The Novels of Charles Dickens: An Introduction by David Timson to Our Mutual Friend

By: David Timson

David Timson talks about Charles Dickens, much loved for his great contribution to classic English Literature. Listen to Our Mutual Friend narrated by David Timson.

A mysterious boatman on the Thames, a drowned heir, a dustman and his wife, and a host of other Dickens characters populate this novel of relationships between the classes, money, greed, and love. The 58 characters are presented with remarkable clarity by David Timson.

Listen to Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens.

©2012 Naxos AudioBooks (P)2012 Naxos AudioBooks

Provides straightforward yet profound information

The author did a good job presenting the material with helpful examples. I love this guide book and suggestions for all. 

can't get off device

I thought it was the full book and now I cannot get it off my device. it is very frustrating to me.

Even this abridged form drags, for me

The nineteenth century novel, I am told, can be a great thing. Maybe I am that shallow modern bumpkin, raised on flashy quick media (though I detest most popular culture). But modern movies and so on, well done, have mastered pacing in ways these old forebears never dreamed of. Life is short, and I start writhing when every plodding little who-cares detail of the doings of crushingly petty characters are explained to me in a glacial pace, in real time. Every -- last -- utterance. So many revelations of character are so trivial and insignificant and -- maybe in hindsight -- trite. Yes, unsurprising, uncreative. Soon I am begging for anything to get me out of here. Please, I beg you, get an editor! Dickens was obviously brilliant, but I can't even make it through the first scenes of this. What a crushing bore. And consider: I finish off about 3 full-sized books of sophisticated content every week. Elsewhere I heard a sci-fi author I respect giving great props to Dickens, saying he does very random things that are surprising. Thta may well be, but my attention span (though interminably long for most things) is too short.