Who has read David Copperfield?

[Sreenan]

So I am fairly new to reading classic literature, I spent a great deal of my time growing up writing notebooks of poetry, and reading mediocre stories although my interest diminished quickly. Recently I taken up poetry again, then prose, and now, because of the encouragement of friends, I'm pursuing to be a writer, and with that I need to educate myself. I have aimed to read certain writers from eras of interest to me, so far I have done the Boston poetry scene books, all of Kafka's works and the Brontes (hard not to when you live in 'Bronte County,') and now I want to read some Charles Dickens novels, starting with David Copperfield. So far, so good, although I have an awful long way to go before I will finish, so out of curiosity, I want to ask if anybody has read it in it's entirety here? And if so, what did you think? I'll return and post more as I read. So far I am really warming to his style of writing, his storytelling is in a class of it's own and it is very, very easy to see why people claimed Dickens to be a man born 100 years too early. Also got Oliver Twist lined up for when I have finished this, although from reading on the net it appears David Copperfield is the novel which he regards as his best, so I thought it would be best to start with this first.

Sorry for the overflow of information about myself, it's my first post here, and due to circle of friends I have in real life, I don't have much conversation with them on the subject of books ha.

[OrphanPip]

I've read it and really like it, but in some sense I think it is a novel that primarily appeals to people who already like Dickens.

I like most of Dickens novels that I've read, though I'm not as fond of Our Mutual Friend as some people are. My favourites are Hard Times and Great Expectations, but Oliver Twist, Tale of Two Cities, and David Copperfield are good too.

[Alexander III]

I would say keep reading as it is an amazing novel, Dickens has his flaws but the character of David Copperfeild and his life, might be one of the finest literary creations of the 19th century - which is saying a lot considering the explosion of literary genius which happened in the 19th century.

[dfloyd]

the novels, Christmas stories, and short stories of Charles Dickens by the time they are 30. David Copperfield is as good a place as any to start. To get a leg up on Dickens, watch the excellent dramatizations of the BBC or Masterpiece Theater. The two movies by David Lean made in the 40s are also excellent: Oliver Twist and Great Expectations. Listening to unabridged CDs is also a way of rapidly absorbing Dickens.

Which Dickens novel is best? Critics are now saying his very, very long novel, Bleak House, may be the best Dickens.

[Motherof8]

I've read David Copperfield and it's one of my favorite books. I homeschool and have my children read for part of their English literature.