Martin Jarvis performs a fabulous reading of "David
Copperfield". His interpretation of Dickens's colorful
cast of characters is spot-on.

My only complaint is with the format of the CDs themselves.
Most MP3 players have a feature for moving from folder to
folder and for browsing among MP3 files in a given folder.
This allows one to quickly find one's bookmark, so to
speak. But on each of the "David Copperfield" CD's, all the
MP3 files are collected in one folder, thereby forcing the
listener to manually page through a large number of files on
those occasions (such as power disconnection) where the MP3
player loses its memory of its last stopping point.

Given the quality of the reading, however, the CD formatting
is a minor nit.

The book is very deep and interesting. It is very well written as well as expressed. It encouraged me to become active in the field of reading. It has helped to change the way that I view literature, and provided me with a safe and fun way of occupation.

It is saying a lot, but this is the finest book we have on Dickens. It is the most alert, dextrous, generous, and surprising. The titanic and inimitable author is so well served by this titanic and inimitable scholar, Hilary Schor.

A glossary that's fun to read. Contains words and expressions that I've not been able to find in any dictionary. Makes reading Dickens an even greater pleasure!

This is a book I first checked out from the library in college. I must tell you, for anyone who wants to become a writer, this is the most fascinating book. After I read this baby at least five times, and the University of Iowa library was screaming to get it back, I must have checked it out at least 4 more times. Now that I can, I have my own copy. This book will explain to you--from the inside--how Charles Dickens planned and constructed his novels. Remember the famous Hemingway quote: "Fiction is architecture, not interior decorating." This book contains the blueprints for dozens of now-famous novels. curmudgeon99@earthlink.net

Being a lover of fine literature, the world of Charles Dickenshas always held a special place in my heart. It's a place and a timeuniquely his own. I had always know that much of what he wrote about was autobiographical. But not until reading MacKenzie's work did I have a full understanding of the man. She starts with his rough origins, which strongly reflect the world of David Copperfield, takes us through his early working years, his personal life, and lastly, his physical decline. The book gives us insights into the man, and fleshes him out like so many of his characters. MacKenzie describes his jealousy of other writers, his struggle to financially care for his extended family, describes the plays he painstakenly put on with his family and friends, details the summer vacations with his family, his reading tours of America, and, most importantly, his writing. His serialzied novles became the number one source of entertainment in the English speaking world. Crowds would gather on American docks, waiting for the English ships to unload the next installment of his latest novel. Families would gather around and read the work aloud, living and dying with each plot twist. MacKenzie shows how Dickens himself agaonized over every plot twist. The characters would become like family members to him. Bringing harm to them would often bring tears flowing from his eyes as he read the just finished installment to his family and friends. It's well worth the effort to try and find.

Loralee MacPike does an excellent job of exploring the role Dickens's novels played in Dostoevsky's works. Focusing on Dickens's The Old Curiosity Shop and David Copperfield, she shows their impact on two of Dostoevsky's novels: The Insulted and Injured and The Possessed. This is a brilliant analysis, and a fine critical work that made me appreciate both writers even more than I already had.

... Homer Dickens is perhaps the King of this series, his other 'Films of...' books including Gary Cooper, Marlene Dietrich, James Cagney and Katharine Hepburn. The book begins with a brief but complimentary biography entitled 'Ginger Rogers - The American Girl' which Dickens starts of by summing up Ginger's all-American appeal. The chapter tells Ginger's life story from birth and childhood in Missouri to her days as a teenager on the vaudeville circuit before going to Hollywood. This chapter features many great stills from her vaudeville and Hollywood days not to mention ones from her early television appearances. This is followed by a section devoted to portraits including some of Ginger's early Hollywood stills (before she became blonde) through to her star years. Then come the films first the short film appearances from 'Campus Sweethearts' in 1929 to 'Ginger Rogers Finds a Bargain' which is a 5 minute trailer for the Fourth War Loan Drive. The features begin on page 44 and like all of Dickens 'films of' books features cast, credits, synopsis, reviews of the day and Dickens own notes. From her first appearance in 'Young Man of Manhattan' in 1930 (where she famously utters the line 'Cigarette me, big boy') to her final screen appearance in the 1964 bomb 'Quick Let's Get Married'(though 'Harlow' was filmed the following year this was not released till 1971), all of Ginger's classic roles from Dale Tremont to Kitty Foyle are included. But it doesn't end there - beggining on page 228 is a wonderful secton entitled 'Fred and Ginger - The Dances' which has stills from every one of the classic Rogers/Astaire routines. This is followed by the last chapter, a theatre chronology which features Ginger's stagework from vaudeville in the 20's to her triumph as 'Mame' on the London stage in 1969. A great book for any collection.

I have read all Jane Austens books. They are funny and colourless. Most of all I liked the book: Pride and Prejudice.But Emma is funnier. I have seen the movie:Emma,and the movie: Pride and Prejudice.They were very funny!

I listened to the unabridged audio tape version of this book narrated by Michael Page. It's one of those deals where you listen to each tape entirely on the left channel, then play the whole tape again on the right channel to get the next part of the story. Which is kind of awkward, since you forget which channel you were on if you also use your stereo for music; but these editions are probably the least expensive (by the hour) audio tapes you can buy.

I think Dickens' tendency toward exhaustive descriptions works a lot better when you're listening to it in the car than when you're reading it in print. I might never have had the patience to read the actual book while sitting in a chair, but listening to it in the car was pretty entertaining. Colorful characters, humor, suspense, unexpected plot twists; I can picture a lot of it in my mind even now. A recommended story.