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Four Novels
No library's complete without the classics! This new, enhanced leather-bound edition collects the greatest works of Charles Dickens, one of the most popular novelists of all time.
Oliver Twist. Pip. The ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future. The characters of Charles Dickens live on in our imaginations long after we've read his renowned works of social commentary and vivid storytelling. And though these novels were written more than one hundred years ago, no home library today would be complete without them.
This Canterbury Classics edition of Charles Dickens collects some of his most famous and beloved works--The Adventures of Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol, A Tale of Two Cities, and Great Expectations--in an elegant, leather-bound, keepsake edition. For those who've never read Dickens, it's the perfect opportunity to experience his unique and compelling writing. And for those who are already Dickens devotees, an introduction by a renowned scholar will provide additional context and food for thought.
Specially designed end papers, a ribbon bookmark, and other enhancements complete the package and make this the perfect gift for any lover of literature--a book to read and treasure!
Oliver Twist. Pip. The ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future. The characters of Charles Dickens live on in our imaginations long after we've read his renowned works of social commentary and vivid storytelling. And though these novels were written more than one hundred years ago, no home library today would be complete without them.
This Canterbury Classics edition of Charles Dickens collects some of his most famous and beloved works--The Adventures of Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol, A Tale of Two Cities, and Great Expectations--in an elegant, leather-bound, keepsake edition. For those who've never read Dickens, it's the perfect opportunity to experience his unique and compelling writing. And for those who are already Dickens devotees, an introduction by a renowned scholar will provide additional context and food for thought.
Specially designed end papers, a ribbon bookmark, and other enhancements complete the package and make this the perfect gift for any lover of literature--a book to read and treasure!
920 pages, Leather Bound
First published January 1, 1992
80 people are currently reading
762 people want to read
About the author
Charles Dickens
12.6k books31.3k followersCharles 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)
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 - 20 of 20 reviews
December 26, 2024
3.5 (overall)
Goodreads' star rating calls 3 stars "liked it" which is pretty accurate. Not my first choice of reading, but I wanted to read these classics.
Goodreads' star rating calls 3 stars "liked it" which is pretty accurate. Not my first choice of reading, but I wanted to read these classics.
August 3, 2012
Charles Dickens is great as usual ...... It depicts the tragic life lived by a young child of Oliver was born until the day he become lucky and met his relatives .... and I was disgracing him one thing, a large amount of tragedies that were presented with the negativity of Oliver . I feel I like I will hit him .... and also how his life became happy after meeting his family ... As if
all tragedies were stationed around his Homelessness
... and feel that these excessive of feelings .... and lack of objectivity brokering reduce the personal credibility of the story .. .. but it was great over all standards
all tragedies were stationed around his Homelessness
... and feel that these excessive of feelings .... and lack of objectivity brokering reduce the personal credibility of the story .. .. but it was great over all standards
August 27, 2016
A dear friend mentioned A Tale of Two Cities is her boyfriend's favorite book but she was having a hard time getting through it and asked if I'd read it. I sort of overwhelmed her with my passionate, enthusiastic response that, yes, a couple of times, it's one of my favorites.
After reassuring her that since we're not in school using SparkNotes isn't cheating, we started reading the plot summary there, discussing what she'd read so far and what I remembered. I downloaded the e-version and dug out my hardback edition to read at home. We going to have a Tale of Two Cities book club every Saturday when we work together.
After reassuring her that since we're not in school using SparkNotes isn't cheating, we started reading the plot summary there, discussing what she'd read so far and what I remembered. I downloaded the e-version and dug out my hardback edition to read at home. We going to have a Tale of Two Cities book club every Saturday when we work together.
March 5, 2018
finally.
January 1, 2019
It always takes me to my good school days
May 23, 2020
Excellent collection.
December 9, 2020
I read a Christmas Carol out of this 4 book series. It was very enjoyable.
January 20, 2021
I finished Dickens Great Expectations, my first book of 2021. I enjoyed the story. I particularly admired the first person point of view (POV) throughout, and how effortless it appears to be.
May 5, 2021
I loved the story of course but was a little hard to follow at times.
November 27, 2021
Good reads but not a favorite set of classics
August 16, 2024
They are good but very long and in Old English so it can be a tough read to get into
December 31, 2022
The Adventures of Oliver Twist: 4.25/5
A Christmas Carol: 3.75/5
A Tale of Two Cities: 4.5/5
Great Expectations: 3.75/5
------------------------------
Book Quality: 3.25/5
Overall: 3.9/5
A Christmas Carol: 3.75/5
A Tale of Two Cities: 4.5/5
Great Expectations: 3.75/5
------------------------------
Book Quality: 3.25/5
Overall: 3.9/5
July 3, 2012
Of course it is a classic. But I plodded through it. It was not exciting enough for me, there was never any real page-turning moments for me. I may just not be a fan of Dickens. I guess we'll see. My "expectations" were a bit higher for this book, so I was very let down in the end.....Maybe that was the point?
Too slow and boring for my liking. But well written.
Too slow and boring for my liking. But well written.
January 2, 2014
My copy is actually entitled "Christmas Tales of Fantasy" It includes two ghost stories in novella form. The Haunted Man is much better and entertaining than The Battle of Life. Both are classic Dickens--beautiful prosody and descriptive sense of characterization and place.
December 4, 2015
It calls the attention to his readers on several social males of the epoch, such as the child labour or the children's utilization to commit crimes. Dickens jokes of the hypocrisy of his epoch treating these so serious topics with sarcasm and black humor.
December 30, 2011
I enjoyed it very much .. and the details of a wonderful and beautiful finish
November 10, 2013
i think its excellent and best books for childrens
Read
June 21, 2013JFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
July 16, 2013
Another handsome book from Canterbury Classics.
Read
December 24, 2018finished A Christmas Carol
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews