The Adventures of Oliver Twist

First published in 1837-39, this novel follows Oliver, a workhouse orphan who is farmed out, apprenticed, and then falls among London thieves. Fagin trains boys to pick pockets; the burglar Bill Sikes and Nancy pull Oliver into a crime world he does not choose. Mr Brownlow and other respectable figures offer another life, while a mystery about Oliver's parentage and a man who wants him ruined drive the plot. The book is a social novel of poverty and crime, not a cheerful tale of street urchins.

24 plates of original B&W Illustrations. Burgundy quarter-leather with black leather spine label. Dark red slipcase.