The Old Curiosity Shop

by Charles Dickens, Elizabeth M. Brennan (Editor)

Overview

The Old Curiosity Shop was expanded from a short tale to save Dickens's failing periodical Master Humphrey's Clock (1840-1); it is the first of his novels of which the complete manuscript, many corrected proofs, and some working notes survive. This makes it uniquely interesting to both the textual critic and general reader. Forster's Life of Dickens played down the novelist's dependence on his friend's help, but the proofs reveal at first hand the nature of Forster's assistance as well as Dickens's own practice. In conjunction with the manuscript, which contains two previously unprinted notes to his publisher, they show Dickens dealing with the unexpected demands of weekly serialization of an unplanned, full-length novel. This is most obvious as he approaches the death of Little Nell, in whose fate both he and his readers became emotionally involved. This is the first edition to benefit from the recent revelation of material which Dickens had himself obscured or discarded on manuscript versos, and the first to scrutinize the importance and impact of the wood engravings dropped into the text.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780191500404
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	11/13/1997
Series:	Clarendon Dickens
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	13 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Charles Dickens (7 February 1812 - 9 June 1870) is considered the greatest novelist of the Victorian era and created many of the worlds most notable fictional characters, including Fagin, Mr Micawber and Miss Havisham.

GILL TAVNER was an English Teacher and Head of Department before turning to writing when she had young children of her own. She has also taught English in South East Asia, worked as a personal trainer, been a management trainee in an insurance company, led treks in Africa, run her own business and painted fake tattoos on Blackpool Pleasure Beach. Perhaps it is this variety that makes her such a versatile writer.

KAREN DONNELLY lives in the English seaside town of Brighton, where for the past twenty years she has been working as a fulltime illustrator, mostly of children’s books. She has solid experience in illustration for publishing, advertising and commercial clients.

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