Oliver Twist
by Charles Dickens · first published 1822
23% recommend70% neutral8% critical
Why HN recommends it
Dickens novel of a poor orphan's hard early life, valued for its vivid memorable characters, elegant language and compassion; recommended as a classic for readers filling gaps in English literature.
Common criticism: Some find it grim or frightening for young readers, and a few didn't enjoy it.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy's Progress, is the second novel by English author Charles Dickens. It was originally published as a serial from 1837 to 1839, and as a three-volume book in 1838. The story follows the titular orphan, who, after being raised in a workhouse, escapes to London, where he meets a gang of juvenile pickpockets led by the elderly criminal Fagin, discovers the secrets of his parentage, and reconnects with his remaining family. Oliver Twist unromantically portrays the sordid lives of criminals, and exposes the cruel treatment of the many orphans in London in the mid-1
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…programming book is "by far" the best book you've read in the world is just tragic. Try these ones: - Narcissus & Goldmund by Hermann Hesse - One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marques - Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
on “Programming books I have read and somewhat liked” ↗…(1874), Around the World in Eighty Days (1873), and other books by Jules Verne. Books by James Fenimore Cooper. The Sea-Wolf (1904) by Jack London. The Count of Monte Cristo (1844) by Alexandre Dumas. Oliver Twist (1839) by Charles Dickens.
on “Ask HN: What are your favorite books or essays written at least 100 years ago?” ↗…also elegant and beautiful with lots of memorable phrases/quotes/quips etc. Every kid should be asked to read the complete canon and then discuss takeaways from them. 2) Charles Dickens - Started with Oliver Twist, Great Expectations These books (read the unabridged versions) were my introduction to the "Human Condition/Human Values" faced by people from different economic strata. His books span different genres…
on “Ask HN: What book had a big impact on you as a child or teenager?” ↗I entirely bounced off Dickens in high school, but over a decade later read and loved Oliver Twist. I tend to struggle with art when I can’t tell whether it’s supposed to be funny, but I’m finding it funny (I’ve been very slow to warm up to hip-hop for this reason, and metal remains inaccessible to…
on “I'm Kenyan. I don't write like ChatGPT, ChatGPT writes like me” ↗…given the implied negatives of child labor regulations and food inspection, that anyone reading that book should follow up with a quick read of The Jungle by Upton Sinclair, the same way that I found Oliver Twist a useful tonic after my first exposure to Atlas Shrugged. It's amazing how quickly you assume that the way those laws apply to Joel's farm is reasonable, or that what Joel is doing is the sort of thing…
on “Millions of US farm animals to be culled by suffocation, drowning and shooting” ↗Oliver Twist is certainly a great one. But my Dickens' favourite is David Copperfiled. I still read it from time to time and it is always a great journey.
on “Programming books I have read and somewhat liked” ↗…children like the George R. R. Martin books, the Philip Pullman books, the Harry Potter series, and other books much in that genre category. They also read "classic" literature as they get older, for example Oliver Twist or Tom Sawyer. Two of my sons have really liked A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (which I have never read) and I really liked The Chosen by Chaim Potok (which I reread a few years ago, and still thought was very…
on “What are great books for boys?” ↗…given the implied negatives of child labor regulations and food inspection, that anyone reading that book should follow up with a quick read of The Jungle by Upton Sinclair, the same way that I found Oliver Twist a useful tonic after my first exposure to Atlas Shrugged.
on “Millions of US farm animals to be culled by suffocation, drowning and shooting” ↗Currently: Emma, by Austen, and Debt: The First 5,000 Years by Graeber. Both good. Recently finished Austen's Persuasion and Dickens' Oliver Twist. I'm trying to fill in big gaps in my reading of major English novels. Both were good. Dickens seems to have more compassion, which I appreciate. The two most moving scenes belong to his two worst villains.…
on “Ask HN: Which book are you reading these days?” ↗…wrongly? People deserve the chance to be good and if they don't know they've wronged you, they haven't had that chance. Let me give you an example of what I mean. When Charles Dickens originally wrote Oliver Twist he included the character of Fagin, who a stereotypical 'evil Jew.' Many Jewish people were rightly offended and later when Dickens made some Jewish friends they explained to him why they found the character…
on “"Lighten up"” ↗"Veritas Ex Gustu" ... but who knows Latin? I love her light-heartedness and wish I still had mine. And does anyone else think of Charles Dickens' "Oliver Twist" when reading the title of her blog ("Never Seconds")? I keep hearing "Please sir, I want some more" in my head. I'm certainly glad to have kids like this in the world ... she's made more of a difference…
on “9-Year-Old Who Changed School Lunches Silenced By Politicians” ↗It’s not just the phrasing, though; there’s also a lot of cultural context that the modern reader will miss without footnotes to guide them. For example, from Oliver Twist: > It was a meanly furnished apartment, with nothing but the contents of the closet to induce the belief that its occupier was anything but a working man; and with no more suspicious articles displayed…
on “Victorian Hacker News” ↗…The Poet - Conrad, Joseph: Heart of Darkness - Constantine, K. C.: Family Values - DeLillo, Don: Underworld - DeMille, Nelson: Cathedral - DeMille, Nelson: The Gold Coast - Dickens, Charles: Oliver Twist - Dobyns, Stephen: Common Carnage - Dobyns, Stephen: The Church of Dead Girls - Doyle, Roddy: The Woman Who Walked into Doors - Elkin, Stanley: The Dick Gibson Show - Faulkner, William: As I…
on “Stephen King: Can a Novelist Be Too Productive? (2015)” ↗One metric for greatness is how long a work survives. If people are still reading Andromeda Strain in 100 years, then it may be considered a great novel. For example, Charles Dickens's Oliver Twist originally started out as a newspaper serial. It probably wasn't considered great literature at its time. Now, however, it's classic reading material.
on “Michael Crichton has passed away” ↗…Young homeless/helpless girl frozen to death/killed on the street on Christmas day/broad day light without anyone batting an eye? Check. Middle class is generally a crappy place to be in society? Check. Oliver Twist? Any stories by Victor Hugo? Charles Dickens? Thomas Carlyle? Any Victorian era writing?
on “China’s bystander problem: Another death after crowd ignores woman in peril” ↗