'A revelation ... as well as being sympathetic to the plight of children, it is hilarious' A. N. Wilson The hero of Dickens's flamboyantly exuberant novel, Nicholas Nickleby, is left penniless after his father's death and forced to make his own way in the world. His adventures give Dickens the opportunity to portray an extraordinary gallery of rogues and eccentrics: Wackford Squeers, the tyrannical headmaster of Dotheboys Hall; the tragic orphan Smike, rescued by Nicholas; and the gloriously theatrical Mr and Mrs Crummle and their daughter, the 'infant phenomenon'. Nicholas Nickleby is characterized by Dickens's outrage at social injustice, but it also reveals his comic genius at its most unerring. Edited with an Introduction by Mark Ford **
From Library Journal
Nicholas Nickleby, a gentleman's son fallen upon hard times, must set out to make his way in the world. Along the way various older, money-grubbing villains attempt to injure him. Eventually, with the assistance of kind patrons, he and his family achieve economic security and a happy home. Sounds rather trite, doesn't it? Not with characters written by Dickens (Hard Times, Audio Reviews, LJ 5/1/98). Schoolmaster Squeers would make a fine poster boy for child abusers. Ralph Nickleby's initial desire to injure Nicholas gradually develops into a full-blown obsession. Then there are the kind Cheeryble brothers, the gentle, much-abused Smike, and a host of other friends who provide comic relief. Martin Jarvis does an outstanding job of reading this book. His ingenues sound young (a frequent problem area for male readers) while his villains are deliciously evil. The only problems are with the abridgment. In several places, choppy editing has left brief, disconnected scenes and/or character cameos without relevance to the abridged tale. Still, this is a charming presentation and a wonderful bridge to a classic book. Recommended for public and academic libraries.AI. Pour-El, Iowa State Univ., Ames Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Naxos AudioBooks is putting out new readings to celebrate the classic writings of Charles Dickens. This is one volume in their series. And what a celebration it is! Nicholas Nickleby is Dickens in all his glory. There are characters that are positively Dickensian - the miserly lender Ralph Nickleby, the cruel schoolmaster Mr Squeers and his wretched family, the lecherous Sir Mulberry Hawke and his sidekick, Lord Verysoft, the absurd sweatshop owners Mr and Mrs Mantolini and their vicious foreman, Ms Knag. These are balanced by the many kindly and generous characters who innumerable times come to the rescue when all seems hopeless - Nicholas himself, his lovely sister Kate, the kindly Cheeryible brothers and their many loyal friends and allies. Dickens's writing brings all of them to life against a vivid backdrop of 19th-century England. The plot has many twists and turns, and a satisfying conclusion. Distinguished British stage, film and television actor David Horovitch's theatrical, fully voiced reading of this classic is no less than superb. He has vivid and believable voices for each of Dickens's colourful characters and his voice is rich, his intonation clear and his timing impeccable. This long audiobook will provide hours of enjoyment for a wide audience. --Susan Offner, SoundCommentary
This unabridged audio edition of Dickens's classic novel of poverty, effort, and persistence puts the emphasis on unabridged, clocking in at nearly 40 hours - but dedicated listeners will be rewarded with an engaging and entertaining reading from narrator David Horovitch. In Victorian England, Nicholas Nickleby finds himself penniless after the death of his father. Assisted by his cold and parsimonious uncle, Ralph, Nicholas undergoes an array of trials and adventures - working as a teacher and actor - before finally succeeding in providing for his family. Horovitch wisely doesn't attempt to update or revise the author's familiar world. Instead, he reads with a careful tenor and subtly shaded array of voices that perfectly capture Dickens's prose and characters. Harrumphing and stuttering and tittering, Horovitch turns in a winning performance that fans of the author are sure to enjoy. --Publishers Weekly
Description:
'A revelation ... as well as being sympathetic to the plight of children, it is hilarious' A. N. Wilson The hero of Dickens's flamboyantly exuberant novel, Nicholas Nickleby, is left penniless after his father's death and forced to make his own way in the world. His adventures give Dickens the opportunity to portray an extraordinary gallery of rogues and eccentrics: Wackford Squeers, the tyrannical headmaster of Dotheboys Hall; the tragic orphan Smike, rescued by Nicholas; and the gloriously theatrical Mr and Mrs Crummle and their daughter, the 'infant phenomenon'. Nicholas Nickleby is characterized by Dickens's outrage at social injustice, but it also reveals his comic genius at its most unerring. Edited with an Introduction by Mark Ford **
From Library Journal
Nicholas Nickleby, a gentleman's son fallen upon hard times, must set out to make his way in the world. Along the way various older, money-grubbing villains attempt to injure him. Eventually, with the assistance of kind patrons, he and his family achieve economic security and a happy home. Sounds rather trite, doesn't it? Not with characters written by Dickens (Hard Times, Audio Reviews, LJ 5/1/98). Schoolmaster Squeers would make a fine poster boy for child abusers. Ralph Nickleby's initial desire to injure Nicholas gradually develops into a full-blown obsession. Then there are the kind Cheeryble brothers, the gentle, much-abused Smike, and a host of other friends who provide comic relief. Martin Jarvis does an outstanding job of reading this book. His ingenues sound young (a frequent problem area for male readers) while his villains are deliciously evil. The only problems are with the abridgment. In several places, choppy editing has left brief, disconnected scenes and/or character cameos without relevance to the abridged tale. Still, this is a charming presentation and a wonderful bridge to a classic book. Recommended for public and academic libraries.AI. Pour-El, Iowa State Univ., Ames
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Review
Two hundred years after his birth on February 7, 1812, Naxos AudioBooks complete their marathon tribute of publishing all 16 of the major novels in abridged and unabridged form, available as CDs and downloads. If you listen to one CD a day for the next year, you will have heard all of them, and given yourself a fine regular dose of laughter, to say nothing of occasional tears. The latest to appear is an unabridged narration of Nicholas Nickleby , a novel best known for its exposé of the appalling Yorkshire boarding schools, typified by Dotheboys Hall and the ghastly Wackford Squeers. But there is much, much more to it. With the Crummles theatre troupe, Dickens celebrates the acting life he so nearly turned to; with the cold-hearted Ralph Nickleby and his degenerate associates he satirises grasping financiers and vicious men-about-town. David Horovitch gives the performance of his life, unhurried, savouring every character and incident to the full. --Christina Hardyment - The Times
Naxos AudioBooks is putting out new readings to celebrate the classic writings of Charles Dickens. This is one volume in their series. And what a celebration it is! Nicholas Nickleby is Dickens in all his glory. There are characters that are positively Dickensian - the miserly lender Ralph Nickleby, the cruel schoolmaster Mr Squeers and his wretched family, the lecherous Sir Mulberry Hawke and his sidekick, Lord Verysoft, the absurd sweatshop owners Mr and Mrs Mantolini and their vicious foreman, Ms Knag. These are balanced by the many kindly and generous characters who innumerable times come to the rescue when all seems hopeless - Nicholas himself, his lovely sister Kate, the kindly Cheeryible brothers and their many loyal friends and allies. Dickens's writing brings all of them to life against a vivid backdrop of 19th-century England. The plot has many twists and turns, and a satisfying conclusion. Distinguished British stage, film and television actor David Horovitch's theatrical, fully voiced reading of this classic is no less than superb. He has vivid and believable voices for each of Dickens's colourful characters and his voice is rich, his intonation clear and his timing impeccable. This long audiobook will provide hours of enjoyment for a wide audience. --Susan Offner, SoundCommentary
This unabridged audio edition of Dickens's classic novel of poverty, effort, and persistence puts the emphasis on unabridged, clocking in at nearly 40 hours - but dedicated listeners will be rewarded with an engaging and entertaining reading from narrator David Horovitch. In Victorian England, Nicholas Nickleby finds himself penniless after the death of his father. Assisted by his cold and parsimonious uncle, Ralph, Nicholas undergoes an array of trials and adventures - working as a teacher and actor - before finally succeeding in providing for his family. Horovitch wisely doesn't attempt to update or revise the author's familiar world. Instead, he reads with a careful tenor and subtly shaded array of voices that perfectly capture Dickens's prose and characters. Harrumphing and stuttering and tittering, Horovitch turns in a winning performance that fans of the author are sure to enjoy. --Publishers Weekly