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Oliver Twist / David Copperfield

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Oliver è un orfano, un trovatello di oscure origini, schiavo del vecchio ebreo Fagin, che lo addestra a rubare. Una delle sue vittime si impietosisce e invece di consegnarlo alla polizia lo porta a casa sua. Ma Fagin, temendo che Oliver possa far la spia, lo fa rapire da un suo uomo di fiducia. E questo è solo l'inizio... Le avventure di un ragazzo pieno di risorse in un a Londra grigia e inquietante.
David, orfano di padre, vive una infanzia felice con la madre, ma questa poi si risposa con il signor Murdstone, un uomo crudele che la porta alla tomba. Privo di affetti, David sperimenta la dura scuola del maestro Creakle. Il patrigno gli impone un lavoro avvilente in un negozio di Londra. Disperato fugge a piedi a Dover, dove una zia, Betsey, accetta di occuparsi di lui. Lo manda a Canterbury, per educarlo, in casa del suo avvocato, padre di Agnes, una dolce fanciulla. Divenuto cronista parlamentare e conquistata anche fama letteraria, David sposa Dora che pochi anni dopo muore. Il giovane allora si accorge della dolce Agnes che sposa, dopo aver salvato il futuro suocero dalle trame del suo amministratore.

340 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1838

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About the author

Charles Dickens

12.8k books31.4k followers
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)

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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
Profile Image for Otto.
750 reviews50 followers
January 15, 2024
Zu David Copperfield: Der berühmte Dickens-Entwicklungsroman. Hat 1000 Seiten, aber das Lesen bereitet durchaus Vergnügen, da Dickens wirklich gut schreibt. Hier auch noch dazu mit starkem autobiografischem Einschlag. Das ist eine wahre Filmvorlage, mich wundert, dass es dann doch so wenig dazu gibt. Man muss isch reinfallen lassen, ein wenig den 19. Jahrhundert Kitsch lieben, dann kann man das Vergnügen genießen.
Profile Image for Amanda.
2,477 reviews10 followers
December 11, 2018
This was adapted for younger readers, which was explained as eliminating some characters entirely. I'll have to read them unabridged sometime, but this gave me a taste. Victorian writing is different. Is it the 3rd person POV?
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews

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