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Bleak House - Charles Dickens - Book 11, Part 2 Title: Bleak House Overview: Bleak House is a novel by Charles Dickens, first published as a 20-episode serial between March 1852 and September 1853. The novel has many characters and several sub-plots, and is told partly by the novel's heroine, Esther Summerson, and partly by an omniscient narrator. At the center of Bleak House is a long-running legal case in the Court of Chancery, Jarndyce, and Jarndyce, which comes about because a testator has written several conflicting wills. In a preface to the 1853 first edition, Dickens claimed there were many actual precedents for his fictional case. One such was probably the Thellusson v Woodford case in which a will read in 1797 was contested and not determined until 1859. Though many in the legal profession criticized Dickens's satire as exaggerated, this novel helped support a judicial reform movement that culminated in the enactment of legal reform in the 1870s. There is some debate among scholars as to when Bleak House is set. The English legal historian Sir William Holdsworth sets the action in 1827; however, reference to preparation for the building of a railway in Chapter LV suggests the 1830s. Published: 1853 List: 100 Classic Book Collection Author: Charles Dickens Genre: Novel, Serial Novel, Social Criticism Novel, Novella, Bildungsroman, Fiction Novel Episode: Bleak House - Charles Dickens - Book 11, Part 2 Part: 2 of 7 Length Part: 6:33:18 Book: 11 Length Book: 39:24:50 Episodes: 11 - 20 of 68 Narrator: Mil Nicholson Language: English Edition: Unabridged Audiobook Keywords: determination, persistence, kindness, human spirit, morality play, perception, discovery, hope, betrayal, deceit, social classes, reconciliation, growth, change, social ascent, class structure, criminal justice, women status, first-person narrative, legal reform, court case, satire, justice Credits: All LibriVox Recordings are in the Public Domain. Wikipedia (c) Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. WOMBO Dream.

Bleak House - Charles Dickens - Book 11, Part 1 Title: Bleak House Overview: Bleak House is a novel by Charles Dickens, first published as a 20-episode serial between March 1852 and September 1853. The novel has many characters and several sub-plots, and is told partly by the novel's heroine, Esther Summerson, and partly by an omniscient narrator. At the center of Bleak House is a long-running legal case in the Court of Chancery, Jarndyce, and Jarndyce, which comes about because a testator has written several conflicting wills. In a preface to the 1853 first edition, Dickens claimed there were many actual precedents for his fictional case. One such was probably the Thellusson v Woodford case in which a will read in 1797 was contested and not determined until 1859. Though many in the legal profession criticized Dickens's satire as exaggerated, this novel helped support a judicial reform movement that culminated in the enactment of legal reform in the 1870s. There is some debate among scholars as to when Bleak House is set. The English legal historian Sir William Holdsworth sets the action in 1827; however, reference to preparation for the building of a railway in Chapter LV suggests the 1830s. Published: 1853 List: 100 Classic Book Collection Author: Charles Dickens Genre: Novel, Serial Novel, Social Criticism Novel, Novella, Bildungsroman, Fiction Novel Episode: Bleak House - Charles Dickens - Book 11, Part 1 Part: 1 of 7 Length Part: 5:40:46 Book: 11 Length Book: 39:24:50 Episodes: 1 - 10 of 68 Narrator: Mil Nicholson Language: English Edition: Unabridged Audiobook Keywords: determination, persistence, kindness, human spirit, morality play, perception, discovery, hope, betrayal, deceit, social classes, reconciliation, growth, change, social ascent, class structure, criminal justice, women status, first-person narrative, legal reform, court case, satire, justice Credits: All LibriVox Recordings are in the Public Domain. Wikipedia (c) Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. WOMBO Dream.

The Battle of Life - Charles Dickens - Book 10 Title: The Battle of Life Overview: The Battle of Life: A Love Story is an 1846 novel by Charles Dickens. It is the fourth of his five "Christmas Books", coming after The Cricket on the Hearth and followed by The Haunted Man and the Ghost's Bargain. The setting is an English village that stands on the site of a historic battle. Some characters refer to the battle as a metaphor for the struggles of life, hence the title. The battle is the only one of the five Christmas Books that has no supernatural or explicitly religious elements. (One scene takes place at Christmas time, but it is not the final scene.) The story bears some resemblance to The Cricket on the Hearth in two respects: it has a non-urban setting, and it is resolved with a romantic twist. It is even less of a social novel than is Cricket. As is typical with Dickens, the ending is a happy one. It is one of Dickens's lesser-known works and has never attained any high level of popularity – a trait it shares with The Haunted Man, in contrast to the other of his Christmas Books. Published: 1846 Series: Christmas Novella, Book 4 Author: Charles Dickens Genre: Novel, Serial Novel, Social Criticism Novel, Novella, Bildungsroman, Fiction Novel Episode: The Battle of Life - Charles Dickens - Book 10 Part: 1 of 1 Length Part: 3:28:47 Book: 10 Length Book: 3:28:47 Episodes: 1 - 7 of 7 Narrator: Mark F. Smith Language: English Edition: Unabridged Audiobook Keywords: love, struggle, determination, persistence, kindness, human spirit, morality play, perception, discovery, hope, farce, marriage, school, elopement, forgiveness, betrayal, deceit, social classes, reconciliation, growth, change, christmas Credits: All LibriVox Recordings are in the Public Domain. Wikipedia (c) Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. WOMBO Dream.

David Copperfield - Charles Dickens - Book 9, Part 6 Title: David Copperfield Overview: The Personal History, Adventures, Experience, and Observation of David Copperfield the Younger of Blunderstone Rookery (Which He Never Meant to Publish on Any Account), commonly known as David Copperfield, is a novel in the bildungsroman genre by Charles Dickens, narrated by the eponymous David Copperfield, detailing his adventures in his journey from infancy to maturity. It was first published as a serial in 1849 and 1850, and as a book in 1850. David Copperfield is also an autobiographical novel: "a very complicated weaving of truth and invention", with events following Dickens's own life. Of the books he wrote, it was his favorite. Called "the triumph of the art of Dickens", it marks a turning point in his work, separating the novels of youth and those of maturity. At first glance, the work is modeled on 18th-century "personal histories" that were very popular, like Henry Fielding's Joseph Andrews or Tom Jones, but David Copperfield is a more carefully structured work. It begins, like other novels by Dickens, with a bleak picture of childhood in Victorian England, followed by young Copperfield's slow social ascent, as he painfully provides for his aunt, while continuing his studies. Dickens wrote without an outline, unlike his previous novel, Dombey and Son. Some aspects of the story were fixed in his mind from the start, but others were undecided until the serial publications were underway. The novel has a primary theme of growth and change, but Dickens also satirizes many aspects of Victorian life. These include the plight of prostitutes, the status of women in marriage, class structure, the criminal justice system, the quality of schools, and the employment of children in factories. Published: 1849 List: 100 Classic Book Collection Author: Charles Dickens Genre: Novel, Serial Novel, Social Criticism Novel, Novella, Bildungsroman, Fiction Novel Episode: David Copperfield - Charles Dickens - Book 9, Part 6 Part: 6 of 6 Length Part: 3:31:20 Book: 9 Length Book: 32:29:22 Episodes: 56 - 65 of 65 Narrator: Tygh Hines Language: English Edition: Unabridged Audiobook Keywords: determination, persistence, kindness, human spirit, morality play, perception, discovery, hope, child cruelty, betrayal, deceit, social classes, reconciliation, boarding school, growth, change, social ascent, class structure, criminal justice, school, child labor, women status, first-person narrative Credits: All LibriVox Recordings are in the Public Domain. Wikipedia (c) Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. WOMBO Dream.

David Copperfield - Charles Dickens - Book 9, Part 5 Title: David Copperfield Overview: The Personal History, Adventures, Experience, and Observation of David Copperfield the Younger of Blunderstone Rookery (Which He Never Meant to Publish on Any Account), commonly known as David Copperfield, is a novel in the bildungsroman genre by Charles Dickens, narrated by the eponymous David Copperfield, detailing his adventures in his journey from infancy to maturity. It was first published as a serial in 1849 and 1850, and as a book in 1850. David Copperfield is also an autobiographical novel: "a very complicated weaving of truth and invention", with events following Dickens's own life. Of the books he wrote, it was his favorite. Called "the triumph of the art of Dickens", it marks a turning point in his work, separating the novels of youth and those of maturity. At first glance, the work is modeled on 18th-century "personal histories" that were very popular, like Henry Fielding's Joseph Andrews or Tom Jones, but David Copperfield is a more carefully structured work. It begins, like other novels by Dickens, with a bleak picture of childhood in Victorian England, followed by young Copperfield's slow social ascent, as he painfully provides for his aunt, while continuing his studies. Dickens wrote without an outline, unlike his previous novel, Dombey and Son. Some aspects of the story were fixed in his mind from the start, but others were undecided until the serial publications were underway. The novel has a primary theme of growth and change, but Dickens also satirizes many aspects of Victorian life. These include the plight of prostitutes, the status of women in marriage, class structure, the criminal justice system, the quality of schools, and the employment of children in factories. Published: 1849 List: 100 Classic Book Collection Author: Charles Dickens Genre: Novel, Serial Novel, Social Criticism Novel, Novella, Bildungsroman, Fiction Novel Episode: David Copperfield - Charles Dickens - Book 9, Part 5 Part: 5 of 6 Length Part: 5:35:36 Book: 9 Length Book: 32:29:22 Episodes: 45 - 55 of 65 Narrator: Tygh Hines Language: English Edition: Unabridged Audiobook Keywords: determination, persistence, kindness, human spirit, morality play, perception, discovery, hope, child cruelty, betrayal, deceit, social classes, reconciliation, boarding school, growth, change, social ascent, class structure, criminal justice, school, child labor, women status, first-person narrative Credits: All LibriVox Recordings are in the Public Domain. Wikipedia (c) Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. WOMBO Dream.

David Copperfield - Charles Dickens - Book 9, Part 4 Title: David Copperfield Overview: The Personal History, Adventures, Experience, and Observation of David Copperfield the Younger of Blunderstone Rookery (Which He Never Meant to Publish on Any Account), commonly known as David Copperfield, is a novel in the bildungsroman genre by Charles Dickens, narrated by the eponymous David Copperfield, detailing his adventures in his journey from infancy to maturity. It was first published as a serial in 1849 and 1850, and as a book in 1850. David Copperfield is also an autobiographical novel: "a very complicated weaving of truth and invention", with events following Dickens's own life. Of the books he wrote, it was his favorite. Called "the triumph of the art of Dickens", it marks a turning point in his work, separating the novels of youth and those of maturity. At first glance, the work is modeled on 18th-century "personal histories" that were very popular, like Henry Fielding's Joseph Andrews or Tom Jones, but David Copperfield is a more carefully structured work. It begins, like other novels by Dickens, with a bleak picture of childhood in Victorian England, followed by young Copperfield's slow social ascent, as he painfully provides for his aunt, while continuing his studies. Dickens wrote without an outline, unlike his previous novel, Dombey and Son. Some aspects of the story were fixed in his mind from the start, but others were undecided until the serial publications were underway. The novel has a primary theme of growth and change, but Dickens also satirizes many aspects of Victorian life. These include the plight of prostitutes, the status of women in marriage, class structure, the criminal justice system, the quality of schools, and the employment of children in factories. Published: 1849 List: 100 Classic Book Collection Author: Charles Dickens Genre: Novel, Serial Novel, Social Criticism Novel, Novella, Bildungsroman, Fiction Novel Episode: David Copperfield - Charles Dickens - Book 9, Part 4 Part: 4 of 6 Length Part: 5:54:45 Book: 9 Length Book: 32:29:22 Episodes: 34 - 44 of 65 Narrator: Tygh Hines Language: English Edition: Unabridged Audiobook Keywords: determination, persistence, kindness, human spirit, morality play, perception, discovery, hope, child cruelty, betrayal, deceit, social classes, reconciliation, boarding school, growth, change, social ascent, class structure, criminal justice, school, child labor, women status, first-person narrative Credits: All LibriVox Recordings are in the Public Domain. Wikipedia (c) Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. WOMBO Dream.

David Copperfield - Charles Dickens - Book 9, Part 3 Title: David Copperfield Overview: The Personal History, Adventures, Experience, and Observation of David Copperfield the Younger of Blunderstone Rookery (Which He Never Meant to Publish on Any Account), commonly known as David Copperfield, is a novel in the bildungsroman genre by Charles Dickens, narrated by the eponymous David Copperfield, detailing his adventures in his journey from infancy to maturity. It was first published as a serial in 1849 and 1850, and as a book in 1850. David Copperfield is also an autobiographical novel: "a very complicated weaving of truth and invention", with events following Dickens's own life. Of the books he wrote, it was his favorite. Called "the triumph of the art of Dickens", it marks a turning point in his work, separating the novels of youth and those of maturity. At first glance, the work is modeled on 18th-century "personal histories" that were very popular, like Henry Fielding's Joseph Andrews or Tom Jones, but David Copperfield is a more carefully structured work. It begins, like other novels by Dickens, with a bleak picture of childhood in Victorian England, followed by young Copperfield's slow social ascent, as he painfully provides for his aunt, while continuing his studies. Dickens wrote without an outline, unlike his previous novel, Dombey and Son. Some aspects of the story were fixed in his mind from the start, but others were undecided until the serial publications were underway. The novel has a primary theme of growth and change, but Dickens also satirizes many aspects of Victorian life. These include the plight of prostitutes, the status of women in marriage, class structure, the criminal justice system, the quality of schools, and the employment of children in factories. Published: 1849 List: 100 Classic Book Collection Author: Charles Dickens Genre: Novel, Serial Novel, Social Criticism Novel, Novella, Bildungsroman, Fiction Novel Episode: David Copperfield - Charles Dickens - Book 9, Part 3 Part: 3 of 6 Length Part: 5:39:52 Book: 9 Length Book: 32:29:22 Episodes: 23 - 33 of 65 Narrator: Tygh Hines Language: English Edition: Unabridged Audiobook Keywords: determination, persistence, kindness, human spirit, morality play, perception, discovery, hope, child cruelty, betrayal, deceit, social classes, reconciliation, boarding school, growth, change, social ascent, class structure, criminal justice, school, child labor, women status, first-person narrative Credits: All LibriVox Recordings are in the Public Domain. Wikipedia (c) Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. WOMBO Dream.

David Copperfield - Charles Dickens - Book 9, Part 2 Title: David Copperfield Overview: The Personal History, Adventures, Experience, and Observation of David Copperfield the Younger of Blunderstone Rookery (Which He Never Meant to Publish on Any Account), commonly known as David Copperfield, is a novel in the bildungsroman genre by Charles Dickens, narrated by the eponymous David Copperfield, detailing his adventures in his journey from infancy to maturity. It was first published as a serial in 1849 and 1850, and as a book in 1850. David Copperfield is also an autobiographical novel: "a very complicated weaving of truth and invention", with events following Dickens's own life. Of the books he wrote, it was his favorite. Called "the triumph of the art of Dickens", it marks a turning point in his work, separating the novels of youth and those of maturity. At first glance, the work is modeled on 18th-century "personal histories" that were very popular, like Henry Fielding's Joseph Andrews or Tom Jones, but David Copperfield is a more carefully structured work. It begins, like other novels by Dickens, with a bleak picture of childhood in Victorian England, followed by young Copperfield's slow social ascent, as he painfully provides for his aunt, while continuing his studies. Dickens wrote without an outline, unlike his previous novel, Dombey and Son. Some aspects of the story were fixed in his mind from the start, but others were undecided until the serial publications were underway. The novel has a primary theme of growth and change, but Dickens also satirizes many aspects of Victorian life. These include the plight of prostitutes, the status of women in marriage, class structure, the criminal justice system, the quality of schools, and the employment of children in factories. Published: 1849 List: 100 Classic Book Collection Author: Charles Dickens Genre: Novel, Serial Novel, Social Criticism Novel, Novella, Bildungsroman, Fiction Novel Episode: David Copperfield - Charles Dickens - Book 9, Part 2 Part: 2 of 6 Length Part: 6:04:59 Book: 9 Length Book: 32:29:22 Episodes: 12 - 22 of 65 Narrator: Tygh Hines Language: English Edition: Unabridged Audiobook Keywords: determination, persistence, kindness, human spirit, morality play, perception, discovery, hope, child cruelty, betrayal, deceit, social classes, reconciliation, boarding school, growth, change, social ascent, class structure, criminal justice, school, child labor, women status, first-person narrative Credits: All LibriVox Recordings are in the Public Domain. Wikipedia (c) Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. WOMBO Dream.

David Copperfield - Charles Dickens - Book 9, Part 1 Title: David Copperfield Overview: The Personal History, Adventures, Experience, and Observation of David Copperfield the Younger of Blunderstone Rookery (Which He Never Meant to Publish on Any Account), commonly known as David Copperfield, is a novel in the bildungsroman genre by Charles Dickens, narrated by the eponymous David Copperfield, detailing his adventures in his journey from infancy to maturity. It was first published as a serial in 1849 and 1850, and as a book in 1850. David Copperfield is also an autobiographical novel: "a very complicated weaving of truth and invention", with events following Dickens's own life. Of the books he wrote, it was his favorite. Called "the triumph of the art of Dickens", it marks a turning point in his work, separating the novels of youth and those of maturity. At first glance, the work is modeled on 18th-century "personal histories" that were very popular, like Henry Fielding's Joseph Andrews or Tom Jones, but David Copperfield is a more carefully structured work. It begins, like other novels by Dickens, with a bleak picture of childhood in Victorian England, followed by young Copperfield's slow social ascent, as he painfully provides for his aunt, while continuing his studies. Dickens wrote without an outline, unlike his previous novel, Dombey and Son. Some aspects of the story were fixed in his mind from the start, but others were undecided until the serial publications were underway. The novel has a primary theme of growth and change, but Dickens also satirizes many aspects of Victorian life. These include the plight of prostitutes, the status of women in marriage, class structure, the criminal justice system, the quality of schools, and the employment of children in factories. Published: 1849 List: 100 Classic Book Collection Author: Charles Dickens Genre: Novel, Serial Novel, Social Criticism Novel, Novella, Bildungsroman, Fiction Novel Episode: David Copperfield - Charles Dickens - Book 9, Part 1 Part: 1 of 6 Length Part: 5:42:49 Book: 9 Length Book: 32:29:22 Episodes: 1 - 11 of 65 Narrator: Tygh Hines Language: English Edition: Unabridged Audiobook Keywords: determination, persistence, kindness, human spirit, morality play, perception, discovery, hope, child cruelty, betrayal, deceit, social classes, reconciliation, boarding school, growth, change, social ascent, class structure, criminal justice, school, child labor, women status, first-person narrative Credits: All LibriVox Recordings are in the Public Domain. Wikipedia (c) Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. WOMBO Dream.

Dombey and Son - Charles Dickens - Book 8, Part 7 Title: Dombey and Son Overview: Dombey and Son is a novel by English author Charles Dickens. It follows the fortunes of a shipping firm owner, who is frustrated at the lack of a son to follow him in his footsteps; he initially rejects his daughter's love before eventually becoming reconciled with her before his death. The story features many Dickensian themes, such as arranged marriages, child cruelty, betrayal, deceit, and relations between people from different British social classes. The novel was first published in monthly parts between 1846 and 1848, with illustrations by Hablot Knight Browne ("Phiz"). Published: 1846 List: 100 Classic Book Collection Author: Charles Dickens Genre: Novel, Serial Novel, Social Criticism Novel, Novella, Bildungsroman, Fiction Novel Episode: Dombey and Son - Charles Dickens - Book 8, Part 7 Part: 7 of 7 Length Part: 5:42:10 Book: 8 Length Book: 40:22:28 Episodes: 55 - 63 of 63 Narrator: Mil Nicholson Language: English Edition: Unabridged Audiobook Keywords: determination, persistence, kindness, human spirit, morality play, perception, discovery, hope, arranged marriage, child cruelty, betrayal, deceit, social classes, reconciliation Credits: All LibriVox Recordings are in the Public Domain. Wikipedia (c) Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. WOMBO Dream.