The Pickwick Papers

By: Charles Dickens

Narrated by: David Timson

Length: 32 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's summary

The Pickwick Papers, Dickens's first novel, is a delightful romp through the pre-Reform Bill England of 1827. Samuel Pickwick and the rest of the Pickwickians are some of the most memorable of all Dickens's creations, and it is a joy to hear of their adventures in search of "interesting scenes and characters", and the repeated efforts of the quick-witted Sam Weller to rescue them all from disaster.

Download the accompanying reference guide.

Public Domain (P)2012 Naxos AudioBooks

Watch Dickens Emerge from a Literary Chrysalis

This book morphed a couple times in my brain. It started off a bit uneven, filled with vignettes and sketches that seemed to anticipate the later genius of Dickens and even presented several shadows of future books and stories. After 100 pages I figured I would have another 700 pages of various Pickwick club digressions. There would be interesting characters (Sam Weller, Alfred Jingle, etc).

The narrative started to bog down, however, during the next couple hundred pages. The book had little velocity and the digressions seemed to have stalled, but then something happened. Dickens absolutely found his genius. It is interesting to behold a great author find his voice. I'm not just talking about any author or any voice. It is amazing to see Dickens find that genius balance between characters, plot, social commentary/satire, and humor. It was like watching a bird hatch, a butterfly emerge from its chrysalis. More than the story, which ended very well, the book is worth the effort for what it shows about Dickens. This isn't the first Dickens I'd read, but after you've read a bunch of Dickens, I'd definitely read this just to soak in Dickens growth and his views on friendship, marriage, lawyers, and debt.

Worthy rendition of a classic

This of all Dickens' novels is perfectly suited to the audiobook format. With its picaresque, episodic style, it can be consumed in reasonably-sized bites without fear of losing the thread of a complicated plot. Dickens' framing device of an editor presenting a series of recollections by Pickwick club members, with occasional editorial interpolations, is abandoned fairly early in favour of a straight narrative style, to this listener's mild relief. David Timson strikes the perfect light comic tone for the narrator and creates the huge gallery of characters with unfailing invention and variety. Woven into the narrative of the main characters are tales told by incidental raconteurs from all walks of Victorian life - lawyers, actors, vicars, travelling adventurers, and landed gentry. The language is full of Victorian delights - characters asking each other to "Have the goodness to ...", endlessly fussing about what is "respectable", calling each other "My dear sir...", and all the while getting through snuff by the boxful, particularly my favourite, the diminutive lawyer Mr Perker. Timson's greatest comic heights come in the arguments between Sam Weller and his irascible father, with their idiosyncratic dialects that must read very oddly on the page but sparkle with humour in Timson's sure hands. Thirty-two hours have never passed so pleasantly.

Just terrific!

Where does The Pickwick Papers rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Fabulous stories and so beautifully read. One of Dickens very best.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Mr. pickwick, of course

Which character – as performed by David Timson – was your favorite?

Could not choose, he was the best reader I have heard. All the characters came to life. i could not wait to go to the gym or ride my bike so I could get back to hear him. It was just like listening to a play.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Way too long for a single sitting, but totally engrossing

Any additional comments?

I will look for more books read by David Timson, i wrote his name down on my notes to help me remember when I was halfway thru this reading.

A masterful reading of a wonderful book

David Timson is a master craftsman, who understands Dickens and brings the characters to life, making them both moving and laugh-out-loud funny. This long and winding book is perfectly formed for audio...you will laugh, cry, respect and love Mr Pickwick who is the soul of kindness. I visited and completed the book over many months and enjoyed every such encounter with both writer and speaker.

Long and Lovely Journey with the Pickwick Club

This meandering work of Dickens is very funny and the narration by David Timson is excellent. It takes time to listen to it all but such an enjoyable time spent.

Best narrator ever!!!

Delightful and amusing. It’s amazing that in the time of Dickens just as in our time compassion and kindness is a winning combination. We need more Mr. Pickwicks in our world.

Delightful

Funny, warm loveable characters and stories! I thoroughly enjoyed listening! I did speed up the narrative to take less time.

The narrator, David Timson, is a master.

David Timson's narration lets Dickens takes you straight to the nineteenth century and there you stay.

My Favorite Dickens

My absolute favorite Charles Dickens. Mr. Timson must be a Pickwickian ambassador.
His narration of The Pickwick Papers,
evokes admiration of true talent. So many times have I listened to this rendition, Mr. Timson's rousing characterture performance, replaced the lovely Pickwickian's forever in my mind.
Long Life To The Pickwicks!

Superbly read

I couldn’t have been more delighted with David Timsons’s reading of this remarkable book. I had always wanted to read The Pickwick Papers but never found the time. Audio Books solved the problem for me ... I listened to it while driving to work!