Search results for ""Author Charles Dickens""

HarperCollins is proud to present its new range of best-loved, essential classics. 'I am the Ghost of Christmas Present,' said the Spirit. 'Look upon me!' A celebration of Christmas, a tale of redemption and a critique on Victorian society, Dickens' atmospheric novella follows the miserly, penny-pinching Ebenezer Scrooge who views Christmas as 'humbug'. It is only through a series of eerie, life-changing visits from the ghost of his deceased business partner Marley and the spirits of Christmas past, present and future that he begins to see the error of his ways. With heart-rending characters, rich imagery and evocative language, the message of A Christmas Carol remains as significant today as when it was first published.

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Considered by many readers, including Shaw, Chesterton, Conrad and Trilling, as one of Dickens's finest achievements, Bleak House tells the complex story of a notorious lawsuit in which love and inheritance are set against the classic urban background of nineteenth-century London, where fog on the river, seeping into the very bones of the characters, symbolizes the pervasive corruption of the legal system and the society which supports it. Displaying the writer's familiar panoramic sweep and enormous cast of brilliant characters, the novel is also a bold experimental narrative in which public and private worlds are brought into sharp focus. It was first published in monthly parts, 1852-3, accompanied by the illustrations by 'Phiz' reproduced in this volume. This edition also reprints the original Everyman preface by G. K. Chesterton.

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"Published in the Christmas edition of Charles Dickens’s magazine All the Year Round, Mugby Junction is the spellbinding result of a literary collaboration between some of the leading writers of the day, and contains four unforgettable contributions by Dickens himself, including ‘The Signalman’ – a chilling tale of a spectral apparition whose appearances forebode fatal accidents on the line. The eight stories included in this volume range from the hilarious to the hair-raising, and not only remain as fresh today as when they first appeared in 1866, but stand as a testament to the versatility and exuberance of Dickens’s unrivalled genius. Includes: ‘Barbox Brothers’, ‘Barbox Brothers and Co.’, ‘Main Line: The Boy at Mugby’ and ‘No. 1 Branch Line: The Signalman’ by Charles Dickens, ‘No. 2 Branch Line: The Engine Driver’ by Andrew Halliday, ‘No. 3 Branch Line: The Compensation House’ by Charles Collins, ‘No. 4 Branch Line: The Travelling Post-Office’ by Hesba Stretton and ‘No. 5 Branch Line: The Engineer’ by Amelia B. Edwards"

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While Charles Dickens is best known and celebrated for his prolific journalistic output and novelistic creations, he also devoted some of his creative energies to verse. At turns sentimental, melancholy, playful, humorous and satirical, and ranging considerably in tone and format – from songs to narrative prologues for novels and squibs for newspapers – the poems in this collection highlight Dickens’s gift for language and his unfailing power to touch.

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Never published in its author’s lifetime and intended solely for his own children, to whom he read it every Christmas, The Life of Our Lord is an accessible and gently humorous take on the life of Jesus Christ and his teachings. Far removed from the sharp satire and social dimension of his more famous writings, but showcasing his characteristic humanity and genius for storytelling, this is both an essential work for those wanting to see a different, more intimate side to Dickens and a timeless retelling for children and adults alike.

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Against the backdrop of growing discontent in Paris, Doctor Manette is released from the Bastille after eighteen years of unjust imprisonment and begins a new life in England with his devoted daughter Lucie. There, the gifted but dissolute lawyer Sydney Carton and the exiled French nobleman Charles Darnay find their lives increasingly intertwined with those of the Manettes. Yet soon both men are drawn ineluctably from the peaceful English capital to the horror and bloodshed of the Paris Terror and the looming threat of the guillotine. Representing a departure from the social satire of most of his other novels and deemed by Dickens himself to be "the best story I have written", A Tale of Two Cities is a powerful historical novel about the repercussions of epochal events on the personal lives of people on both sides of the Channel.

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Ebenezer Scrooge is a lonely, miserly old man who hates Christmas, which he dismisses as "humbug". One Christmas Eve, however, he is visited by a series of ghosts who reveal to him the innocence he has lost, the wretchedness of his future and the poverty of the present, which he has so far ignored. This experience teaches Scrooge the true meaning of the holiday and leaves him a transformed man. With its memorable cast of characters such as Scrooge, Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come, Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol is the most heart-warming of seasonal tales, a timeless classic that continues to enchant readers around the world and a lesson in charity and hopefulness that is as powerful today as when it was first written in 1843.

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Dickens had already achieved renown with The Pickwick Papers. With Oliver Twist his reputation was enhanced and strengthened. The novel contains many classic Dickensian themes - grinding poverty, desperation, fear, temptation and the eventual triumph of good in the face of great adversity. Oliver Twist features some of the author's most enduring characters, such as Oliver himself (who dares to ask for more), the tyrannical Bumble, the diabolical Fagin, the menacing Bill Sikes, Nancy and 'the Artful Dodger'. For any reader wishing to delve into the works of the great Victorian literary colossus, Oliver Twist is, without doubt, an essential title.

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QUIET AND DARK, BESIDE HIM STOOD THE PHANTOM, WITH ITS OUTSTRETCHED HANDA Christmas Carol, first published in 1843, is Charles Dickens’s timeless festive tale of transformation and redemption. On Christmas Eve Ebenezer Scrooge, the uncharitable miser, is visited by the ghost of his dead business partner, Jacob Marley, who comes with a warning. Later that evening, Scrooge falls into a deep sleep and is called upon in the night by three more spectres, the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come. These apparitions bring strange visions and offer Scrooge the chance to absolve for his lifetime of avarice and greed.Accompanying a the three-part special from Steven Knight (Taboo, Peaky Blinders) starring Guy Pearce, Andy Serkis, Stephen Graham, Charlotte Riley, Joe Alwyn, Vinette Robinson, Jason Flemyng, Kayvan Novak and Lenny Rush. Written and executive produced by Steven Knight, executive produced by Tom Hardy, Ridley Scott, Dean Baker, David W. Zucker, Kate Crowe and Mona Qureshi for the BBC.

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Oliver Twist is one of Charles Dickens's most popular novels, with many famous film, television and musical adaptations. It tells the story of the orphaned Oliver who is brought up in a harsh workhouse, then initiated into the criminal world of Fagin and his gang, before being eventually rescued by a loving family. This is a classic story of good against evil, packed with humour and pathos, drama and suspense, and peopled with some of Dickens' most memorable characters.This Macmillan Collector's Library edition features original illustrations by George Cruikshank, with an afterword by Sam Gilpin.Designed to appeal to the booklover, the Macmillan Collector's Library is a series of beautiful gift editions of much loved classic titles. Macmillan Collector's Library are books to love and treasure.

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This beautiful hardback Ladybird Classic edition of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens is a perfect first illustrated introduction to the classic Christmas story for younger readers. It has been sensitively abridged and retold to make it suitable for sharing with young children from 5+, whilst retaining all the key parts of the story including the three spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Future, little Tiny Tim and his father, Bob Cratchit and, of course, the old miser Ebenezer Scrooge. Detailed full-colour illustrations throughout also help to bring this classic tale to life. Other exciting titles in the Ladybird Classics series include Alice in Wonderland, Black Beauty, Gulliver's Travels, The Secret Garden, Oliver Twist, Peter Pan and Treasure Island.

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Penguin Readers is an ELT graded reader series for learners of English as a foreign language. With carefully adapted text, new illustrations and language learning exercises, the print edition also includes instructions to access supporting material online.Titles include popular classics, exciting contemporary fiction, and thought-provoking non-fiction, introducing language learners to bestselling authors and compelling content.The eight levels of Penguin Readers follow the Common European Framework of Reference for language learning (CEFR). Exercises at the back of each Reader help language learners to practise grammar, vocabulary, and key exam skills. Before, during and after-reading questions test readers' story comprehension and develop vocabulary.Visit the Penguin Readers websiteExclusively with the print edition, readers can unlock online resources including a digital book, audio edition, lesson plans and answer keys.Ebenezer Scrooge hates Christmas. He is angry that people are not working. Then, he meets the ghost of his old partner, Jacob Marley. Can Scrooge be a good person before it is too late? A Christmas Carol, a Level 1 Reader, is A1 in the CEFR framework. Short sentences contain a maximum of two clauses, introducing the past simple tense and some simple modals, adverbs and gerunds. Illustrations support the text throughout, and many titles at this level are graphic novels.

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The Penguin English Library Edition of Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens'A parish child - the orphan of a workhouse - the humble, half-starved drudge - to be cuffed and buffeted through the world, despised by all, and pitied by none'Dark, mysterious and mordantly funny, Oliver Twist features some of the most memorably drawn villains in all of fiction - the treacherous gangmaster Fagin, the menacing thug Bill Sikes, the Artful Dodger and their den of thieves in the grimy London backstreets. Dicken's novel is both an angry indictment of poverty, and an adventure filled with an air of threat and pervasive evil.The Penguin English Library - 100 editions of the best fiction in English, from the eighteenth century and the very first novels to the beginning of the First World War.

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'It is proof of Dickens' genius (or maybe just the unchanging nature of Britain) that you can read Hard Times as if it were all happening now' Guardian 'Facts alone are wanted in life' The children at Mr Gradgrind's school are sternly ordered to stifle their imaginations and pay attention only to cold, hard reality. They live in a smoky, troubled industrial town so entertainment is hard to come by and resentments run deep. The effects of Gradgrind's teaching on his own children, Tom and Louisa, are particularly profound and leave them ill-equipped to deal with the unpredictable desires of the human heart. Luckily for them they have a friend in Sissy Jupe, the child of a circus clown, who retains her warm-hearted, compassionate nature despite the pressures around her.

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Rediscover the novel behind the hit new film. 'The most perfect of all the Dickens novels' Virginia Woolf When David Copperfield escapes from the cruelty of his childhood home, he embarks on a journey to adulthood which will lead him through comedy and tragedy, love and heartbreak and friendship and betrayal. Over the course of his adventures, David meets an array of eccentric characters and learns hard lessons about the world before he finally discovers true happiness.

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Considered by many to be Dickens' finest novel, Great Expectations traces the growth of the book's narrator, Philip Pirrip (Pip), from a boy of shallow dreams to a man with depth of character. From its famous dramatic opening on the bleak Kentish marshes, the story abounds with some of Dickens' most memorable characters. Among them are the kindly blacksmith Joe Gargery, the mysterious convict Abel Magwitch, the eccentric Miss Havisham and her beautiful ward Estella, Pip's good-hearted room-mate Herbert Pocket and the pompous Pumblechook. As Pip unravels the truth behind his own ‘great expectations’ in his quest to become a gentleman, the mysteries of the past and the convolutions of fate through a series of thrilling adventures serve to steer him towards maturity and his most important discovery of all - the truth about himself.

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A ghost turns up at Ebenezer Scrooge''s home one Christmas Eve. It is Jacob Marley, his business partner, who has been dead for seven years. He is dragging heavy chains, and is obviously full of great sorrow and unbearable pain. While Scrooge is still trying to decide whether the apparition is real or a piece of his imagination, Marley''s ghost tells him something that might change his life forever: ''You will be haunted by three spirits. Without their visits, you cannot hope to avoid the path I tread. ''Expect the first tomorrow when the bell tolls one. ''Expect the second on the next night at the same hour. ''The third upon the next night when the last stroke of twelve has stopped vibrating.'' One of the most popular Christmas stories of all time, Dickens''s novel remains a great favorite all over the world. A poignant and thought-provoking story, it''s a delight to read again and again.

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Los mejores libros jamás escritos.Ay de la humana naturaleza! Ya lo habéis comprendido antes de que os lo dijera.Desde que empezaron a publicarse en 1836, las aventuras de Samuel Pickwick y Sam Weller se convirtieron en un éxito arrollador y supusieron la metamorfosis de un joven periodista mal pagado en el gran novelista del siglo XIX inglés. Los inolvidables miembros del absurdo Club Pickwick protagonizan aquí, según la generosa tradición de Cervantes, una infinita sucesión de aventuras disparatadas, cómicas, tristes, transidas siempre de una amabilidad quizá nunca igualada.La presente edición recoge la traducción del ensayista e historiador de las ideas José María Valverde, sin duda la más preciosamente vertida a nuestra lengua. La acompaña, además, a modo de introducción, el brillante estudio del crítico literario y filósofo Jordi Llovet, que presenta así al lector una obra que es uno de los grandes hitos de la literatura universal.

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Para Calvino, el cuento fantástico es uno de los productos más característicos de la narrativa del siglo XIX y, para nosotros, uno de los más significativos, pues es el que más nos dice sobre la interioridad del individuo y de la simbología colectiva. Para nuestra sensibilidad de hoy, el elemento sobrenatural en el centro de estas historias aparece siempre cargado de sentido, como la rebelión de lo inconsciente, de lo reprimido, de lo olvidado, de lo alejado de nuestra atención racional. En esto se ve la modernidad de lo fantástico, la razón de su triunfal retorno en nuestra época.El gran escritor italiano ha dividido su antología en dos partes, que ordenan la sucesión cronológica de los relatos en dos clasificaciones estilísticas. La primera, Lo fantástico visionario, reúne a una cuidada nómina de autores ?Potocki, Eichendorff, Hoffmann, W. Scott, Balzac, Chasles, Nerval, Hawthorne, Gógol, Gautier, Mérimée y Le Fanu? cuyos cuentos tienen en común, bajo la descripción de un

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El título Historia de dos ciudades hace referencia a París y Londres en losaños sacudidos por los muchos y dramáticos acontecimientos que suscitó la Revolución Francesa. Tales son los polos de esta novela llena de acción y aventuras que salta de una orilla a otra del canal de la Mancha y que ofrece un vivo retrato del ambiente y los sucesos del París revolucionario dominado porla sombra de la guillotina. Entre los muchos y pintorescos personajes con que Charles Dickens (1812-1870) puebla sus páginas, sobresalen los de Charles Darnay y Sidney Carton, quienes, marcados por muy distintos orígenes y peripecias vitales, acaban fundiendo sus existencias como dos caras de una misma moneda.Traducción de Salustiano Masó

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Charles Dickens’s famous second novel recounts the story of a boy born in the workhouse and raised in an infant farm as he tries to make his way in the world. Intended to raise feeling against the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834 (which had emphasized the workhouse as an appropriate means of dealing with the problem of poverty), Oliver Twist also provides a sweeping portrait of London life in the 1830s—including the life of the criminal elements in society.Oliver Twist was first published in serialised form (with illustrations by George Cruikshank) in Bentley’s Miscellany between February 1837 and April 1839. It was issued with some corrections and revisions in ten numbers in 1846 by Bradbury and Evans (which then also issued the same text in a single volume). Each of these ten numbers, including the Cruikshank illustrations and the advertisements, is included in this facsimile reprint of the 1846 edition.This is one of a series from Broadview Press of facsimile reprint editions—editions that provide readers with a direct sense of these works as the Victorians themselves experienced them.

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Written between 1846 and 1849, Dickens wrote this biography of Jesus Christ for his children. As he wrote it for children he forbade its publication. Its first American edition was published finally in 1934 and became an immediate bestseller.

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