Oliver Twist

The story of an orphan trying to escape the seamy underside of the London criminal world. In this departure from his more amusing novels, Dickens targets the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834, which renewed the importance of the workhouse as a means of relief for the poor. Dickens was severely criticized for introducing criminals and prostitutes in the book, to which he replied, I saw no reason, when I wrote this book, why the very dregs of life, so long as their speech did not offend the ear, should not serve the purpose of a moral, at least as well as its froth and cream. One of the most dramatized of Dickens's works, Oliver Twist appeared in 10 theaters in London before the novel's serialization was even completed. More than 25 film versions have been produced. This edition has been newly formatted and typeset for modern readers by Waking Lion Press.