release to live in London withhis daughter Lucie, whom he had never met. The story is set against the conditions that led up to the French Revolution and the Reign of Terror.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

The kettle began it! Don’t tell me what Mrs. Peerybingle said. I know better. Mrs. Peerybingle may leave it on record to the end of time that she couldn’t say which of them began it; but, I say the kettle did. I ought to know, I hope! The kettle began it, full five minutes by the little waxy-faced Dutch clock in the corner, before the Cricket uttered a chirp. As if the clock hadn’t finished striking, and the convulsive little Haymaker at the top of it, jerking away right and left with a scythe in front of a Moorish Palace, hadn’t mowed down half an acre of imaginary grass before the Cricket joined in at all! Why, I am not naturally positive. Every one knows that. I wouldn’t set my own opinion against the opinion of Mrs. Peerybingle, unless I were quite sure, on any account whatever. Nothing should induce me. But, this is a question of fact. And the fact is, that the kettle began it, at least five minutes before the Cricket gave any sign of being in existence. Contradict me, and I’ll say ten.

Great Expectations follows the young protagonist Pip, a lower-class orphan who lives with his sister and her husband in Kent. At the beginning of the novel, Pip is visiting his parents'' graves when a mysterious stranger-clearly an escaped prisoner-grabs ahold of him and makes several demands of the young boy. Following these demands, Pip steals food and a file (items the prisoner requests), but the man is caught by authorities anyway. This deed serves as the inciting incident of the novel, as it is later revealed in the text that this escaped prisoner, Magwitch, is Pip''s anonymous benefactor.As a young boy, Pip is taken by his kindly brother-in-law, Joe, on a visit to Satis House-the abode of the eccentric spinster Miss Havisham. Pip becomes enamored with Estella, Miss Havisham''s young ward. Estella is beautiful yet cruel, and Pip makes it his life''s mission to become a wealthy gentleman worthy of being her husband.

David Copperfield is the eighth novel by Charles Dickens. It was first published as a book in 1850. Many elements of the novel follow events in Dickens'' own life, and it is probably the most autobiographical of his novels. In the preface to the 1867 edition, Dickens wrote, "like many fond parents, I have in my heart of hearts a favourite child. And his name is David Copperfield." The story traces the life of David Copperfield from childhood to maturity. David spends his early years in relative happiness with his loving but frail mother and their kindly housekeeper, Peggotty. When he is seven years old his mother marries Edward Murdstone. David is given good reason to dislike his stepfather and has similar feelings for Murdstone''s sister Jane, who moves into the house soon afterwards. Murdstone attempts to thrash David for falling behind in his studies. David bites him and soon afterwards is sent away to a boarding school, Salem House, with a ruthless headmaster, Mr. Creakle. The novel has been adapted into several plays and for the screen at least twelve times.

Great Expectations follows the young protagonist Pip, a lower-class orphan who lives with his sister and her husband in Kent. At the beginning of the novel, Pip is visiting his parents'' graves when a mysterious stranger-clearly an escaped prisoner-grabs ahold of him and makes several demands of the young boy. Following these demands, Pip steals food and a file (items the prisoner requests), but the man is caught by authorities anyway. This deed serves as the inciting incident of the novel, as it is later revealed in the text that this escaped prisoner, Magwitch, is Pip''s anonymous benefactor.As a young boy, Pip is taken by his kindly brother-in-law, Joe, on a visit to Satis House-the abode of the eccentric spinster Miss Havisham. Pip becomes enamored with Estella, Miss Havisham''s young ward. Estella is beautiful yet cruel, and Pip makes it his life''s mission to become a wealthy gentleman worthy of being her husband.

After eighteen years as a political prisoner in the Bastille, the ageing Doctor Manette is finally released and reunited with his daughter in England. There the lives of two very different men, Charles Darnay, an exiled French aristocrat, and Sydney Carton, a disreputable but brilliant English lawyer, become enmeshed through their love for Lucie Manette. From the tranquil roads of London, they are drawn against their will to the vengeful, bloodstained streets of Paris at the height of the Reign of Terror, and they soon fall under the lethal shadow of La Guillotine. This edition uses the text as it appeared in its serial publication in 1859 to convey the full scope of Dickens''s vision, and includes the original illustrations by H. K. Browne (''Phiz''). Richard Maxwell''s introduction discusses the intricate interweaving of epic drama with personal tragedy.

The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club (also known as The Pickwick Papers) was Charles Dickens''s first and personal favourite novel. He was asked to contribute to the project as an up-and-coming writer following the success of Sketches by Boz, published in 1836 (most of Dickens'' novels were issued in shilling instalments before being published as complete volumes). Dickens (still writing under the pseudonym of Boz) increasingly took over the unsuccessful monthly publication after the original illustrator Robert Seymour had committed suicide.With the introduction of Sam Weller in chapter 10, the book became the first real publishing phenomenon, with bootleg copies, theatrical performances, Sam Weller joke books, and other merchandise.After the publication, the widow of Robert Seymour claimed that the idea for the novel was originally her husband''s; however, in his preface to the 1867 edition, Dickens strenuously denied any specific input, writing that "Mr Seymour never originated or suggested an incident, a phrase, or a word, to be found in the book."

"My satire is against those who see figures and averages, and nothing else," proclaimed Charles Dickens in explaining the theme of this classic novel. Published in 1854, the story concerns one Thomas Gradgrind, a "fanatic of the demonstrable fact," who raises his children, Tom and Louisa, in a stifling and arid atmosphere of grim practicality.Without a moral compass to guide them, the children sink into lives of desperation and despair, played out against the grim background of Coketown, a wretched community shadowed by an industrial behemoth. Louisa falls into a loveless marriage with Josiah Bouderby, a vulgar banker, while the unscrupulous Tom, totally lacking in principle, becomes a thief who frames an innocent man for his crime. Witnessing the degradation and downfall of his children, Gradgrind realizes that his own misguided principles have ruined their lives.Considered Dickens'' harshest indictment of mid-19th-century industrial practices and their dehumanizing effects, this novel offers a fascinating tapestry of Victorian life, filled with the richness of detail, brilliant characterization, and passionate social concern that typify the novelist''s finest creations.Of Dickens'' work, the eminent Victorian critic John Ruskin had this to say: "He is entirely right in his main drift and purpose in every book he has written; and all of them, but especially Hard Times, should be studied with close and earnest care by persons interested in social questions."

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

The novel follows the journey of the titular character, Oliver Twist. Oliver, an orphan since birth, spends much of his childhood at a "child farm" (orphanage) with too many children and too little food. The farm is located roughly 70 miles outside London. One night, after being served his portion of gruel, Oliver asks for a second helping. This is unacceptable, and Oliver is sent to work as an apprentice to an undertaker. Eventually, after suffering repeated mistreatment, Oliver runs away and heads for London. He soon finds himself in the presence of the Artful Dodger, who tells him to stay at the house of an "old gentleman" (named Fagin) with a number of other boys. Oliver learns that these boys are trained pickpockets. On an outing, Oliver witnesses the boys take a handkerchief from Mr. Brownlow, an elderly man, which prompts Oliver to run away in fear and confusion. The elderly man mistakes Oliver''s behaviour for guilt and has him arrested. However, after learning more about Oliver, Mr. Brownlow realizes his mistake and offers to take care of him at his home.

A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas, commonly known as A Christmas Carol, is a novella by Charles Dickens, first published in London by Chapman & Hall in 1843; the first edition was illustrated by John Leech. A Christmas Carol tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, an old miser who is visited by the ghost of his former business partner Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come. After their visits, Scrooge is transformed into a kinder, gentler man. Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol at a time when the British were examining and exploring Christmas traditions from the past, such as carols, as well as new customs such as Christmas trees. He was influenced by his own past, and from the Christmas stories of other authors, including Washington Irving and Douglas Jerrold. Dickens had written three Christmas stories prior to the novella, and was inspired to write the story following a visit to the Field Lane Ragged School, one of several establishments for London''s half-starved, illiterate street children. The treatment of the poor and the ability of a self-interested man redeeming himself by transforming into a more sympathetic character are the key themes of the story. There is discussion among academics as to whether this was a fully secular story, or if it is a Christian allegory. Published on 19 December, the first edition sold out by Christmas Eve; by the end of 1844 thirteen editions had been released. Most critics reviewed the novella favourably. The story was illicitly copied in January 1844; Dickens took legal action against the publishers, who went bankrupt, further reducing Dickens''s small profits from the publication. He went on to write four other Christmas stories in subsequent years. In 1849 he began public readings of the story which proved so successful he undertook 127 further performances until 1870, the year of his death. A Christmas Carol has never been out of print and has been translated into several languages; the story has been adapted many times for film, stage, opera and other media. With A Christmas Carol, Dickens captured the zeitgeist of the mid-Victorian revival of the Christmas holiday. He has been acknowledged as an influence on the modern Western observance of Christmas and inspired several aspects of Christmas, such as family gatherings, seasonal food and drink, dancing, games and a festive generosity of spirit.

The Old Curiosity Shop is a captivating novel by Charles Dickens, weaving a tale of love, loss, and redemption set against the backdrop of Victorian England. At the heart of the story is Little Nell Trent, a virtuous and gentle orphan girl, and her grandfather, who together run a quaint curiosity shop. When Nell s grandfather falls into debt to the villainous moneylender Daniel Quilp, the two are forced to flee their home and embark on a journey filled with adventure and danger. Along the way, they encounter a diverse array of characters, from the kind-hearted Kit Nubbles to the eccentric Mrs. Jarley, each leaving a lasting impact on their lives. As Nell and her grandfather traverse the countryside in search of refuge, they are pursued by Quilp and his nefarious schemes, leading to a dramatic climax that will test their resolve and their bonds of affection. Through their trials and tribulations, Dickens explores themes of loyalty, sacrifice, and the enduring power of love in the face of adversity. With its richly drawn characters, vivid descriptions, and masterful storytelling, The Old Curiosity Shop stands as a testament to Dickens s unparalleled skill as a writer and his keen insight into the human condition. As readers follow Nell and her grandfather on their journey, they are transported to a world filled with wonder and mystery, where hope springs eternal even in the darkest of times.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Oliver Twist; or, the Parish Boy''s Progress is Charles Dickens''s second novel, and was first published as a serial from 1837 to 1839. The story centres on orphan Oliver Twist, born in a workhouse and sold into apprenticeship with an undertaker. After escaping, Oliver travels to London, where he meets the "Artful Dodger", a member of a gang of juvenile pickpockets led by the elderly criminal Fagin.Oliver Twist is notable for its unromantic portrayal of criminals and their sordid lives, as well as for exposing the cruel treatment of the many orphans in London in the mid-19th century. In this early example of the social novel, Dickens satirises the hypocrisies of his time, including child labour, the recruitment of children as criminals, and the presence of street children.