David Copperfield

By: Charles Dickens

Narrated by: Will Watt

"Alone among his contemporaries, Charles Dickens seems to possess that instinctive sympathy with whatever is human and humane which is the fundamental condition of genial and varied characterization. … in individualities which make us in love with our kind, he is unapproached."—The Atlantic Monthly, May 1867

The Personal History, Adventures, Experience, and Observation of David Copperfield the Younger, of Blunderstone Rookery—or, as it's now more commonly known, David Copperfield—is considered one of literature's quintessential bildungsroman novels.

Originally published in serial installments stretching from May 1849 through November 1850, the tale follows the titular David Copperfield throughout the course of his life in Victorian England. In parts a coming-of-age story, satire, and autobiographical novel, Dickens called David Copperfield "a very complicated weaving of truth and invention"—as well as named it his favorite of his own works.

Public Domain (P)2024 Dreamscape Media

Somebody Get Will Watt a Grammy Already!

Will Watt has forever changed my expectations for storytelling! Even if you’ve read this story 100 times to yourself, I can guarantee you’ve never read it in the same spirit that the unmatchable Mr. Watt reads it in. The work is 175 years old, and how Watt manages to breathe fresh, new life into it is something I’ll never be able to articulate; you have to feel it. It’s as though I’d never actually read the novel before, never experienced it in the way it has to be, before consuming it in this masterful audio form. In reflecting on it, I don’t think I’ll ever read it to myself again; I’ve been spoiled and will over and over choose to have it read to me by Mr. Watt. I can’t wait to begin something read by him next (probably tonight still!); his talent has awakened a profound joy in me that feels rare in storytelling. What a monumental accomplishment in narration (I’m looking forward to your inevitable Grammies), and thank you a million times over for this - truly a gift!

Outstanding Performance

Will Watt does an absolutely fantastic job narrating this book. He flawlessly moves among at least 25 characters’ voices that he created. Each of Watt’s voices, from Copperfield’s soothing tone to Dora’s sweet but simple voice to Heep’s slimy hiss, fit the characters perfectly. I’m sure Dickens would have been delighted to hear his work performed so well.

35 Hours?! Sure! It’s Will Watt!!

I thought I knew this story from various movies but I was wrong. Will Watt makes each detail of Dickens’ Victorian Everyman tale a breathless delight and clearly delights in highlighting each of the authour’s characters with humor, pathos, suspense, and tears. I can’t think when I’ve enjoyed a classic any more. Delightful!

Excellent narrator

I enjoyed listening to this narrator switch between the characters. I particularly enjoyed hearing him as Betsy Trotwood. The story itself is very long of course because David Copperfield is walking you through his entire life up to the point of middle age. I lost interest during some parts, but finished the book. I recommend reading Barbara Kingsolver's modern day story of Demon Copperhead before or after.