David Copperfield.

From the moment of his birth on a Friday at midnight, David Copperfield is a marked boy, and the long road ahead will carry him through grief, poverty, love and folly toward the man he is meant to become.

What it's about

David Copperfield traces the life of its narrator from a happy early childhood shattered by a harsh stepfather, through the miseries of factory labor and a lonely boyhood, to school, first love, marriage and a slowly discovered vocation as a writer. Along the way David meets a gallery of the most memorable figures Dickens ever created, the eternally hopeful Mr. Micawber, the loyal Peggotty family, the treacherous Uriah Heep, the steadfast Agnes and the fierce, tender aunt Betsey Trotwood. Their fortunes rise and fall around him as he learns, painfully, to know his own heart.

Themes

This is a novel about growing up, about the shaping of character through suffering, kindness and mistake. Dickens examines the vulnerability of children, the cruelty and generosity of the adult world, and the long work of learning to distinguish true worth from false charm. Questions of class, labor and social injustice run throughout, as do the redemptive powers of loyalty, discipline and love. Above all it asks how a person becomes good, and what it costs.

Why it still matters

Widely regarded as Dickens's most personal novel, drawing on his own childhood in the blacking factory, it is a cornerstone of English literature and one of the great coming-of-age stories ever written. Its characters have passed into the language, and its blend of comedy, pathos and social conscience shows the Victorian novel at its fullest. Generations of readers and writers have loved it, and it continues to speak to anyone who has struggled to grow into themselves.

Who it's for

Perfect for lovers of classic literature and rich, character-driven storytelling, and for readers who enjoy a sweeping coming-of-age tale. Those new to Dickens and longtime admirers alike will find it warm, funny and moving in equal measure.

Sources and references

Verified references for this edition: Open Library, WorldCat, Charles Dickens on Wikipedia.