David Copperfield (Penguin Classics)

Rating:
Summary: One of the Greatest Novels
Review: What a lark to review COPPERFIELD! I've read it many times and agree with Anne Bernays that it is perhaps the greatest novel ever written. It ranks with Dostoevsky's THE BROTHERS KARAMAZOV, Joseph Heller's CATCH-22, and Cervantes' DON QUIXOTE: quirky, sprawling, loaded with wisdom and sensitivity and keys to reality and the human condition itself. One must experience the novel in its totality, savoring its sweep and depth and scintillating characters. I admittedly loathe Dora and David's marriage to her, yet I know the center portion of the book is a necessary link to the stunning beginning and ending. I love the line, "Only my hair looked drunk." I love the chapter "Tempest." If I had but three books with which to be marooned, this would be one: it would keep the memory of what it is to be human alive and flourishing. Read it, needless to say.

Rating:
Summary: Characters and comic style
Review: Dickens was at the height of his considerable creative powers when he created this semiautobiographical work of good in the face of evil. Like many Dickens novels, this one is long. Yet it reads rather quickly, because of the author's unfailing eye for comedy, even amid adversity. The plot of this novel is a little more carefully wrought than some of Dickens' earlier works, especially as regards the plot thread about Emily; though to the modern reader it may still seem rambling and in parts simplistic. Yet the novel excels as no other in its conjuring of characters - you will never forget them, down to the smallest bit players. Sometimes people assume that because the protagonist is a child at the outset, that this is a book for kids to read. It isn't; but it is a great novel. Tolstoy thought it a masterpiece, and I concur.

Rating:
Summary: An Elaborate Masterpiece
Review: I recently saw the new BBC production of this wonderful classic on Masterpiece Theatre. Since then, I have been reminiscing on how I so completely enjoyed reading the novel some years' back. I dearly love anything by Charles Dickens - he writes with amazing depth of character, substance and humour. "David Copperfield" is without a doubt my favorite by Dickens. The story is, essentially, some 40 years in the life of the indelible Mr. Copperfield - speckled through and through with a rainbow cast of characters, and they color his life. Oh, how I loved them! - Mr. Micawber and his "pecuniary difficulties," or Miss Betsy Trotwood and "the donkeys!" And I don't think I ever enjoyed hating a character so much as the despicable Uriah Heep. The book is long - as I love books to be - and, for readers with superiority of taste and imagination, it is pure entertainment from cover to cover!

Rating:
Summary: Dickens' Favorite Creation
Review: This novel never became as popular as "Oliver Twist" (1837), "A Christmas Carol" (1843), or "A Tale of Two Cities" (1859). But it is easy to see why Dickens felt that this was his best creation. First we get to see David as a helpless child. Then we see him grow into a man. It is interesting that David's Aunt has to take him in when he runs away from his abusive stepfather. Then when his aunt loses her property, David has to take her in. David's childish wife Dora provides an interesting contrast to the mature Agnes. Mr. Micawber is a great creation. (in my opinion a combination of Mr. Pickwick and Mr. Brownlow). Not only is he a good honest man, but he provides several comical moments. The scene when he rages against "HEEP" is one of the funniest moments in Dickens' writings. So we have powerful drama, strong images, a child's growth into a man, convincing characters, and even laughs. True, this book is almost 900 pages. But the fact that Dickens felt this was his best creation should motivate anyone to read this masterpiece!

Rating:
Summary: Good Book
Review: I found this book to be so much easier to read than Great Expectations. This novel, set in Victorian England, details the life of David Copperfield, a young boy who suffers many hardships in his life. These include a dominating stepfather, the death of his mother, and his homelessness. Since the book contains several mini-plots you are not bored with the same subject throughout the whole book. There are also many interesting characters in the book that contribute to the mood, humor, tragedy, and life of David Coppefield.

Rating:
Summary: Heavy reading
Review: This book, which I love, is not only one of the most interesting, but also one of the most difficult. The vocabulary and phrasing of things shows Dickens unbelievable mastery of the english language. Although, read slowly! Like most of his books, there are sentences that seem to go on forever and one could easily lose consentration. I think it is wonderful how they seem to talk of the seemly inconsiquensial parts of David Copperfields life and yet they are interesting eventhough they are things that occuare in daily life. But, of course. After all, its Dickens!

Rating:
Summary: David Copperfield:An American Classic
Review: The book David Copperfield by Charles Dickens is truly an American classic. It has all the elements of a classic. It has romance, loyalty, love, riches, poverty, and all that is in life. I would recommend it for anyone who read Great Expectations and loved it as I did. It is semi-autobiographical of the life of Charles Dickens. It's a great read if you have a long attention span!

Rating:
Summary: David Copperfield
Review: This book was about the life of David Copperfield and everything that he does, and everyone he meets. The book tells the tragadies, the good times, and everything in between. With this story Charles Dickens tells the life of David Copperfield. The book was an excellent story with a great plot, and lots of details. I enjoyed reading this book and would suggest it to other people intrested in reading it. If you are looking for a book with happiness, sadness, and everything in between this is the book to read.

Rating:
Summary: great! how can anyone say it isn't?
Review: This book is not a classic for nothing!I'm a great fan of Dickens and I'm very sorry for those that aren't.After I read this book,I felt as if I had lived a period of forty years in two weeks.I laughed and I cried(like it usually happens with dickens's books)and I felt as if I was David Copperfield myself.Dickens is one of the few authors that can cause a reader to feel like that,again and again,book after book.This book is thrilling,sad,very funny in many of it's parts.Contrary to what people think, Dickens is not for children or even teanagers that can't understand his satire and what he's trying to say beyond the obvious.Read it and enjoy!

Rating:
Summary: It's an OKAY book
Review: i thought that this book was a little boring but also i'm a teenager and am not really into this kind of stuff to read. i gave it two stars though becasue i thought that some of it was funny and made me like the book more. i think what makes me dislike the book was that it was really long and at a lot of times didn't make sense! Also i have to do a lot of school work with this book and don't like that! but other wise the book was okay.