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David Copperfield
David Copperfield
Dec 4, 2025 8:19 AM

Author:Charles Dickens

David Copperfield

Now a major film directed by Armando Iannucci, starring Dev Patel, Tilda Swinton, Hugh Laurie, Peter Capaldi and Ben Whishaw

Dickens's great coming-of-age novel, now in a beautiful clothbound Penguin edition

This is the novel Dickens regarded as his 'favourite child' and is considered his most autobiographical. As David recounts his experiences from childhood to the discovery of his vocation as a successful novelist, Dickens draws openly and revealingly on his own life. Among the gloriously vivid cast of characters are Rosa Dartle, Dora, Steerforth, and the 'umble Uriah Heep, along with Mr Micawber, a portrait of Dickens's own father which evokes a mixture of love, nostalgia and guilt.

Dickens's great Bildungsroman (based, in part, on his own boyhood) is a work filled with life, both comic and tragic.

Charles Dickens (1812-70) had his first, astounding success with his first novel The Pickwick Papers and never looked back. In an extraordinarily full life he wrote, campaigned and spoke on a huge range of issues, and was involved in many of the key aspects of Victorian life, by turns cajoling, moving and irritating. He completed fourteen full-length novels and volume after volume of journalism. Of all his many works, he called David Copperfield his 'favourite child'.

Jeremy Tambling is Professor of Literature at the University of Manchester.

Reviews

Praise for Who is Tom Ditto? - a high concept love story with a mystery at its heart:

An air of mystery and of a past being reconstructed, with a booster shot of comedy…As you would expect from the author of Awkward Situations for Men, the toe-curling embarrassment of much of Tom’s life is well realised

—— OBSERVER

Who is Tom Ditto? is Danny Wallace at his very best: funny, assured and relentlessly clever. A brilliant novel

—— John Niven

It’s funny, witty, clever, good-natured – one of those purely enjoyable books you pick up with pleasure and put down with regret. It won’t change your life, but it will brighten it up for a while.

—— INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY

Danny Wallace’s beguiling second novel seduces the reader by stealth with some laugh-out-loud throwaway pieces of astute observational comedy…Wallace probes real issues about what makes us who we are in the internet age. It’s the kind of book you have to ration to avoid it being over too quickly

—— Daily Mail

This is a terrific novel…The plot is wild and unexpected, with a dash of sinister, and it’s incredibly funny

—— The Times

This mystery, written by TV funny man Danny Wallace, will leave you completely mesmerised

—— NOW

Danny is as hilarious as ever

—— Shortlist

Wallace has scored another hit with this quirky novel…Packed full of gags, this is also a tender and touching story

—— SUNDAY MIRROR

Tremendous. A wonderfully well-observed and beguiling novel – shrewd, funny and stealthily profound

—— WILLIAM BOYD

The brilliant author is back with this hilarious, sharp new novel

—— THE SUN ON SUNDAY

Wallace is adept at capturing the nuances of the mundane and the ridiculous, while being incredibly funny. 4 stars

—— STYLIST

A funny, clever novel from the award-winning writer

—— MARIE CLAIRE

Chortlesome

—— BELLA

A deep story with a consistently grounded humour

—— EMERALD STREET

Wallace’s observational skills and attention to detail are superb…A hilarious and fresh take on modern life. Brilliantly written. 5 stars

—— HEAT

Quietly engrossing… Mesmerising.

—— Sharon Wheeler , Times Higher Education Supplement

It’s both vividly real and curiously fantastical.

—— Tracey Thorn , New Statesman

[An] evocative novel.

—— Emma Hagestadt , Independent

This brilliant, beautiful novel shows us how the “miraculous” can shine.

—— Christina Patterson , Sunday Times

The details are beautifully drawn

—— William Leith , Evening Standard

I was dazzled … Characterisation is as ever top notch … this is a marvel … everyone will appreciate the sheer grace and artistry of it.

—— Liz Loves Books

Tigerman is a truly engaging and original book; for all the nail-biting tension, humour, superheroic deeds and a brilliant twist there is also a deep and honest heart to it ... This is easily one of the best books I've read this year.

—— Hair Past A Freckle

With intelligent, witty writing you cannot help but warm to the unlikely and slightly hapless hero in Lester Ferris.

—— Starburst

A virtuoso piece of entertainment which hurtles satisfyingly towards its conclusion after delivering a startling, didn’t-see-that-coming sucker-punch of a twist.

—— A Life in Books

Funny, moving and thought-provoking

—— Big Issue in the North

The key to Harkaway’s writing is the incredibly textured depth and imaginative characterisation. It is one of those books whose character are so rich that by the climax, you feel like they’ve penetrated your reality and you want to keep them close, even after the book is over.

—— Nudge

Original and exciting, full of humanity and comedy, Tigerman by Nick Harkaway is a beautiful piece of work

—— Morning Star

Original, exciting, full of humanity and comedy, Tigerman by Nick Harkaway is a beautiful piece of work.

—— Morning Star
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