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    David Copperfield
    David Copperfield
    David Copperfield
    Audiobook (abridged)2 hours

    David Copperfield

    Written by Charles Dickens

    Narrated by Simon Callow

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    About this audiobook

    David Copperfield was Dickens's favorite novel. Strikingly autobiographical in its childhood scenes, it relates David's history from birth to manhood, and the classic Dickensian characters he meets on his journey of self-knowledge: Mr. Micawber, the Peggottys, Betsey Trotwood, Steerforth and Uriah Heep among many.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAudio Holdings
    Release dateJan 1, 2009
    ISBN9781601361189
    Author

    Charles Dickens

    Charles Dickens was born in 1812 and grew up in poverty. This experience influenced ‘Oliver Twist’, the second of his fourteen major novels, which first appeared in 1837. When he died in 1870, he was buried in Poets’ Corner in Westminster Abbey as an indication of his huge popularity as a novelist, which endures to this day.

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    Reviews for David Copperfield

    4/5

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    • 4/5
      When young David Copperfield's mother dies, his awful stepfather sends him to a workhouse. David runs away to live with an estranged (and very strange) aunt. Much naughty and nice activity continues for a long time. :) I really liked David Copperfield. It was an engaging story, and (as always for Dickens) the characters were all so fascinating and well-developed. I'd say this is one of my favorite Dickens books so far.
    • 5/5
      First line~ Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show ~I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this audiobook read by Irishman Tadhg Hynes. He has a great voice with a lovely Irish accent and it was easy to listen to him. The narration captured me right from the beginning. Charles Dickens certainly has a way with words. To read such detailed descriptions of the lifestyle of the times fascinatine. Stories gave me much food for thought. For instance chapter 4 had me pondering the changes that take place for children in a family where the mother re-marries and the child and the husband do not get along. This chapter reflects a view of child punishment that was acceptable in the times the book was written but today would be considered abuse. Sad reflection on what was acceptable then.In the early chapters I found that I cared so much about David and really wanted to know what would happen to him next. I loved the relationship he had all his life with Peggotty and am struck by the fact, that, once again, someone’s life is changed because he is given confidence and self-esteem because one person in his life truly loves and respects him. I love this little kid who is on his own at age 10. Who among us could survive that today?There is a lot of tragedy in the book and this is counter-balanced with a lot of comedy. Aunt Betsey Trotwood and the donkeys, the description of David’s first experience at drinking and getting drunk, the chapter where he describes his and his new wife’s first year of marriage and their inability to keep house, the ongoing saga of the McCawbers. I just loved how everything is interwoven and although I found some parts to be slow and tedious to get through, all of a sudden, something wonderful would happen.There were a lot of very touching scenes and one of my favourites is when Emily has disappeared and we read Mr. Peggotty's reaction to her departure.“Every night,” said Mr. Peggotty, “as reg‘lar as the night comes, the candle must be stood in its old pane of glass, that if ever she should see it, it may seem to say ’Come back, my child, come back!‘…“I’m a-going to seek her, fur and wide. If any hurt should come to me, remember that the last words I left for her was, ‘My unchanged love is with my darling child, and I forgive her!’ ”I LOVE this paragraph. This is 'family' at its best; and Emily is not his 'daughter' but his niece and yet his love is 'father' for daughter...Another favourite passage …"I think of every little trifle between me and Dora, and feel the truth, that trifles make the sum of life."'Trifles make the sum of life'This was first published, in serial form with 3 chapters being released every month from May 1849 to November 1850. I would have been standing in line to spend my shilling!
    • 5/5
      one of my all-time favorite books. I loved this particular edition because the pages a limp enough and the binding relaxed enough to stay open on its own.
    • 4/5
      Usual strong audio performance by Frederick Davidson (a/k/a David Case), bringing the dry humor and sarcasm alive. Involved, detailed setting up of characters who come into their own later, with a wait for the payoff in some cases. Still, I'm glad I read it - I even grew fond of the insufferable Dora by the end!
    • 5/5
      Coming to David Copperfield (DC) as an adult, I enjoyed DC for its big sloppy storyline, gobs of predictable but heart-rending melodrama, and vivid development of characters big and small. In particular, Dickens’s portrayals of Tommy Traddles, Uriah Heep, and Wilkins Micawber were masterful. Despite DC’s length and ponderous language, Dickens engaged me from the start and held my attention throughout. In the end, I knew he could be counted on to award each character his or her just desserts. The book was a relaxing and fun escape!
    • 5/5
      ****CONTAINS SPOILERS****Virginia Woolf calls David Copperfield "the most perfect of all the Dickens novels" and I agree that it is quite the tour de force (not having read all of Dickens' novels yet, I can't say for certain that this is the best one). Dickens' talent shines the greatest in the characters he invents. In one respect, these characters are so unique and ludicrous that one keeps reading to see what he will come up with next. On the other hand, something in some, if not all, of his characters strikes a chord of familiarity that makes them quite human after all. In fact, much of the book, for me, lies in this plane intersecting the fantastical with the all too real. To some degree, one has to suspend reason to believe all the coincidences that occur throughout the novel. But then again, real life does quite often through you in the path of an old acquaintance, former roommate, friend of a friend, etc. etc. In one respect, it seems as though the ending of the novel is too good to be true with all the "good" characters successful and happy and all the villains getting their just desserts. But this is an over simplification if the reader recalls how many of the good characters are killed off or are exiled to another continent, separated from their family. And what of the bad lot? Uriah Heep and Mr. Littimer are worshipped as demigods in jail and catered to their every need. Mr. and Miss Murdstone are up to their old games, terrorizing another young woman. So while Dickens gives an ending that feels all too warm and fuzzy at first glance, there is a bit of reality in there, as well. Likewise, there is the character of David Copperfield himself. Critics have argued that he is more of an observer than an actor - a character who things happen to, not who makes things happen. As I was first reading the novel, I felt this way. But as I got further in, I realized that at many times and places, Copperfield does step up and act, but it's that as the narrator, Copperfield doesn't note his actions in the same way as he does others' actions. When Traddles works day and night to rise in the world, Copperfield praises to the skies Traddles' good spirit, his earnestness to work, and so forth. When Copperfield puts himself to the grind, he notes it as a matter of course and moves on with his narrative. Although the novel doesn't focus on social issues as much as say Hard Times for These Times, many of the issues of the time are touched upon - child labor, corruption in the government, the nonsensical prison system. All these elements together, along with others, make this novel an incredibly interesting read that will give the reader plenty to think about. It is a long novel that is well worth the read.
    • 3/5
      I feel bad about rating a Dicken's book so low. I guess in comparison to his other works I just didn't get as much from this one. The beginning of the book had some very amazing and moving moments. The scene where he lays his mother and infant half brother to rest was such an emotional scene. I wish the bulk of the book had remained as engrossing as the beginning. I believe the length and shear scope of the volume may have had an influence. Perhaps with some editing some of the less critical parts could have been shored up and left the story that much better.
    • 4/5
      At the completion of this novel, my only complaint is that I took so long to work my way through it. Not that I don't cherish the time I spent with it, but more that the time I spent was far too infrequent.How is it possible that I can find so much of myself in the depths of a 19th Century, fictional and notedly male character? It can only be the flowing associations of the heart, wither it's strength or is undisciplined aspects. Copperfield's fortitude through a life of fear, loss and some of the most downtrodden adventures ever known to literature is truly inspiring for anyone who has felt they can't possibly make it over the next big mountain in their lives.I can genuinely say that is the most profitable 99 cents I've ever spent at a secondhand store and that it's coffee stains, torn and battered covers are well deserved indeed.
    • 4/5
      Rich, dense, and very good. The problem I ran into with this is the archaic morality, the way women are irredeemably ruined at the hands of cads and bounders. Aside from that, I enjoyed this long and excellent book. The cast of characters is multitudinous and well-differentiated, the plotting is delightful, and the turns of phrase memorable. "Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen nineteen six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery."
    • 5/5
      To give this book anything less than five would be irresponsible. The sheer weight and life that Dickens creates here is matched just by Tolstoy (who is the reason I read the book). I absolutely love Aunt Betsy Trotwood, she's brilliant. But to give it a clean five like I gave Anna Karenina or Moby Dick would also be irresponisble, those books, although as long or ever longer are never indulgent or seem unnecessary, every chapter and page is important. David Copperfield doesn't feel that way. Even though I was never bored, the sequential nature of Dickens writing really becomes damaging as a whole, and this is definitely a book where the parts are greater than the sum. I definitely see why people consider Dickens a master and although I felt DC a bit indulgent at times, I look forward to read some of Dickens more economical works.
    • 3/5
      I read this book because it is my best friends favorite and I am a fan of Charles Dickens. Unfortunately this was not one of my favorites. I couldn't really get into it despite have a decent story line. It is a good book and I am glad I read it, but I don't see myself re-reading this anytime soon, if ever.
    • 4/5
      Dickens said that David Copperfield was like his favorite child. As I read this, I couldn't help but feel that it was apparent that his favorite sure had it rough.David is a posthumous child - born after his father's death. That's a pretty fair preparation for the rest of his life. Nothing in life comes very easily for David. His mother remarries, and his new stepfather hates him. He's sent off to school and the headmaster is a brute. His mother dies and he is sent off to live and work on his own in London.But David is not one to sit and moan about his fate. He does something. As I was reading this, his naivety in the beginning of the book was kind of annoying. It seemed like a lot of rough things happened, and he just reacted. But once he started taking charge of his own life, I started to like David Copperfield, and I was hoping things worked out for him.One of Dickens' strengths is his ability to create interesting and sympathetic characters. This book was full of people I would love to know - Peggoty, Mr. Dick, Aunt Betsey Trotwood (she is a riot!), Doctor Strong, Traddles, and my very favorite, Mr. Peggoty.The theme of family was big in this one - the questions of who is my family and how should I treat them. I loved that David went straight from Mr. Peggoty's house, with his large, mostly adopted, affectionate household to David's home with his new stepfather and aunt, with nothing but "firmness" and mistreatment. The two men were perfect foils for one another.If you haven't read this one, I recommend it. It is a long book, but it is a much easier read than you might expect. Much better, IMO, than Dickens' other supposed masterpiece, Great Expectations.
    • 5/5
      Having recently read and enjoyed Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations, I decided to up the ante by taking on his somewhat longer and more challenging David Copperfield. Already having sampled the writing style in Great Expectations, I found it somewhat easier to get into the flow of the story, and what a story it is.Young David Copperfield is raised by his widowed mother Clara and their devoted servant Peggotty, both of whom care for and love him very much. His life rapidly changes however, with the marriage of his mother to the loathsome Mr. Murdstone and his sister Miss Murdstone, who move in and take over the household, including the care and instruction of young Davey. From this point, we are introduced to a wide variety of richly drawn characters as Davey makes his way in the world. This novel is quite simply one of the greatest works of literature ever penned, widely acclaimed to be Dickens’s finest. I found it to be fascinating, both with respect to the characters, the story and the historical underpinnings.There is really no “story” here, as the book simply follows young David from his earliest years, through adolescence and into young adulthood. Along the way, he experiences great joy, heartbreaking loss and countless adventures set against the rich and detailed backdrop of Victorian England. Such characters as Uriah Heep, Mr. and Mrs. Micawber, Steerforth, Emily, Ham, Agnes Wickfield, Dr. and Annie Strong, Dora Spenlow, Thomas Traddles, Mr. Peggotty, Miss Dartle and countless others create an indelible impression on the reader as they drift into and out of the tale.
    • 5/5
      What a terrific story! This book was part of our school curriculum when I was doing my seventh grade. I simply loved it. If you haven't read, you must read it.
    • 4/5
      A heart-warming story of the struggles of a young boy growing up in England, in the 19th century, without a loving family. This is a good story to teach the history of life and the struggles of growing up in a world where children were not well cared for. Charles Dickens shares the struggles that he faced as a child. Good for teaching that you can become successful even if you have problems as a child.
    • 4/5
      This is definently my fave Dicken's book. The story is great, and it's easy to read.
    • 5/5
      Quite a saga. A veritable classic in its own right. Probably one of the most reviewed books there ever was... So I will be short. This enormous novel became part of me - even though I read it with some breaks (devoted to other books). The semi-biographical story is compelling, the characters will live in my mind for a long time. Mildly criticizing one of his characters (Mr. Micawber), Dickens says: "We talk about the tyranny of words, but we like to tyrannize over them too; we are fond of having a large superfluous establishment of words to wait upon us on great occasions; we think it looks important, and sounds well." And "....as slaves when they are too numerous rise against their masters, so I think I could mention a nation that has got into many great difficulties, and will get into many greater, from maintaining too large a retinue of words." Slightly ironic, I have to say - as if the author is admonishing his own prolifically verbose self.
    • 4/5
      This is, of course, the life story -- the very detailed life story -- of Mr. David Copperfield, from his birth onwards, including his horrifically unhappy childhood, his romantic entanglements, and the doings of his various interesting friends.It's definitely the characters that make this one enjoyable. Copperfield himself is carefully and believably drawn, and he knows a lot of entertainingly quirky people, many of whom turn out to have some interesting hints of depth underneath their quirks. I imagine I will be unlikely ever to forget Mr. Micawber, or Uriah Heep, or David's formidable, eccentric Aunt Betsy.I'm not sure it has a plot, exactly, so much as a loose connection of subplots, but that's fine; they're decent enough subplots. It does all get a little melodramatic at the end, although I suppose for Dickens, it's probably pretty mild on that score. I do have to say, though, that Victorian ideas about women and relationships and marriage inevitably strike my modern sensibilities as weird and kind of creepy, which always puts a little uncomfortable distance between me and the characters in such novels, and this one doesn't really qualify as an exception.It also goes on a bit too long. Not that this is the sort of book one picks up expecting a rollicking, fast-paced thrill ride. It's more the sort to immerse yourself in when you're looking to live somebody else's life for a while, and if you're rushing through it, you're probably doing it wrong. Still, I think I would have been happier with it if it were a couple hundred pages shorter. It doesn't help that Dickens has this habit of writing characters who tend to repeat themselves over and over. I don't know whether that's his attempt at naturalistic dialog, or whether it's the result of him trying to make a word count, but it does get annoying. Although, fortunately, either that eased off substantially by the middle of the book, or I'd gotten used to it enough by then that it stopped bugging me quite so much.In the end, it's a book I am glad to have read, but also glad to finally be finished with.
    • 5/5
      A beautiful edition of a great old story.
    • 5/5
      This book, to me, is a collection of pleasant pieces. It was filled with many small things that I liked, bits of nobility (Agnes Wickfield, who guides David and marries him ) amusement (David’s aunt’s attempt to keep donkeys off her property) and inspiration (David’s self-directed rehabilitation after the death of his wife)
    • 3/5
      This book is difficult to rate or review. Unlike other of Dicken's novel, this is quite interesting, fast paced, full of actions, events and dialogues. Book is long but delight to read. While interest isn't like mystery novel (which it doesn't claim to be) but is fairly strong that reader is kept longing for story to move forward. And yet, when story does end, this is no aftertaste, no lingering feelings or thoughts, no loss of narrative, no sadness of not knowing fate of characters any more. This is a good book no doubt: humour is well written, characters are greatly developed, events and storytelling is compelling, but it's also a book which is great while being read, and equally forgettable when finished. Rating thus, perhaps, stays in middle to reflect that very mindset.
    • 5/5
      Highly autobiographical, this novel explores childhood poverty and all of its terrors. Packed with amazing, unforgettable characters, the story vividly captures the human condition. Dickens called David Copperfield his "favorite child." You will agree. Fabulous!
    • 4/5
      I do so enjoy Dickens when he's at the top of his game. It's as though he's emptied a box of thread on the ground and let it roll off in a million different directions, and then somehow he manages to weave the each one into something glorious and beautiful as the book concludes. Dickens at his best is immensely satisfying, complete literature.

      I loved reading this, although I must say not so well as I loved "Great Expectations" and "A Tale of Two Cities."

      Things to bear in mind when you read this book:

      1) Be patient with Dora. She's doing her best.

      2) It is appropriate to want to run certain characters over with a mail-coach at important points of the story.

      3) Uriah Heep. That's all.
    • 4/5
      One of Dicken's best works, a thinly veiled autobiography. His characterisations were never better.
    • 4/5
      I have finally finished the illustrious classic, "David Copperfield." At times I really enjoyed the book, at others I was very close to banging my head against the wall. I think the last 100 pages or so were a real challenge. That being said, overall, it was a pretty interesting story. From birth to his second marriage, the tale traces the life of David Copperfield. I found David's early life to be the most interesting part of the book. His father died before he was born, leaving his naive and young mother to raise him. She entered into a second marriage. Her husband (and his sister) were a huge trial to David, as they often mistreated him. Sent off to a boarding school, he was finally able to make friends and come into his own. Unfortunately, his mother died and his step-father made him leave the boarding school, and at the tender age of 10, David was sent to the city to work in a factory. After several months David decides to set off across the country, looking for his infamously eccentric Aunt.Overall, not a bad read at all.
    • 3/5
      At last away from the Murdstones, the plot started to pick up, then, thud, Wickfield, Old Soldier, and Micawbers balancedthankfully by Peggoty, Aunt Betsey, and Dick.3/4 of the way through DAVID COPPERFIELD and here's what needs to happen:1. Uriah and Steerforth, pistols at dawn = no survivors2. Dora falls in love with Malden, divorces fading Davey, & rides off on stallion3. Davey absently, yet quickly, recovers, and marries Agnes4. Agnes locates Martha and Emily who then move into a nice small picturesquecottage with Aunt Betsey - the Peggotys move nearby5. Hans sails to America to lead an Abolitionist Crusade6. Traddles finds Wickfield and Betsey's stolen $7. The Micawbers are written out of the plot where they never should have appeared8. The Mudstones, Mrs. Steerforth, and Ms. Dartle are admitted to any asylum wherethey make each other, and not us, insane&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&Finished the book and, at last, Davey and Agnes Marry!Definitely wrong about Micawbers, at least the Mister, who comes to playa pivotal role, at last.
    • 4/5
      Almost read in college, but waited 40 years to actually read it. Seemed like reading an old soap opera. I wonder what i would have thought 40 years ago?
    • 5/5
      What can I say about one of my top 3 all time books? Loved all of it, even if it took a bit of time to get into. Classic character novel.
    • 5/5
      Audiobook. You can never read Charles Dickens books too many times. This is such a great book. First person. Child to adult. Story of a writer. And so well read by Simon Vance. A joy. If you don't know Dickens, please discover the wonder of his books. Can you tell I'm a fan.
    • 4/5
      This classic Dickens work follows the life of an orphaned David Copperfield and the people who shaped his life. He and his mother lived with a beloved servant Peggoty. After his mother's death, his stepfather removes him from school, sending him to work in a factory. Life is terrible, so David runs away to his aunt who agrees to give him a home. She calls him "Trotwood." He encounters the people from his past on many occasions and encounters more people who play a role in his life. The strength of the work lies in character development. The Penguin classics edition includes a large introduction as well as excerpts from a Dickens biography and early outlines of the novel.