How to Read Charles Dickens (& Showing You My Complete Collection)

📚 Read the Great Books with Hardcore Literature: / about
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📔Contents Page: cutt.ly/CmNhRY3
🎖️ War and Peace: cutt.ly/U3nzGma
🎭 Shakespeare Project: cutt.ly/B3nxHH7
🐳 Moby Dick: cutt.ly/K3nzVKf
☄️ Blood Meridian: cutt.ly/P3nz6Qp
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🇮🇪 Ulysses: cutt.ly/x3nxQmN
🚂 Anna Karenina: cutt.ly/vmNhAWv
💀 Crime and Punishment: cutt.ly/rmNhFt5
⚓ Persuasion: cutt.ly/amNhX7b
☕ In Search of Lost Time: cutt.ly/5mNh8oD
⚔️ The Hero’s Journey: cutt.ly/UmNjrE3
🌸 Siddharta: cutt.ly/YmNjuzi
🎠 Don Quixote: cutt.ly/cmNjoK4
❤️Shakespeare’s Sonnets: cutt.ly/nmNlW7V
🇫🇷 Les Misérables: cutt.ly/J3YixoA
🕯️ The Turn of the Screw: cutt.ly/nToAQQ3
🖋️ Dickens Seasonal Read: cutt.ly/9ToAybt
📖 Middlemarch Serial Reading: tinyurl.com/45rv965c
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0:00 how to find your entrance novel to Dickens' world
1:30 my personal introduction to Dickens
2:50 The Pickwick Papers
7:20 Oliver Twist
8:25 The Old Curiosity Shop
10:55 A Christmas Carol
14:39 David Copperfield
16:00 Bleak House
18:00 A Tale of Two Cities
19:25 Great Expectations
21:10 Our Mutual Friend
22:30 The Mystery of Edwin Drood
23:20 how to read Dickens with a long-term view
24:30 read into the heart of your childhood
25:00 read without condescension
25:47 befriend the characters
26:30 trust Dickens
26:58 read Dickens serially
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Happy reading! And let us know - what is your relationship and experience with Charles Dickens?

[@DATo_DATonian]

Some of my thoughts: 1) _The Pickwick Papers_ is to Dickens as _The Tempest_ Is To Shakespeare. When I first tried reading _The Pickwick Papers_ I couldn't get into it so I put it down and did not pick it up again for about five years. When I finally did pick it up again I absolutely LOVED it. I sincerely believe that there is a right time in your life for each book you read. 2) My favorite Dickens book is _David Copperfield_ . As with all of Dickens' novels _Copperfield_ can be read superficially for entertainment or one can pull out the literary scalpel and dissect it thoroughly noting the symbolism, metaphor, the elements of foreshadowing and all of the other literary devices that Dickens employed with such masterful command in each of his novels. What was the significance of Peggpoty's sewing box? The finest teacher I ever had - a teacher of literature - once told me that when an author takes you back time and time again to something seemingly insignificant the author is trying to tell you something. Peggoty's sewing box itself as well as what it contains has great symbolic meaning with regard to her relationship to David. 3) Miss Havisham = Here we "Have a sham" = for her entire presentation (with regard to her purpose as well as her appearance) was a "sham". If you haven't noticed by now many, if not all of Dickens' characters, have names that in some way suggest their personality or other traits which make them unique: Pip = small, helpless, insignificant; Daniel _Quilp_ = suggests "whip", cruel, punishing; Becky Trotwood = tall, erect, a horse which trots in a specified cadence, reliable. Dickens created over 1500 characters and each one was unique and unforgettable. 4) Dickens was kind to his misfits - Dickens had a particular affection for those who were society's outcasts and treated them with understanding. tenderness and lenience. Nancy (prostitute, Oliver Twist), Magwitch (criminal, Great Expectations), Mr. McCawber (insolvent debtor, David Copperfield), Tiny Tim (handicapped child, A Christmas Carol) ... Dickens loved them all [EDIT] Forgot to thank you Ben for a truly excellent video. I enjoyed it very much.

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Wow. This is such a wonderful comment. I've pinned it so others can enjoy it too :) Your experience with The Pickwick Papers sounds exactly the same as mine. I was too young when I first read it. Coming to it at a more mature age was so rewarding. I love what you've written here about David Copperfield and Dickens' misfit characters. I can feel a lot of love for Dickens in your writing :) Thank you for the great insights!

[@DATo_DATonian]

@@BenjaminMcEvoy Many thanks.

[@DATo_DATonian]

At the risk of becoming a bore I'd like to add one more thing: Both Mary Ann Evans (George Eliot) and Charles Dickens attempted to effect positive social change through their writing, and both succeeded in doing so. I was once struck by an epiphany when reading the conclusion of Eliot's _Middlemarch_ . The final paragraph of that novel is one of the most beautiful passages in the entire realm of literature in my estimation. Eliot is describing positive contributions to society effected by her main character, Dorothea, but she could have been writing her own epitaph. _Her finely touched spirit had still its fine issues, though they were not widely visible. Her full nature, like that river of which Alexander broke the strength, spent itself in channels which had no great name on the earth. But the effect of her being on those around her was incalculably diffusive: for the growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts; and that things are not so ill with you and me as they might have been, is half owing to the number who lived faithfully a hidden life, and rest in unvisited tombs._

[@DATo_DATonian]

Since posting my original comment I have learned that the device of naming a character with a moniker which suggests one or more characteristics of physiognomy or personality of the character is called an _Aptronymn_ .

[@IbrahimHoldsForth]

My first was "A Tale of Two Cities" which, while great, gave me a slightly wrong impression of his style because that's a late and compact work that was more "planned out" than his earlier, more sprawling works (such as "David Copperfield" wherein the sprawl itself is part of the charm.) IMO "Bleak House" is his magnum opus. :)

[@kshitijyadav4208]

Are you even aware of your worth? This KZbin channel is literally a hidden gem it feels like a little home...you deserve millions of followers I trust.

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Thank you, my friend 🙏 I appreciate your kind words and for reading and watching along :)

[@joannesferrati3076]

yes, I second the thought. Your channel is brilliant. Listened to you and watched as much as I could this summer turning 72 yrs. Thank you.

[@katyasavelyeva4402]

“If you sift the world’s prose literature, Dickens will remain; sift Dickens and David Copperfield will remain.” These famous words belong to Leo Tolstoy and I go along with him. My gateway to Dickens was David Copperfield and I've been in love with his beautiful style since that, despite reading some of his novels first in Russian, as I am Russian. Now I'm able to read his wonderful books in the original and I'm thrilled about that! Benjamin, your videos are amasing, I take great pleasure in listening to your passionate talks about literature. Thank you so much for sharing your enthusiasm with us as it really is contagious!

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Wow. Such a wonderful quote from Tolstoy. And what a brilliant gateway to his world. I've heard that there are some great Russian translations, but of course it's so great that you can enjoy him in the original too :) And thank you so much for your kind words, Katya - I really appreciate you watching and reading along!

[@katyasavelyeva4402]

@@BenjaminMcEvoy Thank you so much for your reply, Benjamin. I'm dreaming that one day I will be able to join your live discussions and share my thoughts with you too! :-)

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

@@katyasavelyeva4402 you’ll be warmly welcomed when you do! :)

[@chambeet]

What a wonderful quote! I’ve only read Christmas Carol by Dickens, and I need to read more. War and Peace is probably the best prose/novel I’ve ever read, although I’m reading and loving Don Quixote lately!

[@DATo_DATonian]

How I envy you Katya! Oh, how I wish I could read your magnificent Russian authors in your native language!

[@scoutdarpy4465]

Very nice collection. I read Dickens for the first time while I was at a psychiatric hospital for five months when I was seventeen. It was "Hard Times" that I read. I'd walk around the ward in circles and just read. This is where I read "Les Miserables" for the first time as well. There was this little boy who I read to at night when he would have a difficult time falling asleep. Good kid, abandoned by everyone. Where do those souls go, I wonder. Anyways, great video!

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Thank you! That's a tremendous story. I hope you're doing well today. I've been long interested in the therapeutic value of literature (bibliotherapy), which goes back at least to the first world war. They would prescribe certain books to soldiers suffering from PTSD. I've felt the soothing benefit of writers like Dickens and Hugo too. Thank you for sharing, my friend!

[@davet2625]

I only started reading in my twenties. I read very slowly I think, but by now I'm 43 and I've read quite a few novels. I've read a range of 19th century novels and the authors I've loved most have been Dickens, Dostoevsky, and George Eliot. I've now read all the novels of these incredible authors. Dickens is wonderful - he writes with such compassion and weaves such interesting narratives with such vivid casts of characters. His use of the English language is delightful, and I really love how deliciously witty and humourous he can be.

[@arletbode4847]

I’m also a slow reader and your comment encourages me to keep giving it myself

[@arletbode4847]

My best^

[@knittingbooksetc.2810]

My entry novel was Oliver Twist when I was a kid. This October I read Bleak House. Fantastic.

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Great novels both of them :)

[@VRgrappz]

I've just started my career as a Secondary school English teacher within a behaviourally challenging school in East London. These videos have become a large part of my foundation for attracting students, helping them engage with incredible writers such as Shakespeare and Dickens. Thank you so much for massively increasing my passion and commitment toward this literature that can help to reshape children's broken and empty lives within inner London schools, with essential ingredients to life. If the children recognise enthusiasm from the teacher for the subject, they will automatically become engaged in the text. I love my job, but I love it even more after every video I watch of yours.

[@DanielGenis5000]

I hope you are armed with more than a good vocabulary in that school.

[@VRgrappz]

@@DanielGenis5000 yes, plenty of detentions too unfortunately!

[@DanielGenis5000]

@@VRgrappz I meant a gun

[@VRgrappz]

@@DanielGenis5000 hahaha

[@DanielGenis5000]

@@VRgrappz having attended an inner city American school and later taught in several, I really was only half kidding. The violence that a paleface is met with in those places is extreme and very much underexposed in media and academe. However, crime statistics can’t lie and are very shocking when you first understand the gravity of the problem, the danger you’ve been systematically taught to ignore. I live in Brooklyn and get along quite well with my neighbors, but I’ve also witnessed enough murders to shock my system.

[@captainnolan5062]

Bleak House is my favorite Dickens novel; but my entrance was A Christmas Carol, which I read for years every Thanksgiving weekend. My first experience with Dickens was trying to make my way through David Copperfield, but it was the Christmas Carol that gave me that real entrance to his world.

[@bjwnashe5589]

Great video. Love your channel. The fact that Dickens was able to write Pickwick Papers at age 24 is astonishing, a kind of literary miracle.

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Thank you :) Astonishing is the word! I thought this exact same thing!

[@elizabethmurphy3931]

My introduction was A Christmas Carol. I also used this as the intro for my own boys, and yes, I read it every year. Then The Old Curiosity Shop. From there we went to Oliver Twist, Great Expectations, then A Tale of Two cities. My older son was hooked from there on. I read these aloud when they were young, then they read them on their own in school years. I must say, those are beautiful editions you own. Again, not helping me with my addiction to lovely books. I am pleased that you have such a love for Dickens. As usual, you have brought knowledge and excitement to the subject. Thank you for your videos.

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Fantastic introduction to Dickens - and your boys are so lucky to have a mother introducing them to this great literature! I began my yearly tradition of rereading A Christmas Carol a little early last night, and I find it gets better and better with each reading. Thank you for watching, and the lovely comment, Elizabeth :)

[@krinklely]

As a professor of voice (singing), I enjoy hearing your reading of the excerpts. The combination of vocal timbre and subtlety of inflection brings to mind the art of the actor. New to your channel and looking foward to learning more!

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Wow. That's very high praise indeed. Thank you so much. I'm flattered :)

[@ttues]

My entrance novel was Copperfield. I ran away from home at 17 to San Francisco, from Ypsilanti, Michigan. I went to a used bookstore while in SF and bought 3 novels: dickens, Copperfield... Mishima, spring snow.... and Miller, tropic of cancer. All were influential, but Copperfield most

[@jaehoonshim5555]

This great reader of books deserves a great recognition for furthering literature. I am so glad I've found him. He should write a book of his narratives so we can keep on reading him.

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Thank you, Jae :) I'm so glad you're here! I appreciate you reading with me!

[@elizzievb]

I agree totally! I feel so fortunate to have found this fine fellow. His enthusiasm is truly contagious! Lovely comment. ❤

[@kevindavis3234]

My first Dickens was 'Oliver Twist'. I got it at a book swap when I was in the sixth grade, and I fell in love with it immediately. It was a paperback, and I reread that thing until the cover fell off and the pages started falling out. Having read his entire catalog, 'Oliver Twist' isn't my favorite, but it definitely holds a special place in my heart. I still go back to it every few years. My favorite Dickens is 'A Tale of Two Cities'. It's such a powerful ending (Dickens' best ending, in my opinion). Sydney Carton is my all-time favorite Dickens character. Madame Defarge is another favorite of mine. Probably not Dickens' best antagonist, but still high up there for me.

[@evanruane3466]

I clicked on this video on a whim, and was quickly swept up in the passion that you clearly have for these novels. You've earned a subscriber!

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Thanks, Evan :) It's lovely to have you here!

[@joniheisenberg6691]

My introduction to Dickens was “A Tale Of Two Cities” in sixth grade. Most of the book went over my head at the time, but I am forever grateful that Miss Devlin ( my all time favorite teacher ) assigned the class such a challenging novel.📚

[@cowboynyc]

"A Tale of Two Cities" is Dickens for people who don't like Dickens.

[@mfar3016]

I’m an adult trying to catch up on my classics. I typically had difficulty with assigned reading as a youth, despite how good those books were. A few weeks ago I was drawn to pick up a copy of Oliver Twist and while I’m not very far into it, I do like it. I discovered your video by accident & have now subscribed. I’m drawn to read more of Dickens in the months & years to come. I look forward to perusing some of your other videos when I’m ready to discuss the stories & their characters. The next video I plan to watch is your talk about Wuthering Heights, a book I’ve attempted twice before, but for some reason struggled. Thank you for your insight & your passion. You’ve inspired me to fall in love with Dickens, which I’m confident I will.

[@Maerish]

I fell in love with Dickens when I was a child thanks to A Christmas Carol. I read it once a year since then, it's my tradition, just like watching the muppets show every christmas eve. To be honest, it's the only time when I can feel the "Christmas vibe" or the value this festivity should have, because working in a retail ruined my love for christmas time forever. Anyway that was the start, I loved every book I read so far, especially Great expectations. I planned to read Bleak House this autumn, but I'm a little behind with my tbr list because the karamazovs took more time than I expected. It was so worth it!! Dostoevskij, Tolstoj, Dickens... I can't believe people refuse to read these life-changing authors because they think they are difficult and boring. btw I envy your collection. In Italy it's hard to find a good translation and a beautiful edition at the same time, even more rare to find one author's entire work published in elegant volumes like yours. Unfortunately I can't buy them in english or no one other than me would read them. happy reading!

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

I'm so happy to hear you read it once a year too. I started my yearly reread a little early this year, and read the first 20 pages of ACC last night. It's so nourishing, and one of my personal favourites. Ah, I relate to working retail around Christmas time - that would certainly ruin it! It surprises me that many of these classics have the connotation of being difficult or boring too. They're anything but! Time spent with the likes of Dostoyevsky, Tolstoy, and Dickens is time incredibly well spent. Happy reading over in Italy :)

[@Maerish]

@@BenjaminMcEvoy I can't say I started early too, but... I recently found a bbc radio drama collection of Dickens and I could not stop myself from listening to A Christmas carol. I loved it and I'll surely enjoy the other adaptations too. Isn't it nice and heartwarming having someone read to us our favourite tale like when we were children?? However since it's an abridged version, I won't consider this "sample" as my annual reread. Off topic but I want to recommend to you "if on a winter's night a traveler" by Italo Calvino. I don't know if you already read it, if not, I'm almost sure you'll appreciate it.

[@2talldwarfs]

I had some tears in my eyes when I first opened the video... I LOVE Dickens, he is very close to my heart, and I place him in a different class than all other authors... The first book to get me into English literature was A Tale of Two Cities, and to this day I regard it as my favourite. Thank you for this video, it literally brightened the remainder of my night .

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Aw, I'm so happy to hear how special he is to you too! I would certainly put him in a class above other authors :) You've enthused me to return to A Tale of Two Cities now :)

[@JHS447]

I am 76 and have just retired. I have always loved Dickens, but have read only six of his books, which I rank in the following order: D Copperfield, Bleak H, Great E, Oliver T, Christmas C, Tale. I cannot wait to read more of him. I now have the time. Thank you for this wonderful video!

[@yuriylugovtsev9336]

People! I am Russian. My native tongue is Russian. I am 37. I do not have a deep knowledge of English. I am out of spoken practice completely. BUT! I have read several novels by Dickens in order to improve my poor English. I have read David Coper, Great Expectation. It was not easy for me. But I finished these two novels. Now I am reading Dombey and Son. My goal is a simple one. I want to learn many words so as to understand other texts. I realized that if I could understand Dickens I would be able to understand everything written in English. Because Dickens is very difficult. I even dare say that he is the most difficult man in world’s history. But Great Exception is a prodigious thing. The plot is overwhelming. The style is tolerable. Maybe, it is the easiest one among his big bricks.

[@mitzireadsandwrites]

I have just fallen in love with Charles Dickens. I read Great Expectations in high school and though I enjoyed it, it was assigned reading so I didn't appreciate it as much as I do now after rereading it. I then read David Copperfield in September and now, well, I am so happy for this upcoming journey through his books.

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

That's amazing to hear :) I really must return to David Copperfield - such a lovely work!

[@bigphilly7345]

I’m 43 and just started in on Dickens. I’m in the first few pages of Great Expectations (read an except in high school and finally reading the full text). I’m already blown away.

[@hocinelaarid7344]

I am fond of Charles dickens novels... I used to watch the pickwick papers cartoon translated in arabic... When i was 13 years old.... Love to dickens from Constantine Algeria 🇩🇿❤️🇩🇿❤️🇩🇿❤️

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

That's so cool! I would love to see that cartoon :) Happy reading over in beautiful Algeria, my friend! A wonderful country, with a rich culture, that I would love to visit!

[@hocinelaarid7344]

@@BenjaminMcEvoy you are welcome Man... I like your videos great ones❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@susprime7018]

Yes, Great Expectations in Junior High School. Later spent a summer only reading Dickens from the Public Library and others over the years. That is a lovely set with the illustrations you own.

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

What an incredible way to spend one's summer! :)

[@luisdireito]

My introduction to Dickens was The Old Curiosity Shop. But I just finished Great Expectations, and it became my favourite book ever!

[@EmilynWood]

My first Dickens novel discovered me when I was about 14 or 15 in the library, curious about reading one of his books, and came across Hard Times. The beginning chapter pulled me in, as it reflected so many of my negative feelings about modern education. Sissy Jupe's character carried me through the book, and her love of fairy tales, almost a religious love of fairy tales. I still recommend it to people as it's one of the lesser known Dickens novels. I love A Christmas Carol too, and have slowly collected Dickens' works over the years, though I have only seen adaptations of Nicholas Nickleby, Great Expectations, A Tale of Two Cities, David Copperfield, Oliver Twist (the 2007 one with Rachel Thompson's score was my favorite), the BBC tv series for Little Dorrit, Bleak House, and The Old Curiosity Shop. Growing up, the general negative agreement among people around me was that Dickens was paid by the word, and so fluffed up his works with unnecessary words. But your enthusiasm is giving me permission to return to his works and actually let myself enjoy them without thinking about them in that way. Even though I haven't read it all the way through, the story of Oliver Twist definitely inspired my early writing efforts.

[@Avefenix1956]

My gateway esa David Copperfield. I was looking for Oliver Twist because my father told me the movie Oliver! Was based on a book. We didn't find it but the salesman suggested another novel from the same author David Copperfield. I fell in love with Dickens and still are. In love for 55 years. Me too would take Dickens complete works if I were abbandoned in an island. I read Dickens everyday

[@samsum3738]

Being nearly 71 years of age , i have been a great reader for over 60 years , and i think no one has captured the spirit of London more than Dickens , with the possible exception of Peter Ackroyd .

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

I'm completely with you there! Having lived in London for a while, reading Charles Dickens feels like returning home. The city breathes through his prose!

[@tommiller3017]

When I was about seven, my sister pulled a copy of David Copperfield from the bookshelves of my grandparents' house. It had been given to my uncle years ago. I knew I was the first one to read it, as I had to cut the pages throughout. I reread it multiple times. Every year or so, I would read another Dickens novel. I loved them all. I did notice that he did a lot of "ain't that a coincidence" where so and so just happens to be... duh..duh..duh .. long-lost, etc.

[@ArtBookshelfOdyssey]

I love that you said "Trust your gut"... that was my journey into Dickens too. When I was about 12-13 I tried reading Great Expectations because it sounded interesting to me. I really enjoyed it but struggled with the reading and left after 10-12 chapters or so. My reading hadn't developed to that level yet, but my gut told me "I'm going to like this book some day!" My gut kept bringing me back to Dickens. I read A Christmas Carol a few years later, and that was it - that was my entrance book. Great Expectations is a close second though.

[@boebie100]

I really love the works of Dickens! He is so good at describing his characters! Like you, I read 'A Chistmass Carol' each year since I was 18 years old. I am now 65 and looking forward to reading it again! Thank you for this video.

[@donaldkelly3983]

Very glad you did this episode! Dickens has always been the battlement I could never scale. I was assigned Hard Times in college. After the first chapter with Mr. Gradgrind, I lost interest. Later, I voluntarily tried Great Expectations and The Pickwick Papers. The mistake I made with PP was reading for a plot. There was none and that wasn't what I wanted at the moment. With GE I made it pretty far, but never finished it. With a new TBR list, plans are to read David Copperfield, Bleak House, and Our Mutual Friend. I like your idea of reading the novels in "serialization" form. That might keep me from being overwhelmed. Maybe as a decade has gone by since last making this effort, maturity may help out. Everyone from Harold Bloom to my cousins have praised Dickens to the skies and I want to know why!

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Ah, "Hard Times" might not be my first choice of Dickens to place in the hands of a reader coming to him for the first time. It's on the assigned reading for so many colleges. I would love to see them replace it with Great Expectations, Bleak House, Our Mutual Friend, or The Pickwick Papers. If you do go the serialised reading route, let me know how you get on. I find it really rewarding and I get so much more out of the books that way :)

[@rebeccabsomanybooks3558]

I adore Dickens. My entrance novel and lesser read was Barnaby Rudge. It tapped into areas in my professional career- penal institutions and treatment of the mentally ill and their treatment in the Victorian era. It made me laugh and cry. I still think of the novel to this day. I think it is a wonderful novel that does not get the acclaim it deserves.

[@marcbodow3178]

My first Dickens novel, which I finished just several months ago, is Great Expectations. Everything you said about his characters and style is dead on perfect. When I started, I like most people assumed that the Great Expectations concerned only Pip. By the time I finished, I realized that Great Expectations is about essentially everyone. on the planet. Each of the main characters had certain Great Expectations, Ms. Havisham, was so devasted by her loss of same, put the rest of her life on hold. Abel Magwitch (what a great name) ironically came closest to reaching his Great Expectations. As a side note, I am a physician and good friends with a Pulmonologist (who also enjoys great literature). I queried if he might write his memoirs as a pulmonologist, and indeed he is considering it. I recommended the title "Great Expectorations." No disrespect to Mr. Dickens whatsoever.

[@susanherbert3014]

I read A Christmas Carol every December! I also try to go to the play every year as well. This year I decided to use December as my Dickens month and read his other works. Your video was terrific and definitely helped me decide how to try and tackle my Dickens December!

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

It's such a lovely tradition. I'm already looking forward to my own rereading of A Christmas Carol. I'd love to catch a play too :) How exciting to hear that December will be your Dickens month, Susan!

[@benjaminashank]

My introduction to Dickens was David Copperfield (only 3 years ago). I don't know how this literary masterpiece could ever be dethroned from my number one spot! The way he brought me into the lives of each character, and made me truly love (or hate) each of them, is a treasure I want everyone to experience. I am a movie buff at heart and can be easily moved by the masterful way Hollywood does their job, but the way Dickens moves me in this writing far surpasses anything I've experienced on the big screen. Since then I've been devouring Dickens works. A few more of my favorites are: Dombey and Son, Our Mutual Friend, and Little Dorrit. (Side note...my #2 spot is taken by Jane Eyre from Charlotte Bronte). Thanks for this video. I had never even heard anyone recommend The Old Curiosity Shop, so it was never on my radar. I'm starting it today. :)

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

That's a beautiful entrance to the world of Dickens, Bennie. David Copperfield, as you probably know, was the writer's own personal favourite. He had a soft spot for it, and there are overt parallels with his life. I must say I haven't seen the latest David Copperfield film adaptation, but I'm tempted to watch it now. I think Dickens is an incredibly visual/cinematic writer, so it's not a surprise that you're moved by his writing more that the Hollywood films, because, in addition to the visuality, you also have all the brilliant nuances a novelist can supply. Dombey and Son, Our Mutual Friend, and Little Dorrit are all superb too! Let us know what you make of The Old Curiosity Shop :)

[@benjaminashank]

@@BenjaminMcEvoy While I liked The Old Curiosity Shop, I found it wanting (for my thirst) a bit of depth in the character building. I just wanted more. But I still thoroughly enjoyed myself. I followed it with Bleak House! WOW what a work!! I absolute adored every sentence. That one certainly went into the top 10 for me!! So good!

[@virgilflowers9846]

@@BenjaminMcEvoyYou should check out Barbara Kingsolver’s Demon Copperhead. It’s it’s own novel of course, but the homage and love for DC is throughout it all. She’s a wonderful writer who obviously has a ton of love for Dickens.

[@Violetcas97]

I’m certainly among those who tried dickens young and didn’t quite understand the appeal, and then came back to him later in life and became fully enraptured in his world. As a teenager I attempted to read Oliver Twist and found myself somewhat disinterested, then stumbled upon Bleak House as a 23 year old and read it in two days. I bought it on a Friday evening waiting for a bus and it completely consumed my weekend. I am now collecting vintage copies of Dickens novels and have no intentions of looking back, he’s absolutely stolen my heart.

[@iainmacinnes1660]

I love Dickens. I have just re - read Donby and son. But there are several of his works to read. This has been a rewarding insight into the man and works.

[@dawnbotha3467]

Your passion is so contagious. Listening to you is always a great joy and inspiration. When you talk about these wonderful books it fills me with excitement and inspiration to read more. Thanks.

[@radiantchristina]

Our Mutual Friend is my favorite. Dombey and Son was my first

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Both wonderful :)

[@annewoodborne1254]

My entrance novel into Dickens was ' Oliver Twist' age 7 in Perth, Scotland. I am now 82,in Cape Town, still reading Dickens. Love your You Tube lectures.

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

A wonderful entrance Dickens! Thank you so much for watching, Anne :) Happy reading over in Cape Town! 🇿🇦

[@thomaslowry7079]

What a lovely presentation on Dickens! Thank you so much! I just subscribed! I have entered Dickens' universe at different times in my life, each time with a different entrance novel. One summer in junior high school I disappeared into David Copperfield, only emerging occasionally for meals! In middle age, my entrance novel was the Pickwick Papers. I agree that particular novel has a lot in common with Don Quixote and is a masterpiece of humor and goodwill. Finally, in my sixties, I read Great Expectations from cover to cover while waiting out several days of fog and rain in my tent while on a bicycle tour along the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina. All three "entrance" novels sit in my memory side by side with my memories of the times in my life when I was reading the novels. I love novels with a strong sense of place including Dickens' London and Thomas Hardy's Egdon Heath. Recently, I fell in love with the novels of Arnold Bennett which are set in a part of England known as the Five Towns where pottery was made. I think of Bennett as the English equivalent of the American novelist Theodore Dreiser. Perhaps someday you could discuss literary works with a particularly strong sense of place. I found your channel while searching for information about Proust. I plan to re-read Swann's Way and then to hopefully read the rest of Remembrance of Things Past. I carefully noted the Proust translation that you recommended! By the way, I am convinced there are many "Canons" for example in world cinema, in American music, in architecture, etc. I recommend the website extraordinarymovies.org which discusses the great classics of world cinema in terms of the stages of life.

[@garyrutland1119]

I returned to Dickens in the 90's (having studied Copperfield for A-Level in the late 70's,) when I read A Tale of Two Cities and became hooked all over again. I'm now 63 and read at least one Dickens a year. Personal favourites are Our Mutual Friend, Barnaby Rudge and Martin Chuzzlewit. I've also introduced my Thai wife to his work via TV adaptations and although she struggled to begin with, she's now a fan too. I've also read Ackroyd and Callow's excellent biographies and highly recommend both. What will I read this year? Possibly re-read Great Expectations although I would also like to get a copy of Bleak House and try that again as I struggled with it in the early 2000's but feel I'm probably better equipped to appreciate its complexities more now. Enjoyed your presentation and will watch a few more when time permits, many thanks.

[@MicheleCharles777]

Thank you for sharing such a heartwarming and informative video. I learned so much about Dickens from you. I just finished reading David Copperfield and was in search of a lecture or discussion of it. I have such a deep connection to the characters as we have been on a journey together. I love your long term view of literature and putting a schedule our there to read Dickens in order. I’m going to check out your book club, sounds wonderful.

[@booksaremyjam471]

I first came across Dickens many years ago when I read a Sinhalese translation of A Tale of Two Cities. I was hooked! Then I bought it in English and continued to read Dickens's work. So far I have enjoyed Bleak House, Oliver Twist, Pickwick Papers, Martin Chuzzlewit and A Christmas Carol but ATOTC will always remain close to my heart. First impressions and all that I guess! You always make the greatest of videos Ben. Please continue to entertain and enlighten us.

[@pjfreeman4789]

I am so thankful that I stumbled across you on KZbin. You are a life changer. David Copperfield was my first Dickens novel and I loved it. Now, with your explanation about rereading books, I am ready for a reread with much more attention. Thank you.

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

I'm so thankful you stumbled across me too! Thank you very much for being here, my friend :) David Copperfield is such a great entrance work to the world of Dickens. The author's own personal favourite! I'm in need of a reread of this one myself!

[@stephenwhitehead]

Benjamin. Thanks for this. My entrance was through my great grandfather's set of the Complete Works, and A Christmas Carol. It's been my favourite of all the books, of any writer, and one I return to every year. To me he's the greatest writer, and one who's as relevant today as he was when he put pen to paper. To get the feeling of the man a visit to the Dickens House Museum in London is a must. It's where he wrote Pickwick, Oliver Twist, the too often neglected Sketches by Box and Nicholas Nickleby, and was arguably the inspiration for Scrooge's nephew's house. Visit it at Christmas, have a copy of the first edition of the 'Carol' facsimiles available in the shop, turn to Christmas Day and Scrooge arriving, and it's there: parlour upstairs, the dining room door next to you, and suddenly you're inside the book. I've played Marley onstage as an amateur actor, and for the past few years, except 20/21 for obvious reasons, Bob Cratchit for the National Trust in South Wales. Incidentally, the man who showed Charles the working and living conditions of the people in the worst areas of London, that led to his writing 'Carol', Dr Thomas Southwood Smith, was the grandfather of someone who, forced to work through family financial problems, fought for better recreational areas for the workers; more green areas, parks, etc , her name was Octavia Hill, and it led to the founding of the National Trust.

[@brettbelbin3674]

Hello, Benjamin. Your passion for literature is so inspirational! I found your channel by deciding this will be the year I read Crime and Punishment and Great Expectations. I capped off 2021 by reading A Christmas Carol/Dickens for the first time, and you're right; it will make a great tradition.

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Thank you so much :) It's so exciting to hear you'll be reading Dostoyevsky and Dickens this year. Two great writers who compliment each other very well! I'm already looking forward to A Christmas Carol again this December, paired with the next Secret Dickens!

[@massonman9099]

Excellent! Thankyou, my entrance novel, early nineteen fifties as a child of eight or nine was David Copperfield, a treasured copy of my mother's childhood!

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

What a beautiful entrance to the world of Dickens :)

[@wburris2007]

I read "A Tale of Two Cities" in the early 70s, in school around the same time we read "A Christmas Carol" as a play. in 2020 I read the Penguin Classics "A Christmas Carol and Other Christmas Writings". I recently acquired some Dickens novels so time to get reading. I enjoyed "A Tale of Two Cities" in my teens, but the decades keep slipping away without me getting back to Dickens. I read "Les Misérables" in 2019, so a re-read of "A Tale of Two Cities" would be a great place to get started.

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

I'm very tempted to do a reread of A Tale of Two Cities too thanks to Les Misérables. After teaching and rereading Hugo's epic over the last couple of months, it will be interesting to see how Dickens handles the era!

[@sheilagibson982]

My entrance was “A Tale of Two Cities”, (our father read it to us) , and “A Christmas Carol”. I also loved “Great Expectations”.

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

That's a beautiful entrance :) How wonderful of your father to read Dickens to you!

[@mathildevhargon9760]

Thank you for this detailed and interesting discussion and overview of Dickens' works.

[@poeticpiscean]

This is brilliant. Thank you! I needed this video. I started reading my first Dickens novel Bleak House and honestly I was getting so frustrated. His works are not like anything else I have read though, it is not a thriller or romance that can be sped through. I usually don't like reading more than one book at a time. I just need to take my time and not feel guilty when I feel like I need to set it aside. It is so dense, I almost need to read a bit and then meditate on it, then read a bit more.

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Bleak House is up there as one of Dickens' most difficult works (in my opinion), along with Our Mutual Friend. It's a masterpiece, but definitely rewards a slow reading approach. My personal favourite is Great Expectations, which is much easier to get into - I have a sentimental attachment to it. Keep enjoying your Dickens journey, Katie :)

[@davekorzinski9754]

Beautiful video Benjamin, a great appreciation for one of the greats. I just finished Bleak House, my 6th(?) Dickens novel. Counting a collection of his Christmas stories as one. I always read Dickens in the winter and can't wait for David Copperfield starting in November of 23!

[@Messihaz]

Dickens got me into literature, I appreciate this guide. I appreciate this channel too, one of the few good ones along with Better Than Food and RC Waldun.

[@gl4621]

Thank you for your great tips and educating me on Dickens. I have been so inspired to read Dickens. My first exposure was reading Great Expectations in High School as well as participating in a Jr. High musical of Oliver Twist. I recently started Middlemarch and also picked up David Copperfield and was immediately drawn to David Copperfield. Your video has inspired me to further dive into more Dickens!

[@rozaganser3016]

I just finished reading Dombey and Son. It was charming. I loved the characters. The story was a great escape for me.

[@joepalladino3467]

I love the discussion of the 'entry' novel - I suggest Oliver Twist for more reasons than I can imagine, but, I love to say this to a Dickens newbie: Read the first chapter of Twist - it is only 16 paragraphs! (a bit of a stretch because there are some LONG graphs but they don't know that) - and I guarantee that you will be compelled to turn the page to see what happens next. That is a stunning opening chapter, and truly drags you into the novel and of course, once there, the riches are endless. Anyway, great video!!

[@pattitruit3745]

This is one of the most helpful videos I have ever watched. Thank you for the motivation and encouragement to read these great books!!

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Glad you enjoyed it, Patti :) Happy reading! Charles Dickens is good fun :)

[@daneades8983]

I am pleased to agree with your assessment: Dickens's three greatest novels are Great Expectations (perhaps best because of its perfect technique, Bleak House (because of its satire of Great Britain, ( i.e., Bleak House) from top to bottom and incredible prose style, and Our Mutual Friend for the wonderful characters and its critique of society and money. My personal favorite is Our Mutual Friend and I admire Bleak House most but I acknowledge Great Expectations as a pure masterpiece.

[@latavarma6980]

How come I never came across this gem of a channel before ? What a discovery ! Loads of thanks Benjamin McEvoy.

[@alanbauch2815]

That's a really nice Dickens collection, Benjamin. You are certainly lucky to have it.. well... my favorite would have to be great expectations, followed by bleak house, but also mutual friend is close.. Barnaby rudge is great, a tale of two cities.. I've also done Martin chuzzlewit, and Nicholas nickleby... all of these books I have read mostly twice, and second reading always makes the book more dear to my heart. I have noticed while reading Dickens my speech improves....better sentence structure and presentation of ideas ( or cohesion of ideas) I am so thankful for your video's, they always inspire me to return to the seriousness and importance of reading in my life, thank you, Al

[@Tekukuno]

I was an avid reader as a child but got "busy" as an adult. I read Dickens in grade school but, honestly, remember none of it. Another video of yours led me to pick up "Midnight's Children" a few days ago and am so glad I did so. The prose is so rich and colourful and abundantly interesting and my jaw drops more than once on every page in awe and admiration. I can't thank you enough. That said, I am anxious to finish it so that I may read some Dickens based on what I've seen here -- and will surely report on what I've chosen as my entry.

[@bethanyjohnson5598]

I just finished Great Expectations for the first time. First time reading Dickens, thanks to your encouragement! It was mesermizing. I felt like i was part of the novel, holding my breath the whole way through!!

[@Cath38639]

Bleak House was my entry after I asked my coworker for book suggestions in general (not Dickens specifically). It was incredible and I was surprised how pretty easy I found it to read given my awful memories of trying to read Dickens for high school. Now I am reading Hard Times and feel that I want to start going chronologically after I finish Hard Times. Im hooked!

[@Srilankanenglishteacher]

Dude, I must say I love your work. The fluidity in flow, coupled with your love and excitement for Literature and Dickens in general are uniquely refreshing and encouraging. I am into mid thirtee's, was a fan of Literature all of my life, but never really got down to it. I should say, you ignite the fire in me to buckle down and get back in love with Literature again. Of course, as you can tell, I am a non-native, but I had to comment, because these words needed to spit out, because you absolutely deserve them. You're my friend is such a masterclass in deed. Much love from Sri Lanka!

[@hanffd]

My favourite is Bleak House. Always want to reread it. Of course, I also love DC and GE. I read Our Mutual Friend but think I need to reread it to appreciate it. Keep meaning to read A Tale of Two Cities. It’s on my shelf.

[@christopherhoward7740]

Hi Ben, “David Copperfield” is the book that sparked my love of reading. Although Eliot is my favorite English novelist, Dickens is up there as a close second. On my first trip to London, I was fortunate enough to visit the Dickens museum on Doughty Street in Holborn. I would love to see you do a video on “Bleak House”…this is the Dickens novel that I’ve read with which I had the most difficulty. Also I have a question for you and this video seemed like an appropriate place to ask it: other than “Vanity Fair,” why do you think all of Thackeray’s other novels appear to be out of print? I know Thackeray and Dickens had something of a personal rivalry.

[@carolworthey2067]

This is a wonderful exploration of Dickens' world, his development as a writer, pieces about his life that I did not know, and some very insightful tips on choosing an "entry book." My favorite Dickens books are "Great Expectations," "A Christmas Carol" and "A Tale of Two Cities." I am currently immersed deeply in "War and Peace" (the 2023 first book in the list) and will officially join the Hardcore Literature Book Club at some point... but before reading Tolkien (whose writing I adore) and now Tolstoy, Dickens novels were my favorites --- I have read (many years earlier) all of Shakespeare's plays and sonnets, and need to read Proust and Dostoevsky (on the list for this year) and also enjoy Joseph Conrad and love Sherlock Holmes, but Tolstoy is becoming so unforgettable that War and Peace is almost "up there" (for me) with Tolkien. While reading War and Peace, I am also dipping into the final volume of Will Durant's History of Civilization which is The Age of Napoleon, to enhance my understanding of the dynamics of this fascinating era and its complexities. Thank you so very much for inspiring me to pick up books I had started reading long ago and thought were "just too much." No longer do I back off of any book... looking up all the words I don't understand and writing the definition in pencil in the margin, helps make the images and drama and ironies come alive!

[@petertrezise4545]

I read “A Tale of Two Cities,” recently, because I enjoyed the Ronald Coleman movie. The book was terrific. Even had a little tear at the end. Going to read “Pickwick Papers” next. As a 10 year old, in the mid 60’s, I saw “Pickwick Papers” on telly. Don’t remember the story, so much, but I do remember having a laugh.

[@mishelly]

Aw what perfect timing for this! I was very discouraged I couldn’t get into A Tale of Two Cities. Decided to try Great Expectations. I’m so glad I did! It’s amazing so far! Like you said -feel myself getting pulled into his world! Loving how details everything!

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

I'm glad you did too! Great Expectations definitely does a great job of pulling one into the world :)

[@krogspy332]

My first entrance in Dickens world was 'David Copperfield' (in french, unfortunately, but in the great translation by Sylvère Monod).My father loved this book and read to me when i was a child. Now i try to read Dickens novels in english. He is my favourite novelist. Dickens said once "Quel dommage de ne pouvoir écrire dans la belle langue de France' and i say "Quel dommage de ne pouvoir l'apprécier entièrement dans la belle langue d'Angleterre'. Thanks for your video and for sharing your love for the greatest novelist of England.

[@johncobb3506]

At this relatively late time of life (I turn 81 this February in 2023) I’m finally returning to Dickens after experiencing “Great Expectations” in my youth. Now I’m starting out chronologically with “Oliver Twist.” Not yet sure whether I’ll stick to that plan or jump around. I’m trying to adjust to Dickens’s leisurely, show-offy writing style. (I’m a long-time fan of Henry James, who developed a different kind of leisurely style).

[@mentalcase8]

My reading goal this year is to read only classics. Started with Great Expectations, which for me is a reread. As you guessed it, it was for a class in college, so I was introduced to Dickens by a teacher. After watching your video, I couldn’t help but think of that teacher and feel grateful he chose such a good one. I have several I haven’t read but I think I will go with David Copperfield at the end of the year just to come full circle with Charles Dickens. As always, I enjoyed your video, and I appreciate the information about the man. He seems to me very interesting. Thank you for the tips. I feel more determined to keep to my reading goal this year. Thanks.

[@umara1015]

This video definitely came at the right time. I'm currently working my way through his major works for the first time albeit not chronologically. After those, I hope to tackle his journalism and short fiction. He's probably my favorite novelist. Bradley Headstone from OMF is one of my favorite characters in all of literature. The Mystery of Edwin Drood has such a wonderful atmosphere and it's one of my favorites so far even though it was unfinished. One aspect of his writing that often goes under the radar is his approach to horror and suspense. Throughout the books I've read so far, there are some genuinely creepy scenes. Drood made me wish he had written more Gothic suspense stories. Great video, man!

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Wonderful to hear you're working through his major works, Umar! He has some great journalism and short fiction too - some nice lesser-known gems. I completely agree with you about Dickens' gothic aspect - he is easily one of the most skilled writers when it comes to creepy characters and dark atmosphere :)

[@barbaravoss7014]

Reread David Copperfield last year and loved it. Dickens was a genius storyteller and still has universal appeal more than 150 years later. I recently read The Invisible Woman by Claire Tomalin, an extremely well-researched investigation of Dickens's affair with the actress Nelly Ternan which was kept secret from the public to protect Dickens's reputation. What a fascinating book. She delves into Dickens's passion for the stage and theatre (which is reflected in how he writes dialogue). She examines the life of strolling players, the amazing lives of actresses during the Victorian era, the fate of kept women and much more. She also reveals the darker side of Dickens, his capacity for cruelty and hypocrisy. I think this is a must-read for any Dickens fan. It does not diminish him, it makes him more human.

[@elizzievb]

Thanks for the tip about The Invisible Woman. I only recently learned about how horribly Dickens treated his wife and it has destroyed my vision of him - not his writing of course but what kind of person he really was. I am desperately trying to find the hero in him again, however immature that may seem. Surely he was simply human. I will be reading this recommended book. ❤

[@user-vb1ee4fz8t]

I've read all of Dickens, but his most accessible and readable works are, "Great Expectations", and "A Tale of Two Cities". The end of the latter usually makes me want to cry, such a sad ending, and a great book on the French Revolution.

[@donaldkelly3983]

This week I finished David Copperfield, taking three chapters a week. What impressed me was Dickens' sense of theater. The story seems more like watching a play than reading a story. Mr. Micawber, Traddles, Steerforth, and most of all Uriah Heep, are vividly drawn. And like a good playwright, Dickens seems to bring his characters to life by the language they use and how they speak to each other. Is Mr. Micawber a cousin to Falstaff? Is Heep a relation of Iago?

[@lizgonzalez491]

Love your collection of Dickens books. Beautiful.

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Thank you, Liz :) They are some of my most cherished books!

[@thelaurels13]

I’m ashamed to confess, my first journey into the Dickensian world was June of this year when I read Great Expectations and fell in love with Dickens. I’ve since purchased Oliver Twist, Nicholas Nickleby, David Copperfield and A Tale of Two Cities, and can’t wait to delve into them.

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

That's awesome :) You have so many lovely characters to meet! Great line-up of books!

[@DressyCrooner]

As Hitchens and his friends during their parlour games called it, Good Expectations...

[@kyriosity]

I have had a loathe-hate relationship with Dickens since the eleventh grade, so I haven't read anything of his (other than A Christmas Carol) since 1983. I've occasionally tried a film adaptation, but why watch something that requires consuming a bowlful of Prozac with every episode? You finally convinced me to give Pickwick a try, though, so I started it last night. You may chalk that up as a victory. It may seem a small one, but overcoming nearly four decades of reticence is really quite a significant accomplishment!

[@katietatey]

Great video! I loved the reading you did. I hope you have kids because you would make an excellent bedtime-story reader :). I started with A Tale of Two Cities and loved it. I had a children's version when I was about 6 or 7 years old and finally read the whole book a couple of years ago. I'm onto Our Mutual Friend now and I'm taking it rather slowly. I am about halfway through and the book is really picking up speed. I have several more of his works patiently awaiting me on the shelf. :)

[@sharon152]

Brilliant video as usual. I have read our mutual friend and bleak house this year. Loved both of them, two of the best books I have read this year. Bleak house I preferred. Plan to read a Christmas Carol in December. Am planning to read more Dickens next year.

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Thank you, Sharon :) You've read some masterpieces - Our Mutual Friend and Bleak House are so strong! I hope you enjoy A Christmas Carol. One of my personal favourites!

[@kevinrussell1144]

This was great, Benjamin. Curiously, my entrance point for Dickens was also Great Expectations, in high school English. To this day it remains a favorite, and I consider my love for English literature to have begun with this book. Unlike you, there are many Dickens novels I've yet to read, but I have a wife who loves Pickwick Papers and Little Dorrit, so Dickens has long been a bridge to connection. I'm currently trying to work my way through Our Mutual Friend, but that boat may have sailed. It's a big book, and I am old. My son is a reader, too, but he has not read much Dickens, although GE is part of his list. It is a family joke that over time, I've assumed the persona of Joe Gargery. I thought for a while he might end up as one of the more sketchy characters of Bleak House, but he has grown in character with time, is a responsible, earning adult, and he is shaping up to be another David Copperfield. Finally, I acquired a little stripe-gray tomcat a few years back. He is difficult, stubborn, sleek, but lovable, and, of course, he's named Pip.

[@mrsegundas3988]

Excellent video on geting started with Dickens. I picked up a very good, second hand set of the Dickens collection by GE Fabbri based on your recommendation. They are superb, so thank you for that.

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Thank you so much :) I'm so thrilled to hear you picked up a set for yourself. That is so exciting! These are easily some of my favourites books in my collection. You'll have so much fun going through them!

[@s.annehancock730]

Dickens for the Christmas season reading! Benjamin have you created videos on how to read faster, how to remember key points about each book and note taking?

[@axlramirez14]

This video was superb Benjamin, very well done! 🤗 I loved seeing your Dickens’s collection, especially because they’re illustrated (I need something like that in Mexico, please haha), plus, your recommendations were incredibly helpful - thank you so much for that! In my particular case, I’ve just read one book by Dickens, A Christmas Carol, which was super cozy and beautiful, especially because I read it two days before Christmas 🎄 last year. ☺️ Now, I’m definitely going to follow your advice, and keep going on my Dickens journey as soon as possible. Cheers my friend! 👋

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Thank you, Axl :) The illustrations are my favourite part of this collection too! A Christmas Carol is superb -- cosy is the perfect word for it. I've begun rereading it again recently (a bit early this year) and am loving it all over again. Wishing you the best on your Dickens journey!

[@davet2625]

Love Dickens so much! (one of my three favourite authors along with George Eliot and Feodor Dostoevsky). My first Dickens was A Tale of Two Cities (by sheer chance I read it directly after Les Miserables and it was good to have that complementary element going on). I've read all his novels and it's so hard to even pick a top 3! I'd maybe say that I found Martin Chuzzelwit to be the least good and I won't re-read it. All the others will get re-reads. And a few years ago I started the tradition of reading either A Christmas Carol or one of his other Christmas Stories every Christmas time - it's a delightful element of Christmas for me now! Once again, I have to say what a great channel this is - your passion and insights are really valuable Benjamin, thank you!

[@aamnainfebruary]

Coming here to say that I just finished Great Expectations, and it is the best book I read in 2022. I buddy read it along with a friend (who’s also watching your videos now) and we thoroughly enjoyed it. I always thought that Dickens must be boring. But then, I found your channel and was completely sold. Dickens is now one of my favourites and I plan on reading all of his works.

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Wow! Congratulations :) I'm so happy you fell in love with Dickens and Great Expectations. It sounds like you had a very special reading experience. You have such a wonderful adventure ahead of you in exploring the rest of his works :)

[@JeansiByxan]

What a great introduction to Dickens! Well done my good sir. I’m glad to see there are young people still cherishing the old classics.

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Thank you :)

[@DougerSR]

Great Expectations was mine also!!! Always been close to my heart.

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

I'm so thrilled that it was yours too, Doug! Such a special novel :)

[@marjoriedybec3450]

Love Dickens. Hard to choose a favorite but high on my list are : Bleak House, Tale of Two Cities, and Adventures of Nickolas Nickleby. BTW, when I read Les Miserables, I loved it so much that it felt life changing to me (and I've never seen it on film or musical and won't.) I wouldn't describe it as a companion to Tale of Two Cities although they have the same backdrop. Their objectives feel very different to me. Thank you for your smart videos. I really enjoy them.

[@virgilflowers9846]

It really is like choosing a favorite child. They all touch the soul in some special and unique way, I could probably make an argument for most of his novels to be considered the “best”. My very favorite, is A Christmas Carol. It’s just beautiful and perfect in every way. David Copperfield is close on its heels, and if I’m being honest with myself, is probably my favorite full length novel of his. However, I also have tons of love for Nickleby-this is a book I’ve read twice; the first time, it was my second full-length novel of his, and I really liked it. The second time though, is when it came alive. Putting Nickleby against a backdrop of his entire catalog truly allows it to reveal itself. This is an amazing novel, and I absolutely believe it should be talked about in the same context as Copperfield, Two Cities, Bleak House and Expectations. I know not everyone feels this way, but I can’t shake it, it’s such a wonderful novel. I also really love Martin Chuzzlewit and feel that it gets overlooked a bit too often! The right answer here is personal, and an argument could be made for nearly every single one of his novels. The most important part, is to just READ them all; every One!

[@kelleyjogirl]

I read A Christmas Carol every December. It's one of my favorite stories. I have started Bleak House a few time, because I've watched the miniseries and loved it, but I always get distracted. Perhaps I just need to try a different Dickens book first.

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

That's a really beautiful tradition! I do the same thing, and always find something new in the story of Scrooge :) I'm a big fan of the Bleak House miniseries too, but definitely worth trying a different Dickens because there are lots of great alternatives!

[@cuttobl4ck]

Hey Ben! Thanks for the awesome videos as always. I was just curious what your thoughts were on Hard Times?

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Thank you :) "Now, what I want is Facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but Facts. Facts alone are wanted in life." This is what immediately leaps to my mind when Hard Times is mentioned. I was very young when I read this one, so I can't quite remember much of it. But I do remember enjoying it, so I really must read it again!

[@ralphsmith2209]

My Grade 7 teacher read us David Copperfield and he has been my favourite writer ever since then. I wrote an MA thesis on Dickens and years later did a PhD dissertation on him. Recently I wrote a novel that is a prequel to Bleak House.

[@ed4d195]

I've just ordered a tale of two cities as an entry into his works along with a few other works, the video is almost perfect timing for me.

[@BenjaminMcEvoy]

Nice one :) I hope you enjoy it!

[@phillipdodds7860]

Great Expectations was my first Dickens novel as well. I loved it. Reading Martin Chuzzlewit now.

[@mr.horrorchild4094]

My introduction was The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club which inspired my own writing of a bit of research called The Occurrence of Circumstance within The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club in which I exhaustively list the occurences and theorize on their purposes