GREAT EXPECTATIONS Author:CHARLES DICKENS The great English novelist Charles Dickens in few books gave free rein to his creative imagination, without falling down in the sentimentality and with much of satire, like he did in Great Expectations, his penultimate novel, considered by the critique as one of the best of his writings. As he was accustomed to, the book was written to be publis... more »hed in parts in a magazine and because of it there was a need to preserve and never let the interest decline in every chapter. The story of the young man Pip, who is at a social condition superior to the one that he was born at and who falls in Stella's hands, who have been taught to torture men with her beauty, never loses the plot attraction and has, in addition, interesting studies of characters.« less
I loved this book. We had to read it for AP English and I wasn't looking forward to reading ANOTHER boring classics. To Me all classics are very boring and depressing. THIS book on the otherhand kept me guessing. I never knew what was going to happen. It was a definite page turner, ore so than anyother classic book I've ever read.
I highly recommend this unabridged 14-CD edition of "Great Expectations." You will be enthralled by Frank Muller, the reader, who adds layers of dimension to one of the world's greatest literary achievements with his many distinct voices.
Pip, a poor orphan being raised by a cruel sister, does not have much in the way of great expectations between his terrifying experience in a graveyard with a convict named Magwitch and his humiliating visits with the eccentric Miss Havisham's beautiful but manipulative niece, Estella, who torments him until he is elevated to wealth by an anonymous benefactor. Full of unforgettable characters, Great Expectations is a tale of intrigue, unattainable love, and all of the happiness money can't buy. Great Expectations has the most wonderful and most perfectly worked-out plot for a novel in the English language, according to John Irving, and J. Hillis Miller declares, Great Expectations is the most unified and concentrated expression of Dickens's abiding sense of the world, and Pip might be called the archetypal Dickens hero.
This is far and above, my favorite book of all I've read so far. I enjoy Dickens, personally, though. The read was long, getting it in audiobook from the library,as well, help me finish the book and stay focused on the story. Dickens has an amazing writing style.
I first read this in my 9th grade English class. I would probably have never chosen to read it on my own, but I really enjoyed it. My teacher was amazing and he made the book bearable for the class and really made me appreciate it more than I think I would have on my own.
This is a kid style treatment of Great Expectations. It is a large format picture book by Gallery Books. It is a good abbreviated version for those who enjoy exposing young children to classical works.
After watching a great movie that portrayed a modernized version of this book, and knowing that it was considered a real classic, I had great expectations for the original novel by Charles Dickens. The old-fashioned style of writing was annoying, especially at first, but after reading through the first few chapters I got a bit used to it. As it turned out to my great suprize, the plot of the original story by Dickens was totally different from the movie and no where near as good. As I got further and further into the book, MY great expectations for it quickly turned into great disappointments.
Pip is an orphan, alone in the world. Then his path crossed with that of an escapted convict, and his life is never the same again. From the decaying mansion of Miss Havisham and her cold, beautiful ward, Estella, to a new world of unexpected wealth, Pip must struggle to find his way. Mysterious forces are at work, shaping his life in a conspiracy of love, fear, fate, and chance. Pip knows the kind of life he was meant to lead. What he doesn't know is whether life will lead him in an altogether different -- and startling -- direction.
One of Dicken's most popular stories, this book takes us through a young boy's life as he finds out about firvigeness, love and forbearance. But most important, Pip learns that life is not without hope.