Author: Charles Dickens (1812-1870)
First Published: 1849-1850 (serialized)
My Edition: Wordsworth Classic (similar to the one at right-the image on mine is different, but I can't locate it online)
Pages: 737
Other Works Include: The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, Oliver Twist, Nicholas Nickleby, The Old Curiousity Shop, Barnaby Rudge, A Christmas Carol, Dombey and Son, Bleak House, Hard Times, Little Dorrit, Great Expectations, A Tale of Two Cities, Our Mutual Friend
Usually when I draft these kinds of posts, I go back to look at my other posts by the same author so I can copy in some of the information. Imagine my surprise when I realized that I hadn't done one of these stats posts for any of the Dickens I've read! I suppose I was just fortunate enough to avoid this. :)
I was supposed to get to this title last July for a readalong hosted by Adam. But, I was super busy that month and while the book was on my nightstand, I never got around to actually opening it. Oops. It seems to have all worked out, since Dickens' 200th birthday was yesterday and it seems the world has gone crazy for Charles.
I have a love/hate relationship with him, but I have become more and more intrigued by his novels. He called this one his favorite, so I am hoping I feel the same way as I dive further into it (I'm about 20 pages in right now). So many people have said they love this one, so that seems promising, right? In any case, I can't wait to be a little more knowledgeable about his work.
If you're curious, here are the posts I've written on the other books I've read by him for this project. For kicks, I show whether they landed on the love or hate side of my Charles Dickens scale. :)
Book 10: Great Expectations (Hate)
- My Hatred of Charles Dickens
- Invitations and Torture
- Charles Dickens Made Me.
- The Bright Light of Manwich.
- Finally Finished.
Book 77: Oliver Twist (Love)
Book 88: Hard Times (Love)
A Christmas Carol (Love-not a book from my project list)
What do you think Charles Dickens' work? Love it? Hate it? How about my current choice-David Copperfield?
David Copperfield is my number ONE favorite book period. I love the story, quotes, characters. It is lengthy, but still I adore it.
ReplyDelete"Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies."
I absolutely loathed Great Expectations when an abridged edition was assigned reading in middle school. But I know a lot of people who have a delightful experience with it the second time around. I hope that will be the case with me, as this is the novel I have chosen to read in honour of the bicentenary.
ReplyDeleteYou know, I still haven't read a Dickens. At least, I haven't read one since Oliver Twist which I read when I was a freshman and do not remember at all.
ReplyDeleteIt's been so long since I read Dickens, I don't think I can fairly say. I've really enjoyed the mini-series adaptations I've seen of his novels, though. I know I saw David Copperfield, but I don't remember it all that well. (Just that a young Danial Radcliffe was the young David Copperfield!) Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you're reading this one now. It's my favorite of his. While reading it last year I learned that "Tolstoy regarded Dickens as the best of all English novelists and considered Copperfield his finest work, ranking the "Mischief" chapter (chapter 42, the story of David's dreams) the standard by which the world's great fiction should be judged." High praise indeed.
ReplyDeleteI think if you loved Oliver Twist, then you'll really love David Copperfield. This one is a slightly better Oliver Twist, in my opinion (although I gave them both 3.5 out of 4.0) - It's like, what would have happened with Oliver Twist if we could have watched him grow up, sorta? I dunno.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed it, definitely - and I appreciated that this one is largely autobiographical, too. It added an interesting element to the story, to know that Dickens so personally related to this one. I'm sure you'll like it...but, then again, Great Expectations was my favorite Dickens, and you apparently hated it (because there's something wrong with you) so maybe you'll dislike this one and be wrong again. ;)
I'll be reading The Old Curiosity Shop and Our Mutual Friend this year - someone should join me for one or both, eh?
Here's my review for David Copperfield, in case anyone is interested: http://roofbeamreader.net/2011/08/15/review-david-copperfield-by-charles-dickens/
I'm a Dickens convert. After 'reading' Great Expectations in the 9th grade, I vowed never to open another one of his novels. Then I grew up and majored in English where we read Bleak House right when the newest BBC adaptation come out and I fell in love. I've since re-read Great Expectations and adore it. Have not read David Copperfield, but since you have informed me it was his own favorite book, I need to get on that. Despite my conversion, I still have several literary friends who hate him with a fiery passion.
ReplyDeleteHow can anyone NOT love Dickens?! I don't understand how it is possible that there are so many people who don't like him: to hate Dickens is almost to hate English literature (but perhaps I, a passionate and ardent Jane-Austen-Hater should not judge others...) I haven't read David Copperfield yet, but I definitely will! Have fun and enjoy Charles!
ReplyDeleteI love Dickens. Great Expectations is one of my favourites. Actually the only one I have ever disliked is one that you loved, Hard Times. David Copperfield was the first one I ever read and devoured every page. So many memorable characters. I hope you like it.
ReplyDeleteI love David Copperfield. It is one of my favorite books of all time. But then again, I really like Great Expectations and Bleak House. I just find something special in every Dickens novel I read. That's why I'm giving A Tale of Two Cities another chance this month. I hated it in high school but I think it's more of the way it was taught than a problem with the book itself. We'll see!
ReplyDelete@Kristen M and @TwoBibliomaniacs - I'm with you both on A Tale of Two Cities. My least favorite Dickens, by far. It's over-rated, in my opinion. I read it within a few months of reading Victor Hugo's Les Miserables and was SO blown away by Les Mis, then SO underwhelmed by A Tale of Two Cities... they have similar themes, so it's impossible not to compare them. Anyway, I think A Tale of Two Cities is perhaps the most quoted (and quotable) so it's easy to claim it as a "favorite" if you haven't read much of his other stuff - so people read it in school or whatever, then say "yay I'm a Dickens fan," not really realizing how much more there is to Dickens.
DeleteThen again, maybe I'm just a snob. :)
I really loved David Copperfield. It's my third favorite Dickens so far, after Bleak House and A Christmas Carol. Really, it's probably better that A Christmas Carol, but I can't put something else in that spot because I just love the story so much. I hope you like it! I think it's very different from Great Expectations or Bleak House and is closer to Oliver Twist than those two are, so hopefully you'll like it!
ReplyDeleteIt will be interesting to see on what side David Copperfield falls.... I really enjoyed David Copperfield, but then again I really enjoyed Bleak House and Great Expectations. The Pickwick Papers... not so much. And I really don't get everyone's fascination with A Tale of Two Cities. I'm hoping to read the later this year and see if I'm crazy or if everyone else is drinking the Kool-Aid...
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to hear you thoughts!
@Kristen M and @TwoBibliomaniacs - I'm with you both on A Tale of Two Cities. My least favorite Dickens, by far. It's over-rated, in my opinion. I read it within a few months of reading Victor Hugo's Les Miserables and was SO blown away by Les Mis, then SO underwhelmed by A Tale of Two Cities... they have similar themes, so it's impossible not to compare them. Anyway, I think A Tale of Two Cities is perhaps the most quoted (and quotable) so it's easy to claim it as a "favorite" if you haven't read much of his other stuff - so people read it in school or whatever, then say "yay I'm a Dickens fan," not really realizing how much more there is to Dickens.
DeleteThen again, maybe I'm just a snob. :)
You hate Great Expectations but love Hard Times? Seriously??? I HATED Hard Times, but I've liked most of all the other Dickens so far. Right now I'm about 200 pages into Martin Chuzzlewit, and it's taking forever to get started. If something doesn't happen soon, I will abandon him for Trollope.
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