About the book:
An orphan, a fortune of mysterious origin, and one of literature's great cautionary tales about what ambition does to character.
Miss Havisham and Magwitch alone justify the read.
Condition:
Good secondhand condition.
Wear to spine and cover.
Occasional pink highlighting - discounted accordingly.
Well bound.
Follow the link below to view our other listings:
https://www.bobshop.co.za/seller/5375758/Orphan_Books
About the author:
Charles Dickens (1812 to 1870)
Charles Dickens was born on February 7, 1812, in Portsmouth, England, the second of eight children in a family plagued by financial instability. His fathers imprisonment for debt when Charles was twelve forced the boy to leave school and work in a blacking factory, an experience of humiliation and hardship that scarred him deeply and fueled his lifelong empathy for the poor and vulnerable. Largely self-educated through voracious reading, he later became a journalist and parliamentary reporter, honing his powers of observation and social critique. These early struggles and his rise through talent and determination shaped a worldview that championed justice, reform, and the resilience of the human spirit amid industrial Englands cruelties.
Dickenss literary breakthrough came with The Pickwick Papers, which catapulted him to fame through its serialized format and vivid characters. His styleenergetic, theatrical, and richly descriptivecombined humor, sentiment, and biting satire in sprawling narratives that captured the full spectrum of Victorian society. A prolific author whose works were devoured by readers across classes, he achieved phenomenal success with novels that entertained while exposing social ills, becoming one of the most celebrated writers of his era and a global phenomenon.
Influenced by earlier novelists like Henry Fielding and Tobias Smollett for their picaresque energy, as well as the Gothic tradition and fairy tales, Dickens also drew from his own observations of London life and reformers like Thomas Carlyle. He profoundly influenced later writers including George Orwell, who praised his social conscience; Fyodor Dostoevsky and Leo Tolstoy in Russia; and modern authors from Tom Wolfe to Salman Rushdie. Adjacent figures include fellow Victorians like William Makepeace Thackeray, the Brontë sisters, and Elizabeth Gaskell, as well as humorists and social chroniclers who followed in his wake.
Recurring themes in Dickenss work include the plight of children and the poor, the redemptive power of kindness and love, the corruption of institutions, and the contrast between innocence and worldly cynicism. Major works include Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, Bleak House, A Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations, and A Christmas Carol.
Despite his immense fame, Dickens maintained a tireless schedule of writing, public readings, and philanthropy until his death on June 9, 1870, at age 58, after suffering a stroke. He was buried in Westminster Abbey. His legacy as the great chronicler of Victorian England endures through countless adaptations and enduring popularity. His unique contribution was transforming the novel into a powerful instrument of social conscience and boundless imagination, giving voice to the overlooked while filling the world with unforgettable characters who continue to live in the hearts of readers everywhere.
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