This is my pick as Dickens's best. He seems to have put a lot of enthusiasm into the book. The story is somewhat biographical and reflects Dickens's own life. It has a good story, excellent characters, and a nice overall balance. It is almost twice as long as Great Expectations.

This is similar in some ways to David Copperfield but shorter and not as complex. It is about a young lad, Pip, who comes from a poor background in the marshy countryside, but has "great expectations" to become a gentlemen in London. This is an entertaining and a fast read, but the story is a bit dis-jointed. Dickens wrote two different endings: one happy, one negative. It is a fast light read.

This is one of Dickens's best known books, his second novel, written in 1837, and one that made him famous. He writes about one of his favorite themes: child abuse. The book is a classic and contains a variety of memorable characters. The London setting is an attraction. This book has a map, 100 pages of analysis and comments, and illustrations.

From 1843, this might be Dickens most famous novel, read to many young children and seen as a play or movie. As most know, this is the story of Scrooge and his redemption and it involves the famous character Tiny Tim. This is a classic

Written later in his career in 1855, this (again) is about the legal system, and in particular it is a novel involving the debtor's prison. This is considered good but not his best novel.

It is about Nell, the grand-daughter of the owner of the shop. It sprang from the failed Humphrey's Clock series. I was disappointed with the read. Dark like Twist but with few bright spots.

Written in 1864, this is a less well known and less popular novel about a young man who inherits money. It is the novel that was attacked by the writer Henry James as an example of bad writing by Dickens. But many like the book and it has many characters.

This was from 1843, and it is again about money and about the Chuzzlewit family, and how the family members are in conflict over money. This novel is not as popular as some of his others. In its day, this book was poorly received to the point that it almost drove Dickens into bankruptcy.

Great Expectations, Hard Times, A Christmas Carol, Tale of Two Cities

Charles Dickens wrote The Life of Our Lord around the same time he was finishing up David Copperfield, but to readers raised on a diet of Dickensian wit and indignation, his rendering of Jesus' life may come as something of a surprise.

This is considered to be the best current or recently written biography of Dickens.

This is generally regarded as a good literary commentary on Dickens.

From 1952: Two volumes, 1400 pages long, biographical information and commentary, with 200 pages of notes plus almost 100 illustrations, and both books are hardcover.t

More letters, a more extensive collection.

Highly recommended.

Referenced in all major studies of Dickens.

Well recognised, especially before Ackroyd book.

Highly regarded book.

A favourite novel of Dickens and a model for some of his novels.