David Copperfield: Charles Dickens

Recounts the author’s experiences from childhood to the discovery of his vocation as a successful novelist, drawing openly on Dickens’s own life. This autobiographical coming-of-age novel is presented as a richly detailed portrait of childhood, growth and the making of a writer, with a vivid cast of characters and moments that blend humor and pathos. Dickens regarded it as his “favourite child,” a description echoed in discussions of the work’s autobiographical roots and its place in Victorian literary life. The novel is known for its lively storytelling, memorable scenes and the warmth with which it stages the author’s personal evolution.

Now a major film directed by Armando Iannucci, with a prominent cast including Dev Patel, Tilda Swinton, Hugh Laurie, Peter Capaldi and Ben Whishaw.

This edition presents the work in a clothbound Penguin volume, and the publication notes highlight the novel’s status within Dickens’s oeuvre, its autobiographical leanings, and the blend of comic and tragic tones that characterize the narrative. The book features a substantial cast of figures such as Rosa Dartle, Dora, Steerforth, the “umble Uriah Heep,” and Mr Micawber, alongside a depiction of Dickens's own father. Scholarly context is provided by Jeremy Tambling, a professor of literature.

• Autobiographical Bildungsroman by Charles Dickens
• From childhood to discovery of vocation as writer
• Iconic characters: Dora, Steerforth, Uriah Heep, Micawber
• Dickens called David Copperfield his favourite child
• Clothbound Penguin edition
• Scholarly context by Jeremy Tambling