Oliver Twist

Charles Dickens (1812-1870)

Original en 156339 words First published 1838 United Kingdom

Dickens's second novel, published 1837-39 — the one that scandalized England with its workhouse. 'Please, sir, I want some more.' Orphan Oliver runs away from cruelty in the workhouse to London, falls among thieves — Fagin, the Artful Dodger, brutal Bill Sikes — and is fought over by the criminal underworld and a handful of decent people who see his true nature. The first English novel with a child at its centre and a criminal world in full view, it turned Dickens into a national force and the book into a permanent part of the language.

Text sourced from Project Gutenberg (public domain in the United States); the Project Gutenberg trademark and license text have been removed on import. Public-domain status determined by the author's death year + 50 years rule.

Oliver Twist

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