'David Copperfield' by Charles Dickens

If you skim this blog you will notice that I, on occasion, like to delve into books that are considered "classics". On or very near the top of most 'Best books written' lists you should find 'David Copperfield'. I am not saying this because I think you should find it there, but because I have consistently found it there. The story of Copperfield is a bit of a soap opera which is not terribly uncommon of the era in which it was written. Consistently faced with unfortunate events and grevious characters Copperfield remarkably maintains his pleasant demeanor through his childhood to early adult years amidst some of the most dire circumstances. His nanny is the one constant as his mother passes away and he is sent by his stepfather to boarding school then to work for his own keep. As a preteen Copperfield sets off to find his long lost aunt. She shows greater love for him than could have been expected and his life is enriched as he is sent to a find school and then placed in a field of study to gain credentials. He is on the path to a comfortable life before he discovers his aunts money has run out. I could go on through the rest of the novel but it is filled with many rises and falls of characters, both primary and secondary. When it's all said and done the reader is left to envision Copperfield and a fine man, a great friend and a blessed person. I made one grave mistake in reading this book. I, sadly, read an abridged version. Many books of this era are abridged and republished in the hopes of entertaining further generations without maintaining all the expected elements that satisfied the previous generation. Like a fool I skipped past the 'Abridger's' notes and dove in. I had days where I chewed through this book and weeks when I never once felt compelled to pick it up. I found it to be an engaging read with likable characters. One problem I foun was I had a hard time recalling characters as they appeared for their second time in the book. I don't know if this was a problem I encountered because this was the abridged version, with entire chapters cut out because they were found to be superfluous, or if the fault lies in my reading the novel in such a sporatic manner. After completing the book I went online to see what parts I missed from the complete version. There were sections that the editor found unnecessary, including a longer, more detailed ending. I regret that I did not read these in the order in which Dickens intended. I would and, in fact, am going to read more Dickens. I have started Oscar Wilde.