Showing results for "Charles Dickens" in Literature & Fiction

This Audible Exclusive performance features a unique introduction written and narrated by Miriam Margolyes. Recognised as one of Dickens' most accomplished titles, Bleak House has impressed critics and audiences alike since it was first published in 1852. The novel boasts one of the most intelligent and engaging plots in all of English literature and is sure to engage the listener's imagination as it transports us back in time to the seedy, grimy and hazardous streets of Victorian London.

Exclusively from Audible. 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.' So begins Charles Dickens' most famous historical drama: a gripping tale of war, social injustice and the choice between darkness and light. After being unjustly imprisoned for 18 years, French doctor Manette is released from the Bastille jail in Paris and embarks upon a journey to London in the hope of finding the daughter he never met.

Dickens wrote into life some of the most beloved and well-known characters in the history of English literature, introducing us to Pip, Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, Little Nell, Scrooge, Nicholas Nickleby, Miss Haversham, and many more who have lived in the imagination of generations of readers and listeners. In this definitive and beautifully curated collection, you discover not only Dickens’s most loved classics, but also hear a short introduction to his life and body of work from Dr Pete Orford.

Pip is an orphan, brought up in a village on the Essex marshes by his disagreeable sister and her husband Joe Gargery, the kind-hearted village blacksmith. Life is harsh and Pip has few prospects until he receives from an anonymous benefactor the chance of escaping the forge for a more promising life in London. But his expectations are fraught with difficulties as he is haunted by figures from his past such as the escaped convict Magwitch, the eccentric Miss Havisham, and her proud, beautiful ward, Estella.

A lone narrator meets a railway worker who is confined to a cold, gloomy station in a deep cutting near a tunnel entrance. This worker is a signalman, and it is his responsibility to give the green light for trains to pass through the area. These are slow, monotonous days. The signalman’s life is not marked by much, until the nightmares begin. Three times in a row, a ghost mysteriously appears before the signalman – and with each apparition, a tragic accident unfolds on the rail tracks. Although our narrator doubts the man at first, events soon make him a believer too.

When Samuel Pickwick decides to establish and preside over a travelling society, he unknowingly brings together three of the oddest men in all of London: Tracy Tupman, the loveless self-professed ladies’ man, Augustus Snodgrass, the poet who’s never put pen to paper, and Nathaniel Winkle, the endlessly clumsy sportsman. The ‘Pickwickians’ set off in search of new adventures outside of the confines of the city. Along with a host of other colourful Dickensian characters such as Mr Pickwick’s love-struck landlady, Mrs Bardell, and his trusty sidekick, Sam Weller.

First published in 1843, it tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a mean and unpleasant man who dislikes people generally and Christmas especially. One Christmas Eve he is visited by the ghost of his former business partner Jacob Marley and the spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come and given a glimpse of the many homes and lives which Scrooge has touched in his wretched life to date. After their visits, Scrooge is transformed into a kinder, gentler man.

'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times'; so the recording begins and ends with some of Dickens's best-known words, and between those lines is every Briton's view of the worst excesses of the French Revolution. Set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution, the audiobook tells the story of a French doctor who is imprisoned for 18 years in the Bastille in Paris. Upon his release, he moves to London with his daughter, Lucie, whom he had never met.

In true Dickensian fashion, The Old Curiosity Shop offers a humorous yet devastating depiction of both the most honourable and most corrupt members of 19th-century English society. Hailed by Queen Victoria as being ‘interesting and cleverly written', The Old Curiosity Shop introduces listeners to the uniquely colourful characters of Nell Trent, her young friend, Kit, her doting grandfather and the evil moneylender to whom they all fall prey, Daniel Quilp.

A workhouse orphan, Oliver experiences the terror and brutality of the criminal underworld. His companions, a thief, a whore, a pickpocket, and a fence, are destined for gruesome ends, but Oliver emerges unscathed from the darkness of the underworld.

John Harmon, in exile for many years, discovers that by a curious quirk in his father’s will he must marry Bella Wilfer, a girl he has never met, in order to claim his inheritance. Mistakenly thought to have drowned, on his return he gains employment with the kindly Mr Boffin under the assumed name of John Rokesmith and falls in love with the flighty and mercenary Bella, who scornfully rejects him as a mere impoverished secretary. But Boffin and his wife contrive a plan to help John and show Bella the error of her ways.

Between his work on the 2014 Audible Audiobook of the Year, Hamlet, Prince of Denmark: A Novel, and his performance of Classic Love Poems, narrator Richard Armitage ( The Hobbit, Hannibal) has quickly become a listener favorite. Now, in this defining performance of Charles Dickens' classic David Copperfield, Armitage lends his unique voice and interpretation, truly inhabiting each character and bringing real energy to the life of one of Dickens' most famous characters.

One of Dickens' early works, Nicholas Nickleby combines comedy and tragedy in a tale of triumph over adversity that is interspersed with Dickens' moving condemnation of society's mistreatment of children and the cruelty of the educational system. Young Nickleby struggles to seek his fortune in Victorian England, yet succeeds despite social injustice, in a story that mirrors Dickens' own rise from poverty to great success.

Dive into the captivating tale of David Copperfield, narrated in the first person by the protagonist himself. This groundbreaking novel by Charles Dickens chronicles the journey of David from his tumultuous childhood to his eventual maturity. Orphaned at birth and grappling with the challenges of a new stepfather, Davids life is a rich tapestry of unforgettable characters—some endearing and others best forgotten. Join us as we traverse his experiences, filled with both heartache and joy. (Introduction by Wikipedia & T.Hynes)

Dive into the world of Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boys Progress, the second novel by the renowned Charles Dickens. This timeless tale follows the journey of young Oliver, an orphan who faces a harsh life in a workhouse before being taken in by an undertaker. His quest for a better life leads him to London, where he encounters the cunning Artful Dodger and is drawn into the underbelly of juvenile crime under the influence of the notorious Fagin. With a cast of unforgettable characters, this story balances moments of laughter and tears, making it a must-read for any literature enthusiast. (...

In Dombey and Son, Charles Dickens unfolds a gripping tale that originally captivated readers through serialized installments from October 1846 to April 1848, initially titled Dealings with the Firm of Dombey and Son Wholesale, Retail and for Exportation. This poignant narrative follows Paul Dombey, a stern businessman fixated on ensuring that his newborn son will carry on the family legacy while completely disregarding his daughter, Florence. As tragedy befalls the family and Florences situation grows increasingly dire, Mr. Dombeys relentless determination leads to heart-wrenching ...

Dive into the captivating world of Charles Dickens through his early writings under the pseudonym Boz. Originally published between 1833 and 1836, this collection is divided into four engaging sections Our Parish, Scenes, Characters, and Tales. The first three sections vividly depict a variety of people and places, while the final section delights readers with a selection of fictional short stories that showcase Dickenss remarkable storytelling ability.

In this heartwarming tale, John Peerybingle, a humble carrier, shares his life with his much younger wife Dot, their baby, their quirky nanny Tilly Slowboy, and a mysterious lodger. A chirping cricket on the hearth becomes a guardian angel to the family, even taking on human-like qualities to reassure John that his fears about Dot’s fidelity are unfounded. Their lives intertwine with Caleb Plummer, a struggling toymaker who works for the miserly Mr. Tackleton. Calebs blind daughter, Bertha, and his son Edward, who vanished after traveling to South America, cast long shadows over their lives....

Experience the poignant tale of The Chimes A Goblin Story of Some Bells that Rang an Old Year Out and a New Year In, the second of Charles Dickens cherished Christmas books, published in 1844. Set against the backdrop of the Hungry Forties, a period marked by social and political upheaval, this story carries a powerful moral message. While it may not shine as brightly as A Christmas Carol, it has captivated audiences for generations. Follow our protagonist, Toby (Trotty) Veck, a diligent yet impoverished man whose heart aches for his daughter Meg, who is set to marry on New Years Day. Troubled...

When David Copperfield escapes from the cruelty of his childhood home, he embarks on a journey to adulthood which leads him through comedy and tragedy, love and heartbreak, and friendship and betrayal.