Oliver Twist
by Charles Dickens
List Price:
Our Price: $1.44
You Save: $2.06 (59%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Charles DickensEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2002-12-30
ISBN: 0486424537
Number of pages: 362
Publisher: Dover Publications
Product features:
- ISBN13: 9780486424538
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
- Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices
Book Reviews of Oliver Twist
Book Review: The master of irony at his best
Summary: 4 Stars
Oliver Twist is perhaps the most culturally prevalent of Mr. Dickens' novels. Everyone has heard the famous line: "Please sir, can I have some more?" What a lot of people don't realize is that Oliver Twist was actually Dickens' attempt at a social critique of the prevailing prejudices against the poor and downtrodden in Victorian England, and the appalling work and living conditions that they were subjected to as a result of the Poor Law of 1834. In this capacity Dickens was very successful; his novel helped draw attention to the problem and precipitated a wave of compassion toward the poor. However, his success in improving the image of one marginalized group was perhaps marred by the slandering of a second marginalized population: the Jews. Dickens' anti-semitism is very apparent in the character of the Jew Fagin who is repeatedly likened to a demon, and who is characterized by a jumble of derogatory Jewish stereotypes. By contrast, Oliver is hardly characterized at all except to be described as a kind of nebulous blob of pure goodness who is tried by hardship at every turn-- thereby winning our sympathy.
Like many of Dickens' novels, Twist's plot hangs on the convergence of coincidence. Though the seeming acts of fate that drive the story are clearly contrived, it is done in such a self-aware manner that the reader can't help but overlook the ridiculousness of the plot twists. My favorite part of Dickens' story-telling in this novel is the bitingly sarcastic manner in which it is written. The narrative is dry and exceptionally witty, and I frequently found myself laughing out loud at the masterful use of irony that turns what could be rather dark and depressing parts of the novel into dark comedy. The manner of narration makes up for the rather stereotypical good vs evil, villains-get-their-just-deserts plot formulation. I really enjoyed reading Oliver Twist, and I would definitely recommend it for a first time Dickens reader, with the one qualification that it does reflect the prevailing prejudices and racism of the time, and should thus be taken with a large grain of salt.
Literature & Fiction Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Audiobooks on Cassette
- Audiobooks on CD
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- e-Books
- Engineering
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Medicine
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Linda's Book Challenge 2009
The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Deadby Max Brooks
Three Rivers Press; Published: 2003-09-16; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.49
Price in other shops:
Sector 7 (Caldecott Honor Book)Clarion Books; Published: 1999-09-20; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $8.99
Price in other shops:
Flotsam (Caldecott Medal Book)by David Wiesner
Clarion Books; Published: 2006-09-04; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $10.49
Price in other shops:
Fat Land: How Americans Became the Fattest People in the Worldby Greg Critser
Mariner Books; Published: 2004-01-05; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.50
Price in other shops:
Jacob Have I Lovedby Katherine Paterson
HarperCollins; Published: 1990-03-31; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.00
Price in other shops:
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie Warby Max Brooks
Three Rivers Press; Published: 2007-10-16; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.00
Price in other shops:
The Witch of Blackbird Pondby Elizabeth George Speare
Dell Printing; Published: 1973; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.99
Decline and Fallby Evelyn Waugh
Back Bay Books; Published: 1999-09; Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.79
Price in other shops:
Slaughterhouse-Five: A Novelby Kurt Vonnegut
Dial Press Trade Paperback; Published: 1999-01-12; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.84
Price in other shops:
Ghost Worldby Daniel Clowes
Fantagraphics Books; Published: 2001-04-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.58
Price in other shops:
Similar books summaries and other product reviews
A Christmas Carol (Enriched Classics)by Charles Dickens
Simon & Schuster; Published: 2007-10-09; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.29
Price in other shops:
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Enriched Classics)by Robert Louis Stevenson
Simon & Schuster; Published: 2005-03-29; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.08
Price in other shops:
David Copperfield (Penguin Popular Classics)by Charles Dickens
Penguin Books; Published: 1994-02-24; Paperback; Book
Best price: $0.01
Price in other shops:
Jane Eyre (Dover Thrift Editions)by Charlotte Bront?
Dover Publications; Published: 2003-01-16; Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.65
Price in other shops:
Dickens' Oliver Twist (Cliffs Notes)Cliffs Notes; Published: 1965-10-08; Paperback; Book
Best price: $0.01
Price in other shops:
David Copperfield (Signet Classics)by Charles Dickens
Signet Classics; Published: 2006-02-07; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.10
Price in other shops:
The Old Curiosity Shop (Dover Thrift Editions)by Charles Dickens
Dover Publications; Published: 2003-07-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.67
Price in other shops:
A Tale of Two Cities: 150th Anniversary (Signet Classics)by Charles Dickens
Signet Classics; Published: 2007-02-06; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.24
Price in other shops:
Great Expectations (Dover Thrift Editions)by Charles Dickens
Dover Publications; Published: 2001-08-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.59
Price in other shops:
David Copperfield (Dover Thrift Editions)by Charles Dickens
Dover Publications; Published: 2005-01-14; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.48
Price in other shops: