Nicholas Nickleby

Originally serialized from 1838 to 1839, Dickens' sprawling third novel stands as one of the great comic achievements of the 19th century. When young Nicholas' father unexpectedly dies, the penniless Nickleby family is forced to leave the luxury of their Devonshire estate and seek refuge in London with their duplicitous uncle -- a ruthless businessman who resents the boy's similarities to his hated brother--