Although I find this book slightly more interesting than did the reviewer who likened it to Sominex, I have to confess that I am trying to finish it out of obstinacy and of my interest in Dicken's life. Ackroyd's writing style does indeed get on my nerves, particularly his effusions about Dickens' genius. Maybe he was a genius, but we don't have to be reminded 40 times a chapter! What bothered me the most were the chapters inserted here and there that were Ackroyd's fictional accounts of Dickens meeting his characters or other writers who did not live in his time. I found them corny and unbearable. I have never seen anything like this in other biographies, and I think that's a good thing. The only reason I am giving this book 2 stars is that it reflects an incredible amount of scholarship. But I have no idea why it is so well-regarded.

It's absolutely shocking Peter Ackroyd's magisterial and magical biography of Charles Dickens has fallen out of print: I think I had more pure readerly pleasure reading this work than just about any biography or novel I've read in the last fifteen years. This is really a one-of-a-kind work: Ackroyd writes his life of Dickens as if it were a Dickens novel, and the descriptions of Dickens's London and Rochester spill out in page after page of densely glorious prose. It's a long book, and it is not lightly undertaken, and Ackroyd does some very out-of-fashion gestures here (like profess his belief in Dickens' genius, as other reviewers have noted) very readily. But I can't think of a biography I would recommend more highly.

It's a rare biography that leaves you with the feeling that there's nothing more that could be said about its subject. This is one of them. It helps that Ackroyd has so much space to work with. (In this respect, it's like Jackson J. Benson's "The True Adventures of John Steinbeck, Writer" - also shamefully out of print.) But utimately it's a function of Ackroyd's profound understanding of the various aspects of Dickens' character and genius. The occasional veering into fantasia is a bold experiment that, in my opinion, fails decisively but these brief chapters are infrequent and simple to skip. They are a trivial blemish on the face of this monument of scholarship and imagination.

I would say this is "David Copperfield"'s B-side. It is a typical Dickensian book: the life of the Nickleby family from the death of the father until they are rich and happy. One of the most important parts of the book is the study of the horrible boarding schools of Yorkshire, where Nicholas is sent. We can read the dirty intrigues of Uncle Ralph, the adventures of Nicholas and Smikes as travelling actors (a world Dickens came to know very well), the kindness of the brethren Cheeryble.

Definitely, this is not one of Dickens's best novels, but nevertheless it is fun to read. The characters are good to sanctity or bad to abjection. The managing of the plot is masterful and the dramatic effects wonderful. It includes, as usual with Dickens, an acute criticism of social vices of his time (and ours): greed, corruption, the bad state of education. In spite of everything, this is a novel very much worth reading, since it leaves the reader a good aftertaste: to humanism, to goodness.

I read criticisms of this book that it is not one of Dickens' best. For me, it is up there with Great Expectations and David Copperfield as one of his most enjoyable novels (A Christmas Carol is a short story).

The social axe that Dickens had to grind in this story is man's injustice to children. Modern readers my feel that his depiction of Dotheboys Academy is too melodramatic. Alas, unfortunately, it was all too real. Charles Dickens helped create a world where we can't believe that such things happen. Dickens even tell us in an introduction that several Yorkshire schoolmasters were sure that Wackford Squeers was based on them and threatened legal action.

The plot of Nicholas Nickleby is a miracle of invention. It is nothing more than a series of adventures, in which Nicholas tries to make his way in the world, separate himself from his evil uncle, and try to provide for his mother and sister.

There are no unintersting characters in Dickens. Each one is almost a charicature. This book contains some of his funniest characters.

To say this is a melodrama is not an insult. This is melodrama at its best. Its a long book, but a fast read.

"Nicholas Nickleby" is one of the best works of Charles Dickens overall. This novel is about the brave adventures of Nicholas, his sister Kate and their mother. The story begins at about the time Nicholas's father dies and the family has to encounter the struggle of life with no imminent prospects of fortune. At this time they make an appeal to the brother of Nicholas's father, Mr.Ralph Nickleby. From this point on, the parallel developments of the honest Nickleby family and their villanous uncle begin to unfold. With many twists and turns the story is as captivating as any of the author's best books. The tale is characteristically filled with the Dickinsian people such as Mr.Vincent Crummles and his family, in particular the "phenomenon", Arthur Gride, Newman Noggs and others. Overall, this book is a pleasure to read and I recommend it to anyone who is interested in good story-telling.

this book suffers from the lack of a central character to carry the story. young martin chuzzlewit, the book's namesake, only appears in about a quarter of the book. old martin chuzzlewit appears in even less. seth pecksniff and sairey gamp are both amusing, but their characters are not central to the story. jonas chuzzlewit is central to the story, but he doesn't show up until halfway through. without a character to draw the reader's interest, a character the reader can follow the fortunes of, the book wanders. it's not a surprise that the installments of this novel didn't sell well.

the prose is gorgeous, as usual, but the story drags. worth a read, but not if you're new to dickens. best to start off with nicholas nickleby which doesn't suffer from the same defect.

If nothing else, one can come away with images of use in your daily lives. Read this book to understand the hypocrisy of Pecksniff and Mrs. Prigg's interesting friend, Mrs. Harris. These two things pop up as literary references all over the place. Now I finally understand the "Harris" reference in Murder on the Orient Express!

There are all sorts of deceptions and selfishness going on in this book, but by far, Seth Pecksniff is the most perfect character to be found of all Dickens' comic characters. There is a darkness in the profile of Mr. Pecksniff, but he is made to ridiculed, and Dickens does not let a chance pass to ridicule Pecksniff.

I want to digress a moment, for Dickens did as well -- there is a section where young Martin Chuzzlewit tries his fortune in America. And there is quite a bit of anti-American sentiment to be found in these parts (a fact which caused emnity between Dickens and the American public until he made his 2nd and final tour in 1870 or so). There are two reasons for this: first, Martin Chuzzlewit simply did not have the sales figures of previous novels. Anti-American books seemed to be "the thing" (just like diet books are popular today) in Britain, so he went for that. Secondly, Dickens had just been on a rather contentious tour of the U.S. in which he had been trying to make a case for international copyright. You see, the U.S. was the China of that day -- infamous for pirating works of people from other countries. Publishers in America had been printing their own copies of Dickens novels at cut rates (because they weren't paying Dickens or his British publishers anything!) When Dickens tried to make his plea for intellectual property rights, these same publishers of newspapers did a hatchet job of Mr. Dickens' reputation. So, basically, Dickens had an axe to grind.

In any case, feel free to skip all the Chuzzlewit in America bits. There is a moment of self-realization for young Martin, but it's not essential. All the essential action is going on in England, and Martin will return to finish business. There's also a pyramid scheme-like scam going on as part of a subplot, so now we've got two things involved in this novel that people think are debates of modern origin: intellectual property rights and bad financial info. Just remember, Napster and Internet stock tips are only the latest manifestation of old themes; at the very least, this book will remind you of that.

With this novel, Dickens left behind the shallow characters that sometimes marred his early works, and developed full-fledged people. Pecksniff and his daughters are marvelous creations that make one cringe with embarassment while laughing at their incredible selfishness. Tom Pinch is another character in a distinguished line of "too good to be true" Dickensian personalities, but he is shown to suffer and grow into a believable human being. The American episodes are biting in their satire, but overall they are on the money. Dickens' contempt for American armchair philosophers and "freedom-loving" slave owners fueled some of his most pointed social commentary. As always, there is a happy ending, but the plot is more complex than anything Dickens had written before. I have read Pickwick Papers, Oliver Twist, Nicholas Nickleby, The Old Curiousity Shop, and Barnaby Rudge, and Martin Chuzzlewit ranks right up there with his best.

Although this novel is 800 pages long, it is so well constructed that you do not notice how long it is. Careful reading of this enables you to see that Dickens had this novel very carefully thought out from the start. Characters such as Paul Dombey, Florence, and little Paul are very well drawn and very convincing. I can not overestimate the grace in which Dickens balances suspense, good and bad omens, comic relief, and powerful images. The reconciliation scene between Florence and her father is a scene of such rare and exquisite beauty. (even to me an English Major) Along with "David Copperfield" (1850), "Bleak House" (1853), and "Hard Times" (1854), this is a phenomenal masterpiece beyond expectations.

The inexplicably neglected 'Dombey and Son' is a stunning masterpiece of 19th century fiction. The invention and bravura of Dickens' use of language is astounding. Coupled with that is a wonderful insight into the introduction of the railways in Victorian England and the often oppressive, alienating powers of a rampant Capitalist system that forces itself above the values of family and personal relationships. In 'Dombey and Son', the dangers of equating business partnerships with social ones are vividly revealed. Coupled with all of this is the presentation of one of Dickens' most compellingly vile villans: Carker. You could call this book, and the ones that come after it, "Dickens' with Teeth" and it is 'Dombey and Son' that inaugurates this development in Dickens' writing. Read it. It's wonderful.

A previously posted review asks: "How can readers accept that a woman's happiness can be achieved either through living to make men happy OR through living according to one's conscience? Surely one of these characters deserves the author's condemnation yet neither clearly receives it." It is sad when a reader is so intent on pigeonholing complex, richly drawn characters into narrow politically correct categories that he or she misses out on joys of a wonderful novel like this. Florence is denied her father's love, blames herself, and strives harder for it. This is a psychologically accurate portrait of what such a child would do, not an example of "living to make men happy" that Dickens should have condemned or praised. Likewise as to Edith's "living according to her conscience," although in fact she fails to live according to her conscience, and hates herself for it. And another previously posted review says that "the ending is wonderful, and Dickens ties up the numerous subplots with the most delightful precision." I found the final 100 pages the only bad part of the book, as Dickens artificially ties up matters that he had no need to tie up; he should have ended the book sooner. But this is my favorite Dickens novel so far.

"The Trial of Elizabeth Cree" is definitely not a typical mystery. The book is loaded with interesting characters and scenes (some pretty graphic). It is rare that I read a mystery that takes place in a world (Victorian England, in this case) that is so alive in color and detail that you can get lost in it.

We meet Elizabeth Cree as "Lizzie," a poor London girl who develops a love of the theater as a way of distancing herself from her mother. Lizzie is transformed by this magical world into someone she never thought she could be. But when she marries John Cree (whom she is later accused of killing), her life begins to change. Both she and the murderer take turns as narrator, with transcripts of the trial occuring frequently. Usually either the characters or the story itself make a good mystery worth reading. In this case, both are very good. If you're tired of the typical formula mystery, I think this is one you'll enjoy.

This is a fascinating study of city life in Victorian England. Historically accurate while fictionally charged, the novel offers a unique and tantalizing perspective of British history. I am disappointed that it was not deemed worthy or popular enough to be issued in a follow-up paperback.

I thought this book was fantastic! What it didn't have in suspense (You find out who the murderer is very early on) it made up for in rich period detail. And for once, here is a book about Victorian times that doesn't exaggerate the subject up to the hilt. The nature of the murders also made it positively scary.

Peter Ackroyd is a great writer. His seemless mixture of styles, techniques, a brooding sense of place and time jumps creates some of the best fiction being written today. However, that being said, I find that this novel left me out and did not engage or make me care about any of the characters. The same complaint has been made about Stanley Kubrick's movies. I can appreciate the master's touch, but it is sometimes too cold.

I thought that "Dan Leno and the Limehouse Golem" was a very entertaining novel. Ackroyd succeeded in evoking a dark, dirty Victorian London, in which the main form of popular entertainment was the "music hall", in which Dan Leno reigned supreme. Ackroyd uses real-life characters to enliven his narrative (such as Karl Marx, George Gissing and of course Dan Leno). The novel comprises several time sequences: Ackroyd jumps from one to the other and back again, chapter by chapter. He does this very skilfully, so the overall pace of the novel is not compromised, and it makes it more interesting to read.

G Rodgers

This is a wonderful book. Like many of Ackroyd's works it has a strong metafictional component (though I can't say why as that spoils the plot!) and is a clever construction built from third person narrative, journal entries, court reports and a subtle admixture of genuine history. Ackroyd really knows how to capture the atmosphere of Victorian London and many well known Londoners play cameo (and not so cameo) roles: Marx, Babbage, Gissing and even Charlie Chaplin. Obvious comparisons are with Patrick Susskind's Perfume and Alan Moore's From Hell.

This is truly great writing though sadly not that well known outside of the UK.

This was the third Peter Ackroyd book I tried to read. First was his biography of Thomas Moore ¨C which I finished and enjoyed. The second was ¡°London - a Biography¡± ¨C which I loved to distraction at the outset but didn¡¯t finish because it exhausted me with its cyclical (I won¡¯t say repetitious) structure.

¡°London¡± and ¡°Albion¡± share the trait of collecting many aspects of their subject with little chronological progression ¨C so that the reader is lead along with ¡°another aspect, another aspect, one after another..¡±

In the case of London I was finally exhausted and gave up ¨C although I had started with an excitement and love for the subject that was (I assume) all that Ackroyd had wanted to induce. But it just didn¡¯t sustain in the face of continuing new aspects ¨C again and again ¨C with no apparent development or other sequencing to provide an over-riding structure. In fact the lack of development was for me so intense it ate away at my interest, energy and finally my patience. When I was reading it, I had visited London several times and was en-route again ¨C so interest was high and the subject was not unknown ¨C but I am not an intimate of London. It is not my city.

¡°Albion¡± takes a loosely chronological approach. Not strict ¨C but enough for the reader to sense progression as it unfolds. This is a major difference but not the key one I think.

Ackroyd¡¯s subject here is ¡°the English Imagination¡± ¨C but really the whole spectrum of art, literature experience and thought. For my reading, there were ample of Ackroyd¡¯s points that resonated with my own experience of (especially) literature, but also the art of England, and the imagination-stimulating atmosphere of its monuments (StoneHenge, Winchester Cathedral and so on) and places (Lake District etc). The sequentiality of the book is an assisting catalyst ¨C it helps the reading experience by avoiding a vacuum of structure ¨C but it is the sharing of emotions based on books, paintings and places that is the chemistry that makes reading ¡°Albion¡± a massive enjoyment.

For this reader, English literature is my literature ¨C and Ackroyd is pointing to its inherent patterns, just as he does with English painting and the other aspects that are part of the ¡°English imagination¡±. Given then that reader and writer are intimates of the subject and there is enough apparent structure for the reader to sense progression as opposed to seemingly interminable chaotic cycles, then ¡°Albion¡± becomes a memorable joy to read.

Ackroyd reminded me of so much of what I have enjoyed with so many books read, music heard, etc ¨C but he also loosely sketches out continuing themes and threads. So my delights are brought to mind and compounded as they are shown to have an inter-relationship. I compliment Ackroyd that these inter-relationships are such soft tones and colours that they never obtrude with didactic adamance, but instead massage and tinge the memories invoked.

And here I fear the book narrows its relevance. I really could not image anyone with scant knowledge of ¡°the English Imagination¡± - or worse without a love for it ¨C finding a tight understandable thesis in this book. By analogy it¡¯s a little like a photo-album ¨C if it contains pictures of people and events you know and love, reviewing it can be most enjoyable, but if not it is almost always a rather boring experience.

The actual thesis of the book ¨C ¡°the Origins of English imagination¡± ¨C side-steps a crisp definition of exactly what is ¡°the English Imagination¡±. Ackroyd exploits this to allow his definition a maximum of extent and flexibility to allow him opportunity to go in any direction his temptations lead him. Nor is there a scalene and exact definition of the ¡°origins¡±. Yet somehow this imprecision is apealling as any absolute nominations of influence must fail as they would render pedestrian and mechanical a chimerical and spiritual thing.

So for me, Ackroyd¡¯s ¡°Albion¡± is a marvelous experience and has sent me back into English literature re-energized to experience what I have not yet read and to discern cross-references of colour and tone that gently and equivocally tie the whole (very loosely) together.

But for anyone seeking a hard crisp polemic, or anyone motivated to read a book on the English imagination curious of what that subject might be, they will I think give up on it before they finish it, or finish complimenting their persistence rather than Ackroyd¡¯s clarity of insight.

For the younger reader exploring Charles Dickens, this abridged version will not be intimidating. It'll help open the door to classic literature, and challenging ideas.

"Oliver Twist" is a complex story about the English welfare system for orphans, overlayed by a story of love, family, and the pursuit of each.

What is missing from this version is Dickens' long descriptions and thorough presentations of a situation. What makes Dickens great, in part, is his multi-woven characters, filled with color and excitement. Some of that is lost here.

That said, this is an excellent choice for an older child having trouble reading, or the younger, aggressive reader. The story about Oliver Twist is strong enough to endure an adaptation, but, later on, it is a thrill to read the original version.

I fully recommend "Oliver Twist" by Charles Dickens.

Anthony Trendl

Like so many of Dickens' novels, Oliver Twist is a fantastically crafted and engrossing novel. Dickens follows the life of a young orphan boy, Oliver, who grows up amidst desperate poverty in London in the early 19th Century. Dickens leads the reader on a delightful and engaging romp, as Oliver escapes his orphanage, gets mixed up in the wrong crowd, and ultimately comes out on top.

The story within Oliver Twist is very engrossing, replete with many twists, turns and surprises that are occasionally tragic but more often witty or flat out hilarious. The characters are all superbly developed, and the multiple story lines are intricately and cleverly woven together. Oliver Twist is an excellent introduction to Dickens, and patient readers will find this novel accessible. The intricate plotline does require some concentration, while some readers may be annoyed by Dickens' notoriously lengthy sentences.

This is an important book to read for it is heavily engrained in Anglo-American culture and most first-time readers will recognize many of the names (Fagin, Artful Dodger) and scenes from previous cultural references. While clearly enjoyable at the superficial level, the novel also makes a powerful statement about poverty and the power of the human spirit in the face of depravity.

This book surprised me, not by the quality of its writing, which one can expect from Charles Dickens, but by the violent, lusty primal quality of the story. This is no dry musty tome, but a vital novel that arouses both passion and intellect. A literal page turner, I found myself having more than one sleepless night when I just couldn't put it down.

Inside are some of the major characters in the realm of fiction; Fagin and his gang of child thieves, including the Artful Dodger. Nancy, the proverbial hooker with a heart of gold. Master Charles Bates (was this a pun even then?) Bad Bill Sikes, who shows the darker edge to all of this dangerous fun, and the innocent, pure Oliver Twist, who is the very definition of nature over nurture.

A great book, and one that I am glad to have finally read.

Having ploughed through the vast majority of Dickens's novels, I thought there were several things to say in favour of "Barnaby Rudge".

Firstly, it's unusual in being an historical novel by Dickens, set (mostly) in 1775, and in 1780 during the anti-Catholic "Gordon Riots" in London - the only other Dickens historical novel I could recall was "A Tale of Two Cities".

Secondly, it's (mercifully) shorter, less self-indulgent and meandering than many of his other novels. Having said that, it's still very uneven in pace - I found the descriptions of the riots far better than the thin sub-plots which ran through the novel (these tended to be pretty much run-of-the-mill stuff - young couple wanting to marry despite parental opposition, mysterious stranger flitting about, and so on).

Thirdly, there are some very well-observed vignettes, such as the landowner who wants to buy Barnaby's raven, Grip (this type, believe me, still exists).

But I found my usual problems with Dickens were still there, albeit in microcosm as the book is relatively short: for example, Dickens's descriptions of women are no better than they are elsewhere, and are only less nauseating because they are shorter. The characters are the usual two-dimensional bunch, and there's the usual nineteenth-century outrageous use of coincidence as a plot device.

No doubt Dickens aficionados will enjoy "Barnaby Rudge", others should, I think, enjoy its good bits and be grateful for its brevity.

Dickens' first historical fiction, "Barnaby Rudge" is not a big favorite either with Dickens fans or with critics, largely because of its curious lack of the divinely memorable characters for which Dickens is usually known. (There are some good characters, but not the all-star cast we come to expect from the master.) Be this as it may, there's no denying that the buildup and eruption of the Gordon riots in London offer us some of Dickens' most compelling writing. Once the riots finally begin, they sweep us along in a torrent of demonic energy that is suitably appalling to the reader. For this reason, "Barnaby Rudge" is certainly worth reading. Even "A Tale of Two Cities" does not conjure the same breathless chaos as "Rudge" does. Also, though it is one of Dickens' earlier books, it has much more evidence of structured planning than do more improvised works such as "Pickwick Papers" and "The Old Curiosity Shop." Dickens would not truly master the art of creating a well-rounded novel in serial installments until "Dombey and Son," but he is clearly on the right track here.

This work by Dickens takes the factual events of the "No Popery" riots of 1780's London,England and uses them as a backdrop for a dozen or so of Dicken's most colorful and well contrasted characters and combines with them a plot that includes a long unsolved murder. The reader can expect the usual thoroughly desciptive scenes, long a hallmark of his writing style, and characters that seem to come to life,jumping as it were, right from the very page. It is a pleasure,not a chore, to read Barnaby Rudge.

If you are interested in how the Nixon and his staff handled the Watergate issue then this is a wonderful look into the private conversations that took place. The author does a good job of setting most of the conversations up with comments as to what the conversation covers. There are also some explanations at the beginnings of the major areas of the book. I would have preferred a little bit more editing out of some of the conversations, but they do serve a point in the overall book.

What struck me the most was just how desperate Nixon kept getting. I almost started to think that maybe he even believed the lies he was telling. It was so fascinating to see how he would formulate a "cover" story and then keep presenting it to staff to see if they would replace their understanding of the events with his. What is sad is the amount of denial that Nixon was sliding into at the end. He was justifying his actions so hard, I started to think that he was trying to change reality with his force of will.

Many of the conversations are very revealing and interesting. I wonder if at times Nixon forgot he was being taped? Why would anyone think that what he was up to would stand the test of time and be thought of as acceptable behavior. You get a good understanding of why Nixon and his family fought so hard to keep the tapes private. In my opinion, these tapes have set back all the work Nixon did after leaving office to rebuild his reputation. My only warring would be that this should not be the first or only book on Watergate that you read. It will help you if have read something else to give you some back ground on the conversations. Overall the book is interesting and a good addition to your Nixon collection.

A fine addition to any Watergate library. Kutler is a dazzling professor who often turns fine logic and thinking to the wrong conclusions. As a litigation historian he can shed copius amounts of illumination onto America's law. However, the fine paths which are followed by Kutler often lead to the wrong conclusion. He has made brilliant arguments for the separation of church and state which in the end only elegantly confirm the opposite conclusion. Our high law not only encourages religous affiliations in civic life, but that government cannot in fact prohibit this free exercise of religion by not only any individual, state, judge or other federal official but by even the federal government itself. It is always a joy to consume a Kutler premise, but even more enjoyable to find the true conclusions.

If you are interested in how Nixon and his staff handled the Watergate issue, then the book Abuse of Power: The New Nixon Tapes by, Stanley Kutler is a great one to read. Kutler does a great job of setting the private conversations up with comments as to what they cover. He also gives some explanations at the beginning of the major areas of the book. I was happy that they did not edit much of the conversations that took place because they serve a good point in the overall book.

What struck me the most about the book was just how desperate Nixon kept getting. I almost started to think that maybe he even believed the lies he was telling. It was so fascinating to see how he would come up with a "cover" story and then keep presenting it to his staff to see if they would replace their understanding of the events with his. What is sad is the amount of denial that Nixon encountered at the end. He was trying so hard to justify his actions; I started to think that he was trying to change reality with his force of will.

Many of the conversations are very revealing and interesting. It makes me wonder, if at times, Nixon forgot he was being taped? I got a good understanding of why Nixon and his family fought so hard to keep the tapes private. In my opinion, these tapes have set back all the work Nixon did after leaving office to rebuild his reputation. It will help you if have read something else to give you some background on the conversations. Hopefully, this will not be the only book on the Watergate scandal that you read. Overall, the book is interesting and well written.