George Cruikshank – illustratör

Stackars Oliver Twist! Det finns nog inte någon människa som vill byta plats med denna godhjärtade och tappre pojke, vars ensamstående mor dör i barnsäng så att han tvingas tillbringa sina första år på ett avskyvärt fattighus. Ensam och sårbar växer Oliver upp i skuggan av de hjärtlösa fattigreformerna i det tidiga 1800-talets England. Men en dag gör en hungrande Oliver det otänkbara: han ber om mer mat. Oliver får dock inte en skål havresoppa till. Han kastas i stället ut ur fattighuset, ut i en värld där han till slut hamnar i klorna på den onde Fagin och hans kriminella liga med unga pojkar. Snart blir det uppenbart för Oliver att också han ska läras upp till ficktjuv. Trots att hela världen verkar vara emot den hemlöse och fattige pojken kan Oliver aldrig sluta hoppas på att ett ljusare öde väntar om hörnet. Nog måste det finnas någon som kan rädda honom från lidandet.

   Den klassiska berättelsen om Oliver Twist är Charles Dickens svidande uppgörelse med en omänsklig behandling av samhällets mest utsatta. Den är dessvärre lika aktuell idag som när den skrevs.

 

Charles Dickens (1812-1870) anses vara den främsta av den viktorianska erans alla begåvade berättare. Med till lika delar samhällskritiska och humoristiska verk som Pickwickklubben, Oliver Twist och David Copperfield hör han till de allra mest inflytelserika författarna i den rika engelska romantraditionen. Oliver Twist blev en succé redan när den gavs ut 1838 och har sedan dess fängslat den ena generationen efter den andra. Historien har gestaltats såväl i musikaler som i filmatiseringar.

'Sets out the London of the 1830s before you, streets, people, pleasures, low life, prisons' Claire TomalinCharles Dickens's first published book, Sketches by Boz is a funny and touching collection of observation, fancy and fiction showing the London he knew in all its complexity - its streets, theatres, inns, pawnshops, law courts, prisons and, of course, the river Thames. His descriptions of everyday life and people seem to anticipate characters from his great novels - garrulous matrons, vulgar young clerks, Scrooge-like bachelors - while his powers of social critique shine in his unflinching depictions of the city's forgotten citizens, from child workers to prostitutes. This edition includes the original illustrations by George Cruikshank.Edited with an Introduction and Notes by Dennis Walder

‘The image of little Oliver Twist victimised by poverty, almost seduced by the specious excitement of crime, and then offered the possibility of a lucrative career in authorship is always compelling’ GuardianOliver is an orphan living on the dangerous London streets with no one but himself to rely on. Fleeing from poverty and hardship, he falls in with a criminal street gang who will not let him go, however hard he tries to escape. In Oliver Twist, Dickens graphically conjures up the capital's underworld, full of prostitutes, thieves and lost and homeless children, and gives a voice to the disadvantaged and abused.

This witty and amusing collection of short pieces shows Dickens liberated from the more formal and sustained demands of the novel and experimenting with a diverse range of fictional techniques. In his tales of the supernatural, he creates frighteningly believable, spine-tingling stories of prophetic dreams and visions, as well as more fantastical adventures with goblins and apparitions. Impressionistic sketches combine imaginatively heightened travel journals with wry observations of home and abroad, while in his dramatic monologues, Dickens demonstrates his talent for exploring the secret workings of the human mind. These short works display Dickens's exuberant sense of comedy and character as his imagination is given free rein.

A sumptuous treasury of original fairytales from the brothers Grimm, introduced by award-winning author Cornelia Funke and with full colour illustrations by artists Quentin Blake, Raymond Briggs, Axel Scheffler, Oliver Jeffers, Helen Oxenbury and Emma Chichester Clark celebrating the bicentenary of the first volume of Grimms' original fairytales.From the land of fantastical castles, vast lakes and deep forests, the Brothers Grimm collected a treasury of enchanting folk and fairy stories full of giants and dwarfs, witches and princesses, magical beasts and cunning children. From classics such as 'The Frog Prince' and 'Hansel and Grettel' to the delights of 'Ashputtel' - the original Cinderella - all hold a timeless magic which has enthralled children for generations.Illustrators Quentin Blake, Raymond Briggs, Axel Scheffler, Helen Oxenbury, and Oliver Jeffers have each chosen their personal favourite fairytale to illustrate, and their individual styles make this a unique treasury for all the family to share.Contains over 50 original fairytales, collected and written by Jacob Ludwig Carol Grimm (1785-1863) and Wilhelm Carl Grimm (1786-1859), universally known as 'the brothers Grimm'. Born in the German state of Hesse, their ambition was to collect traditional tales in order to preserve Germany's heritage. They published two volumes in 1812 and 1814 which include some of the best-known fairy tales of all time, such as 'Tom Thumb' and 'The Elves and the Shoemaker'. Grimms' original fairytales - some dark and scary, others light and fun - are the foundation of many favourite picture books today.This beautiful treasury is published to celebrate the bicentenary of the first volume of Grimms' original fairytales, and includes full page colour plates by today's top children's book illustrators.

A beautiful clothbound hardback gift edition of one of the world's most beloved stories.I'm Death, and I make sure that everyone is equal.From the land of fantastical castles, vast lakes and deep forests, the Brothers Grimm collected a treasury of enchanting folk and fairy stories full of giants and dwarfs, witches and princesses, magical beasts and cunning children. From classics such as 'The Frog-Prince' and 'Hansel and Grettel' to the delights of 'Ashputtel' or 'Old Sultan', all hold a timeless magic which has enthralled children for centuries.Collect our Puffin Clothbound Classics:9780241444313 The Little Prince9780241663554 The Jungle Book9780241568811 Charlotte's Web9780241688243 Little Women9780241688250 Peter Pan9780241688267 The Railway Children9780241688236 Chinese Cinderella 9780241411216 Treasure Island9780241411209 The Wizard of Oz9780241655702 Watership Down9780241663578 The Worst Witch9780241663547 David Copperfield9780241663561 The Neverending Story 9780241623909 Stig of the Dump9780241623916 The Dark is Rising9780241411162 The Secret Garden9780241411148 Black Beauty9780241411155 Dracula9780241425121 Frankenstein9780241425138 Wuthering Heights9780241425114 Tales from Shakespeare9780241425107 Tales of the Greek Heroes9780241411193 A Christmas Carol9780241621196 Grimms' Fairy Tales9780241425145 Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy Tales

Puffin Classics: the definitive collection of timeless stories, for every childRediscover the Puffin Classics collection and bring the best-loved classics to a new generation - including this magical edition of Grimms' Fairy Tales.From the land of fantastical castles, vast lakes and deep forests, the Brothers Grimm collected a treasury of enchanting folk and fairy stories full of giants and dwarfs, witches and princesses, magical beasts and cunning children. From classics such as 'The Frog-Prince' and 'Hansel and Grettel' to the delights of 'Ashputtel' or 'Old Sultan', all hold a timeless magic which has enthralled children for centuries.

Remembered for both his satirical and serious work, Robert Barnabas Brough (1828-60) was a playwright, journalist, poet and founder member of the Savage Club. Built around a series of inspired etchings by the celebrated artist George Cruikshank (1792-1878), this is a delightful fictional biography, 'from authentic sources', of that most colourful of Shakespeare's characters. We hear how our hero was descended from the great Saxon leader Hundwulf Falstaff, how the name is a corruption of 'False-thief', of his adventures with his beloved Prince Hal, and of Christmas 1412 with the Whittington family. Henry V's terrible rejection of him - 'I know thee not, old man' - is touchingly depicted, as are the episode of the laundry basket and other misadventures at Windsor, along with his sad death at the Boar's Head in 1415. First published in 1858, this book is a must-read for every lover of this larger-than-life figure.

John Ayrton Paris (1785-1856), writer and physician, became a member of the Linnean Society in 1810, and served as president of the Royal College of Physicians from 1844 until his death. Intended for children and originally composed for the author's family, this three-volume work about science was first published in 1827. Dedicated to the writer Maria Edgeworth (1768-1849) and with illustrations by George Cruikshank (1792-1878), it aims 'to blend amusement with instruction', since youth, as Paris writes, 'is naturally addicted to amusement'. Topics covered in Volume 1 include momentum, geometry, elasticity and rotatory motion; the science behind these is demonstrated using a yo-yo, a jack-in-the-box and a slingshot, among various other toys and games. A fascinating and popular text in the history of science education, the engaging narrative seeks to prove 'how profitably, and agreeably, the machinery of fiction may be worked for the dissemination of truth'.

John Ayrton Paris (1785-1856), writer and physician, became a member of the Linnean Society in 1810, and served as president of the Royal College of Physicians from 1844 until his death. Intended for children and originally composed for the author's family, this three-volume work about science was first published in 1827. Dedicated to the writer Maria Edgeworth (1768-1849) and with illustrations by George Cruikshank (1792-1878), it aims 'to blend amusement with instruction', since youth, as Paris writes, 'is naturally addicted to amusement'. Topics covered in Volume 2 include the collision of bodies, vacuums, motion in flight, and echoes; the science behind these is demonstrated using marbles, a kite and musical instruments, among various other toys and games. A fascinating and popular text in the history of science education, the engaging narrative seeks to prove 'how profitably, and agreeably, the machinery of fiction may be worked for the dissemination of truth'.

John Ayrton Paris (1785-1856), writer and physician, became a member of the Linnean Society in 1810, and served as president of the Royal College of Physicians from 1844 until his death. Intended for children and originally composed for the author's family, this three-volume work about science was first published in 1827. Dedicated to the writer Maria Edgeworth (1768-1849) and with illustrations by George Cruikshank (1792-1878), it aims 'to blend amusement with instruction', since youth, as Paris writes, 'is naturally addicted to amusement'. Topics covered in Volume 3 include optical illusions, centrifugal forces and the compound nature of white light; the science behind these is demonstrated using concave mirrors, Catharine wheels and a thaumatrope (which Paris is sometimes credited as having invented). A fascinating and popular text in the history of science education, the engaging narrative seeks to prove 'how profitably, and agreeably, the machinery of fiction may be worked for the dissemination of truth'.

Oliver Twist is one of Charles Dickens's most popular novels, with many famous film, television and musical adaptations. It tells the story of the orphaned Oliver who is brought up in a harsh workhouse, then initiated into the criminal world of Fagin and his gang, before being eventually rescued by a loving family. This is a classic story of good against evil, packed with humour and pathos, drama and suspense, and peopled with some of Dickens' most memorable characters.This Macmillan Collector's Library edition features original illustrations by George Cruikshank, with an afterword by Sam Gilpin.Designed to appeal to the booklover, the Macmillan Collector's Library is a series of beautiful gift editions of much loved classic titles. Macmillan Collector's Library are books to love and treasure.

Designed to appeal to the booklover, the Macmillan Collector's Library is a series of beautiful gift editions of much loved classic titles. Macmillan Collector's Library are books to love and treasure. Chosen and introduced by the playwright J. B. Priestley, these twelve marvellous sketches are accompanied by George Cruikshank’s evocative illustrations.Charles Dickens was one of the great chroniclers of London life. From the colourful chaos of dances and gin-shops to the sparse destitution of the pawnshop and the penitentiary, he captured the grime and the glory of the English capital with singular brilliance.Orphans and beggars, lord mayors and murderers, actors, criminals, cab drivers and prostitutes; all rub shoulders in this wonderful selection from Sketches by Boz.