Left penniless by the death of his father, nineteen-year-old Nicholas Nickleby seeks help, along with his mother and sister, from Uncle Ralph Nickleby. The hard-hearted money lender takes an instant dislike to his nephew and gets rid of the boy by securing him a teaching position at Dotheboys Hall, where the evil Wackford Squeers presides. Horrified by the barbarity he sees there, Nicholas defies Squeers and is forced to flee. He is joined by Smike, who has been treated cruelly by Squeers, and the two become great friends. ...
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Left penniless by the death of his father, nineteen-year-old Nicholas Nickleby seeks help, along with his mother and sister, from Uncle Ralph Nickleby. The hard-hearted money lender takes an instant dislike to his nephew and gets rid of the boy by securing him a teaching position at Dotheboys Hall, where the evil Wackford Squeers presides. Horrified by the barbarity he sees there, Nicholas defies Squeers and is forced to flee. He is joined by Smike, who has been treated cruelly by Squeers, and the two become great friends. Nicholas joins a travelling theatre troupe and enjoys great success but, with his mother and sister depending on him for their survival, he must find a way to make a decent living. His adventures are numerous and include some of Dickens' most comic characters. Starring Anna Massey, Sophie Thompson, Ken Campbell and Tom Baker, with Alex Jennings as the voice of Dickens.
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New York. 1977. Dent Dutton. Reprinted Paperback Edition. Very Good in Slightly Worn Wrappers. 046001238x. An Everyman Paperback. 842 pages. paperback. 1238. Cover Illustration from Mary Evans Picture Library, tinted by Brian Robins. keywords: Literature England 19th Century. FROM THE PUBLISHER-NICHOLAS NICKLEBY was ‘the supreme point of Dickens's romantic spring: his first romantic, chivalrous novel. The result is a delightful tale, predominantly sunny but encompassing also the dark streaks of near-tragedy without which no romantic novel is complete: the Nicklebys downfall engineered by their wicked uncle; Kate Nickleby's seduction planned by the two dastardly aristocrats. Sir Mulberry Hawk and Lord Frederick Verisopht; her heroine, Madeline Bray, betrothed against her will to a repulsive usurer, Arthur Gride. Here, too, are the miseries of Dotheboys Hall, Dickens's composite portrait of the nineteenth-century Yorkshire schools, to which illegitimate and ‘inconvenient' children were sent to disappear from their parents' lives. And, as always with Dickens, we are presented also with a wonderful assortment of comic characters. The reader will have the pleasure of meeting Mr. Vincent Crummles and his talented theatrical company, the financially and verbally extravagant Mr. Mantalini, and the prattling, illogical Mrs. Nickleby and her ever-ardent courtier, the Gentleman in Small-clothes. inventory #18034.
I adored this book. Yes, it's long, with lots of characters, and plots, and side trips. But it's got delicious villainy in it, and equally delicious come-uppances, and unlikely heroes, and humor, and fun, and pathos.
Wonderfully memorable characters will get under your skin and stay with you forever. Who will ever forget Smike, and think of him without choking up just a little? Or Sir Mulberry Hawke, and thinking of him without a shiver of disgust? Or the Squeerses, and think of them without wanting to laugh and puke all at the same time? Or Newman Noggs, and think of him without cheering his heroism?
I've already written that Our Mutual Friend is my favorite Dickens novel. This comes a very, very close second. But be sure to get an edition (like the New Oxford Illustrated Dickens series) that comes with a list of characters, so you can keep them straight -- you'll need it!