Oliver Twist Readalong October to December. Everyone Welcome

[DesdamonasHandkerchief]

For the Dickens aficionados and the Dickens curious alike. We’re going to attempt a three month readalong of Dickens second published full length novel Oliver Twist.
As it was published in three volumes we will be tackling a volume a month:

October Volume 1
22 Chapters

November Volume 2
14 Chapters

December Volume 3
15 Chapters.

We’ll discuss each volume on the last day of the month (so volume one on 31st October) and have a check in mid month for those who want it.

Thank you, checking in!

As it’s out of copyright there are plenty of editions out there gratis. A quick check on Amazon showed Kindle editions selling for 38p, 99p and completely free to download to a Kindle or Kindle app. Just make sure whatever you get is unabridged.

Thanks Desdemona. I will dig my copy out!

Thanks @DesdamonasHandkerchief

Thanks @DesdamonasHandkerchief ! I’ve got a copy (hopefully unabridged, didn’t check but it’s Penguin so I assume so!) and will plan to join, though I have a feeling I might not keep up with both this and Les Mis…Will do my best!

Checking in!

I first read OT aged 8 (school reading book) & loved it. I then decided to reread it in my teens & was a bit taken aback with all the stuff about Mr Bumble the Beadle at the beginning which had not been in the school copy (I hadn’t realised that the school copy was an abridged version).

Ha, Abridged versions definitely have their benefits @Benvenuto Dickens was paid by the word after all!
I’ve not read the novel before just heard extracts from an abridged version.

Oooooh! I may join you. I have never read any Dickens but inherited a Reader's Digest collection a couple of years ago.

Please do @Deckchairsatdawn - it might not be your bag or you may love it! Worth a try.

I’m up for this 😀Like others I first read it years and years ago.

Maybe we should all read by candlelight 😂

Ooh. That sounds fun!🤩

Oh perfect timing! Thank you. I read David Copperfield earlier this year and loved it

Thanks Desdamona! I don’t think I’ve read the full thing before, just a children’s version.

I’ve also read a children’s version previously, and performed (as a workhouse boy 😄) in the musical in year 7. And have also watched the film which is lovely! So I feel like I know it well but I’m sure there’ll be so much more to the actual book!

@DesdamonasHandkerchief- I felt very cheated as the original was much harder to read & it put me off abridged versions.

However, thinking about it now, 8 was such an ideal age to sympathise with Oliver, so maybe there is a point to them.

I have two versions. Didn’t realise until tonight 🤪

Thanks @DesdamonasHandkerchief
I'm in, but will do this one on audible I think. Discovered I already have it as an audiobook but it must be an abridged version (though it doesn't say so!) as listening time is less than 4 hours!
I can see 2 other options - one narrated by Martin Jarvis and the other by Jonathan Pryce. Will have a listen later and choose one of these. With a listening time of a much more credible 16 to 18 hours.

I normally do a mix of Kindle and Audible (let me know which narrator you plump for) to make sure I stay on track @nowanearlyNicemum but as I’m leading the read along I’ve also treated myself to one of Penguins cloth bound books to go with my A Tale Of Two Cities edition.
Very impressed with you already having two copies of the book @ithinkilikethislittlelife. The top one in particular looks very Dickensian, just the ticket.

Thanks for starting the thread @DesdamonasHandkerchief . Turns out I have a Kindle copy that I was unaware of, so I'm all set up.

Hm, I was thinking of trying 3 physical volumes for the full Dickensian experience (I know it was monthly in magazines first, so perhaps I should say the full Dickensian experience of reading OT in book form) but the only 3 volume sets I have found so far are literal first editions, with Sothebys money price tags! Feels like a gap in the market there, for a facsimile edition in 3 physical volumes lol.

@DesdamonasHandkerchief Where did the chapter numbers in your earlier post come from? I’m looking at the original 3 volume edition on OpenLibrary just now and the last chapter of Volume 1 is XIX (19) not 22…

That’s very pretty @DesdamonasHandkerchief , and @ithinkilikethislittlelife your copy gives “method-reading” vibes 😁

@Waawo I'm taking my chapter numbering from the pretty Penguin cloth bound edition - which may be at odds with more traditional editions, but hopefully the Volumes will all be the same 🤞

Okay I popped in to Foyles on the way home to check out some different copies to see what's going on lol.

Seems that "volume" as used by the very first printer of OT in book form, is different from "book" as used by later publishers, even when printing single volume editions.

All versions available there at least have "Book 1" ending with Chapter 22, as per your first post. So ignore me and my 3 volume ramblings ;)

PS. Can confirm the white cloth bound Penguin edition is even nicer in the flesh!

Oo perfect. Thank you xx

Thank you Desdamona!