The Old Curiosity Shop

by Charles Dickens, Norman Page (Editor), Daniel Maclise (Illustrator), George Cattermole (Illustrator), Hablot K. Browne (Illustrator)

Overview

Penguin Classics e-books give you the best possible editions of Charles Dickens's novels, including all the original illustrations, useful and informative introductions, the definitive, accurate text as it was meant to be published, a chronology of Dickens's life and notes that fill in the background to the book.

The Old Curiosity Shop and the tale of Little Nell gripped the nation when it first appeared in 1841. Described as a 'tragedy of sorrows', it shows Nell uprooted from a secure and innocent childhood and cast into a world where evil takes many shapes, the most fascinating of which is the stunted, lecherous and demonic Quilp. Blending realism with non-realistic genres such as fairy-tale, allegory and pastoral, The Old Curiosity Shop contains some of Dickens most memorable comic and grotesque creations, including the dwarf Daniel Quilp, Dick Swiveller and Kit Nubbles.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780141908052
Publisher:	Penguin UK
Publication date:	03/31/2003
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	608
File size:	80 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	3 Months

About the Author

Charles Dickens (1812-70) was a political reporter and journalist whose popularity was established by the phenomenally successful PICKWICK PAPERS (1836-7). His novels captured and held the public imagination over a period of more than thirty years. He is considered one of the greatest novelists in the English language.
Norman Page is Emeritus Professor at the University of Nottingham and the University of Alberta, Canada. His books include A Dickens Companion and A Dickens Chronology.

Date of Birth:

February 7, 1812

Date of Death:

June 18, 1870

Place of Birth:

Portsmouth, England

Place of Death:

Gad's Hill, Kent, England

Education:

Home-schooling; attended Dame School at Chatham briefly and Wellington

Table of Contents

	A Dickens Chronology	vii
	Introduction	xi
	Further reading	xxix
	A Note on the Text	xxxi
	The Old Curiosity Shop	1
	Notes	557

Editorial Reviews

Gr 7-12-Dickens story of contrasts: youth and old age, beauty and deformity, freedom and restraint.

School Library Journal

Naxos adds to its collection of some 20 abridged and unabridged Dickens recordings this novel following the lives of orphan Nell Trent and her loving grandfather, both residents of The Old Curiosity Shop in London. Though wildly popular when first published in the early 1840s, this is not among Dickens's best works—it is short on truly memorable characters and flawed by sloppy blending of its complex story lines. Still, narrator Anton Lesser's (Great Expectations) strong performance helps to compensate for these weaknesses. Curiosity Shop is not good as an introduction to the author, but those familiar with his oeuvre will appreciate the added value Lesser's evocative narration brings to the audio edition of this work. [An abridged alternate recording of this title, read by Paul Scofield, is available from Phoenix Audio.—Ed.]—R. Kent Rasmussen, Thousand Oaks, CA

Library Journal

For listeners who shy away from Dickens because of the oppressive length of some of his novels, audio programs like this one are an ideal alternative. THE OLD CURIOSITY SHOP is the story of Little Nell, who really isn't that little, and her grandfather, who tries to build a fortune for her by gambling. At about three times the length of a stage play, this dramatization bites off a good chunk of the novel. While the production uses music and sound effects tastefully, the focus is on the acting, and the entire cast is excellent. Phil Daniels is suitably evil sounding in his role as Quilp, the creditor, and narrator Alex Jennings is the ideal scene-setter and guide. D.B. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine

JUN/JUL 07 - AudioFile