David Copperfield - Charles Dickens

G.C.S.E. English Literature has a great deal to answer for. The classics we were forced to read for our exams in secondary school were often too boring, heavy going and weighted with long-winded descriptions. The endurance test we underwent has sadly put many of us reading classics and reading in general. It never crossed my mind that at the age of 27 it was shocking that I’d never read a single novel by Dickens. David Copperfield was recommended as an excellent starting point and I repeat that advice now. If memory serves me well, no other book has touched me as much as this novel managed in ... more

Back in September I figured that it was time to conduct my annual plunge into the world of Charles Dickens and a friend advised me that David Copperfield made a good read. So with many a long train ride ahead (I live in Cambridge and knew that I had a course down in Plymouth and my partner at the time was in Edinburgh) I picked up the Wordsworth Edition in Borders for a snip (not exactly sure how much, but under £5 and for the length of book you certainly get your money's worth!) So yes, just to point out that the edition that I'm writing of has a notes section at the back which prooves ... more

The variety of social depictions in David Copperfiled makes it an extraordinary portrayal of Victorian life - from the harshest of schools to the most tender home, the dire work place, the elevated office job, the street girl and the cad, Dickens captures a moment of Victorian society with amazing precision and insight. The unlikely tale of David Copperfield leads the young narator through all the aspects of the Victorian world. His love affairs are entertaining, sometimes tragic, his friendship if sometimes missplaced, but he remains a human and endearing narrator, and despite the improbable ... more

The young boy, David Copperfield, lives with his mother and Pegotty, who helps in the house, in Blunderstone, Scotland. Davids father died six moths before his birth. That's why David's aunt (actually she's his great aunt but she is marked as his aunt), Betsey Trotwood, the most powerful but also feared person of the family. Once, David's dad was the favourite of Mrs. Trotwood. But this changed as he married David's mother. Cause for the mighty aunt, she was not more than a doll, although they never met one another. But the age of the bride - she was younger than 20 - didn't please Mrs ... more

David Copperfield was a book that I was supposed to have studied for o level in school. I hated it I only read about 5 pages and I just could not stand it. After 26 years I decided to try again and I could not believe how wonderful it was. I think you have to be an adult or at least to have experienced some sort of life to appreciate Charles Dickens. The story is written as an autobiography, and from what I am told is loosley based on Dickens life. The basic story is a boy is born, his father already dead. He grows up in a happy home, with his mother and housekeeper. His mother eventually ... more

This novel was Dickens' own favourite. It includes a mixture of delightful and less charming characters who in true dickensian style both fascinate and enthral. Plots and sub plots keep the reader constantly interested and the contrasting pictures of hardship and affluence bring to life the realities of victorian England. By modern day standards there is a lot of desciptive prose but it is often tempting (and possible) to read through these passages quickly as the storyline is so compelling. This is without doubt Dickens at his best and would be a good "first read" of the great man as well as ... more

David Copperfield is a very moving story that is written by Charles Dickens and is enjoyed by the whole world. It is a typical classic tale and both adults and children love it. I personally adored the book and sped through it as fast as lightening! I highly recommend the story and it was a lot better than I thought it would be, but as they say, don't judge a book by its cover! David Copperfield is such a good book that it has even been made into a film and a very popular musical! Overall, the book is well worth the money and there is nothing more I can say to persuade you to read it!Buy the ... more