Pickwick Papers

The Pickwick Papers is Dickens’first novel and widely regarded as one of the major classics of comic writing in English. Originally serialJsed in monthly instalments, it quickly became a huge popular success with sales reaching 40,000 by the final number. In the century and a half since its first appearance, the characters of Mr Pickwick,Sam Weller and the whole Pickwickian crew have entered the consciousness of all who love English literature in general, and the works of Dickens in particular.

Book Description
The Wordsworth Classics covers a huge list of beloved works of literature in English and translations. This growing series is rigorously updated, with scholarly introductions and notes added to new titles.

This is Dickens' first novel and introduces the characters of Mr Pickwick, Sam Weller and the whole of the Pickwickian crew and follows their adventures. It is widely regarded as one of the most famous of pre-Victorian novels.

The Merriam-Webster Encyclopedia of Literature
Novel by Charles Dickens, first published serially from 1836 to 1837 under the pseudonym Boz and in book form in 1837. This first fictional work by Dickens was originally commissioned as a series of glorified captions for the work of caricaturist Robert Seymour. His witty, episodic accounts of the kindly, naive Samuel Pickwick and his friends in the Pickwick Club were instantly successful in their own right, however, and made Dickens a literary sensation.

From the Back Cover
In The Pickwick Papers (1837), members of the eponymous club recreate the ludicrous follies of nineteenth century England. Yet beneath the grotesqueries they chronicle runs a counterpoint of debtors' prisons, corruption and unreformed elections. With characteristic compassion and caustic satire, Dickens confronts the darker side of these charming anecdotes, in the novel that vaulted him from journalistic obscurity to literary pre-eminence.

From AudioFile
[Editor's Note--The following is a combined review with DAVID COPPERFIELD, GHOST STORIES, GREAT EXPECTATIONS, HARD TIMES, MARTIN CHUZZLEWIT, THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD, NICHOLAS NICKLEBY, OLIVER TWIST, OUR MUTUAL FRIEND, and A TALE OF TWO CITIES.]--New Millennium presents the distinguished Academy Award winner Paul Scofield interpreting abridgments of the novels and stories of Charles Dickens. These are excellent readings, sonorous and compelling. However, they lack the verve and character of the old Victorian qualities that have been so wonderfully captured on cassette by Martin Jarvis and Miriam Margolyes, among others. And while few authors benefit more from pruning than the paid-by-the-word Dickens, some of these cuttings are far too drastic. In addition, hurried post-production is evident in numerous audible edits, frequent mouth noises, and occasional overlapping of announcer and narrator. Y.R.

Book Dimension :
length: (cm)19.8 　　　 　　　　　 　　　　　 width:(cm)12.6

I The Pickwickians
II The fist day’s journey, and the first evening’s adventures;with their consequences
III A new acquaintance. The stroller’s tale. A disagreeableinterruption and an unpleasant rencontre
IV Afield-day and bivouac. More new friends. An invitation to　the country
V A short one. Showing, among other matters, how Mr Pickwick　undertook to drive, and Mr Winkle to ride; and how they both did it
VI An old-fashioned card party. The clergyman’s verses. The story of the convict’s return
VII How Mr Winkle, instead of shooting at the pigeon and killing the crow, shot at the crow and wounded the pigeon;how the Dingley Dell Cricket Club played All-Muggleton,and how All-Muggleton dined at the Dingley Dell expense:with other interesting and instructive matters
VIII Strongly illustrative of the position, that the course of true love is not a railway
IX A discovery and a chase
X Clearing up all doubts (if any existed) of the disinterestedness of Mr Jingle’s character
XI Involving another journey, and an antiquarian discovery.Recording Mr Pickwick’s determination to be present at an election; and containing a manuscript of the old clergyman’s
XII DeScriptive of a very important proceeding on the part of Mr Pickwick; no less an epoch in his life, than in this history
XIII Some account of Eatanswill; of the state of parties therein; and of the election of a member to serve in Parliament for that ancient, loyal, and patriotic borough
XIV Comprising a brief description of the company at the Peacock assembled and a tale told by a bagman
XV In which is given a faithful portraiture of two distinguished persons: and an accurate description of a public breakfast in their house and grounds; which public breakfast leads to the
recognition of an old acquaintance, and the commencement
of another chapter
XVI Too full of adventure to he briefly described
XVII Showing that an attack of rheumatism, in some cases, acts as a quickener to inventive genius
XVIII Briefly illustrative of two points-first, the power of hysterics,and, secondly, the force of circumstances
XlX A pleasant day, with an unpleasant termination
XX Showing how Dodson and Fogg were men of business, and their clerks men of pleasure; and how an affecting interview took place between Mr Weller and his long-lost parent; showing also what choice spirits assembled at the Magpie and Stump,and what a capital chapter the next one will be
……