The Secret Works of Charles Dickens

The Selected Works of Charles Dickens is usually a curated set meant to capture the full sweep of Dickens’s career—early comic novels, great social epics, historical fiction, and darker late works. Editions vary slightly by publisher, but a common 17-book selection looks like this:

1. The Pickwick Papers (1836–37)
   Dickens’s breakout hit—episodic, exuberant, and very funny. A comic portrait of English life full of eccentric characters.

2. Oliver Twist (1837–39)
   A grim yet compassionate look at poverty and crime, famous for its orphan hero and unforgettable villains.

3. Nicholas Nickleby (1838–39)
   A lively attack on cruel schools and social hypocrisy, with humor balancing melodrama.

4. The Old Curiosity Shop (1840–41)
   Sentimental and wildly popular in its day, remembered especially for Little Nell.

5. Barnaby Rudge (1841)
   A historical novel set during the Gordon Riots of 1780, blending mob violence with domestic tragedy.

6. Martin Chuzzlewit (1843–44)
   One of Dickens’s sharpest satires—particularly biting about greed, selfishness, and (briefly) America.

7. A Christmas Carol (1843)
   Dickens’s most famous short work: a moral fable about redemption, generosity, and second chances.

8. Dombey and Son (1846–48)
   A darker, more structured novel focused on pride, commerce, and broken family relationships.

9. David Copperfield (1849–50)
   Dickens’s most personal novel, often considered his masterpiece; a semi-autobiographical coming-of-age story.

10. Bleak House (1852–53)
    A vast social novel attacking legal corruption, told through innovative dual narration.

11. Hard Times (1854)
    A short, powerful critique of industrialization, utilitarianism, and dehumanizing education.

12. Little Dorrit (1855–57)
    Focuses on debt, imprisonment, and bureaucracy, with strong autobiographical echoes.

13. A Tale of Two Cities (1859)
    Dickens’s most famous historical novel, set during the French Revolution—tight, dramatic, and tragic.

14. Great Expectations (1860–61)
    A dark, psychologically rich novel about ambition, guilt, and moral growth.

15. Our Mutual Friend (1864–65)
    Dickens’s last completed novel, preoccupied with money, identity, and social decay.

16. The Mystery of Edwin Drood (1870)
    An unfinished murder mystery, fascinating for its clues and the endless speculation it inspires.

17. Sketches by Boz (1836) (often included to represent his early work)