David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
This novel follows the life of its titular protagonist from his childhood to maturity. Born to a young widow, David endures a difficult childhood when his mother remarries a harsh and abusive man. After his mother's death, he is sent to a boarding school before being forced into child labor. As he grows, David experiences hardship, love, and loss, all the while meeting a colorful array of characters. The novel is a journey of self-discovery and personal growth, showcasing the harsh realities of 19th-century England.
The 47th greatest book of all time
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Total Points: 3427
This book was first published in 1849
57 Lists
- score: 215 -- For The Love of Books - 1999 (Weight: 180)
- score: 191 -- El Pais Favorite Books of 100 Spanish Authors - 2008 (Weight: 190)
- score: 190 -- 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die - 2006 (Weight: 180)
- score: 190 -- The 100 Greatest British Novels - 2015 (Weight: 160)
- score: 190 -- 'The perfect library': the 196 books selected by 133 personalities - 2020 (Weight: 190)
- score: 180 -- 222 Best Books of All Time That Deserve a Spot on Your Bookshelf, With Picks from Bestselling Authors and Indie Booksellers - 2024 (Weight: 170)
- score: 171 -- The 100 Best Novels Of All Time In English - 2026 (Weight: 160)
- score: 170 -- Best Foreign Work of Fiction Chosen by Francophone Writers - 2006 (Weight: 170)
- score: 169 -- Harenberg Buch der 1000 Bücher - 2005 (Weight: 160)
- score: 169 -- Världsbiblioteket (The World Library) - 1991 (Weight: 160)
- score: 160 -- 30 Books Every Adult Should Read Before They Die - 2006 (Weight: 160)
- score: 151 -- Famous Authors Name Their Favorite Novels(from 1915) - 1915 (Weight: 125)
- score: 133 -- 100 Life-Changing Books - 2006 (Weight: 126)
- score: 127 -- The Great Books Podcast from John J. Miller - 2025 (Weight: 120)
- score: 94 -- 101 Significant Books - 1989 (Weight: 89)
- score: 81 -- All-Time Classics, According to Academics - 1985 (Weight: 81)
- score: 79 -- The Big Read - 2003 (Weight: 70)
- score: 74 -- William H. F. Lamont’s 100 Best Novels (1947) - 1947 (Weight: 70)
- score: 70 -- The Celebrity Reading List - 2007 (Weight: 60)
- score: 63 -- Harold Bloom's The Western Canon - 1994 (Weight: 60)
- score: 63 -- Recommended Books - 2017 (Weight: 60)
- score: 60 -- My Favourite Book - Australian Big Read - 2004 (Weight: 60)
- score: 50 -- R/ClassicLiterature's Top 100 Favorite Books - 2026 (Weight: 50)
- score: 50 -- Top 50 Books - 2008 (Weight: 50)
- score: 42 -- 150 Great Reads - 1988 (Weight: 40)
- score: 31 -- Siri Hustvedt's Book Choices from "The Writer's Library" - 2020 (Weight: 30)
- score: 31 -- The New Lifetime Reading Plan - 1999 (Weight: 30)
- score: 31 -- The Novel 100: A Ranking of the Greatest Novels of All Time - 2004 (Weight: 30)
- score: 20 -- The 500 best books of all time from Culture Café users - 2008 (Weight: 20)
- score: 11 -- The Telegraph’s 100 Novels Everyone Should Read - 2009 (Weight: 10)
- score: 10 -- An Expert's 200-Book List - 1973 (Weight: 10)
- score: 10 -- The 100 Greatest Novels of All Time: The List - 2003 (Weight: 10)
- score: 10 -- The Book of Great Books: A Guide to 100 World Classics - 2001 (Weight: 10)
- score: 10 -- James Baldwin, The Book Lover: A Guide to the Best Reading (1910) - 1910 (Weight: 10)
- score: 10 -- Masterpieces of World Literature - 1991 (Weight: 10)
- score: 10 -- 50 Books to (Re-)Read at 50 - 2012 (Weight: 10)
- score: 10 -- W. Somerset Maugham’s Ten Greatest Novels of All Time - 1954 (Weight: 10)
- score: 10 -- How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Reading List - 2003 (Weight: 10)
- score: 10 -- 101 of the World's Greatest Books (1950) - 1950 (Weight: 10)
- score: 10 -- C.K. Shorter List of Best 100 Novels - 1898 (Weight: 10)
- score: 10 -- Readers’ Top 100 Novels Of All Time - 2026 (Weight: 10)
- score: 10 -- John Lubbock, The Choice of Books (1896) - 1896 (Weight: 10)
- score: 10 -- The 100 Greatest Novels - 2007 (Weight: 10)
- score: 6 -- F. B. Perkins' List of 100 Best Fiction - 1877 (Weight: 10)
- score: 1 -- Our Users' Honorable Mention Favorite Books of All Time - 2024 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- The Complete 500: OCLC - 2024 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- Top 50 Books - 1997 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- The 100 Favorite Novels of Librarians - 1999 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- 100 Best Novels Written in English - 2015 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life-Changing List - 2018 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- The 100 Greatest Books Ever Written - 1979 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- Recommended Reading List for Students (China 2020) - 2020 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- 110 Best Books: The Perfect Library - 2008 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- Inteliquest's World's 100 Greatest Books of All-Time - 1993 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- The Best Classics - 2006 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- The Little Big Bulgaria Read - 2009 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- 100 Must-Read Classics, as Chosen by our Readers - 2022 (Weight: 1)