Charles John Huffam Dickens (/ˈtʃɑrlz ˈdɪkɪnz/; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era. His works enjoyed unprecedented popularity during his lifetime, and by the twentieth century critics and scholars had recognised him as a literary genius. His novels and short stories enjoy lasting popularity.

Born in Portsmouth, Dickens left school to work in a factory when his father was incarcerated in a debtors' prison. Despite his lack of formal education, he edited a weekly journal for 20 years, wrote 15 novels, five novellas, hundreds of short stories and non-fiction articles, lectured and performed extensively, was an indefatigable letter writer, and campaigned vigorously for children's rights, education, and other social reforms.

Dickens's literary success began with the 1836 serial publication of The Pickwick Papers. Within a few years he had become an international literary celebrity, famous for his humour, satire, and keen observation of character and society. His novels, most published in monthly or weekly instalments, pioneered the serial publication of narrative fiction, which became the dominant Victorian mode for novel publication. The instalment format allowed Dickens to evaluate his audience's reaction, and he often modified his plot and character development based on such feedback. For example, when his wife's chiropodist expressed distress at the way Miss Mowcher in David Copperfield seemed to reflect her disabilities, Dickens improved the character with positive features. His plots were carefully constructed, and he often wove elements from topical events into his narratives. Masses of the illiterate poor chipped in ha'pennies to have each new monthly episode read to them, opening up and inspiring a new class of readers.

Dickens was regarded as the literary colossus of his age. His 1843 novella, A Christmas Carol, remains popular and continues to inspire adaptations in every artistic genre. Oliver Twist and Great Expectations are also frequently adapted, and, like many of his novels, evoke images of early Victorian London. His 1859 novel, A Tale of Two Cities, set in London and Paris, is his best-known work of historical fiction. Dickens's creative genius has been praised by fellow writers—from Leo Tolstoy to George Orwell and G. K. Chesterton—for its realism, comedy, prose style, unique characterisations, and social criticism. On the other hand Oscar Wilde, Henry James, and Virginia Woolf complained of a lack of psychological depth, loose writing, and a vein of saccharine sentimentalism. The term Dickensian is used to describe something that is reminiscent of Dickens and his writings, such as poor social conditions or comically repulsive characters.

-------------Included in this DDL-------------
1837 - The Pickwick Papers (read by Patrick Tull)
1839 - Nicholas Nickleby (read by Robert Whitfield)
1839 - Oliver Twist (read by Flo Gibson) -- also ripped by me
1839 - Oliver Twist (read by John Lee) -- also ripped by me
1839 - Oliver Twist (read by Nadia May) -- also ripped by me
1841 - Barnaby Rudge (read by Robert Whitfield)
1843 - A Christmas Carol (read by Anton Lesser)
1843 - A Christmas Carol (read by Flo Gibson) -- also ripped by me
1843 - A Christmas Carol (read by Frank Muller)
1843 - A Christmas Carol (read by Jim Dale) -- also ripped by me
1843 - A Christmas Carol (read by John Lee) -- also ripped by me
1843 - A Christmas Carol (read by Ralph Cosham) -- also ripped by me
1844 - The Chimes (read by George Cole)
1845 - The Cricket on the Hearth (read by Donada Peters)
1846 - The Battle of Life (read by Donada Peters)
1848 - Dombey and Son (read by Frederick Davidson) -- also ripped by me
1848 - The Haunted Man and the Ghost's Bargain (read by Donada Peters)
1850 - David Copperfield (read by Frederick Davidson)
1850 - David Copperfield (read by Patrick Tull)
1850 - David Copperfield (read by Simon Vance) -- also ripped by me
1853 - Bleak House (read by David Case) -- also ripped by me
1853 - Bleak House (read by Robert Whitfield) -- also ripped by me
1853 - Bleak House (read by Sean Barrett and Teresa Gallagher)
1854 - Hard Times (read by Martin Jarvis)
1854 - Hard Times (read by Patrick Tull) -- also ripped by me
1857 - Little Dorrit (read by Anton Lesser) -- also ripped by me
1857 - Little Dorrit (read by Robert Whitfield)
1859 - A Tale of Two Cities (read by Anton Lesser) -- also ripped by me
1859 - A Tale of Two Cities (read by Buck Schirner) -- also ripped by me
1859 - A Tale of Two Cities (read by Frank Muller)
1859 - A Tale of Two Cities (read by Frederick Davidson) -- also ripped by me
1859 - A Tale of Two Cities (read by John Lee) -- also ripped by me
1859 - A Tale of Two Cities (read by Martin Jarvis) -- also ripped by me
1859 - A Tale of Two Cities (read by Richard Pasco) -- also ripped by me
1859 - A Tale of Two Cities (read by Simon Vance) -- also ripped by me
1861 - Great Expectations (read by Frank Muller)
1861 - Great Expectations (read by Frederick Davidson)
1861 - Great Expectations (read by John Lee) -- also ripped by me
1861 - Great Expectations (read by Michael Page) -- also ripped by me
1861 - Great Expectations (read by Simon Vance) -- also ripped by me
1870 - The Mystery of Edwin Drood (read by David Thorn)

also I have included the following short stories:
1850 - A Christmas Tree
1851 - What Christmas is as We Grow Older
1852 - The Child's Story
1852 - The Poor Relation's Story
1853 - Nobody's Story
1853 - The Schoolboy's Story
1854 - The Seven Poor Travellers
1855 - The Holly-Tree

PLUS a very large collection of Charles Dickens eBooks.



Language: English
Format: Audio + Ebooks
Hoster: Share-Online.biz
Size: 29.78 GB
Password: No