Great Expectations: Deluxe Painted Edition

Featuring beautiful cover art from artist Laci Fowler, this fine collector's edition of Charles Dickens's Great Expectations is a must-have for book lovers and literature fans. One of English literature's classic masterpieces--a harrowing novel that addresses issue of social class, human worth, and the importance of self-awareness.

Considered by many to be Charles Dickens's finest novel, Great Expectations follows the narrator, the orphan Philip Pirrip (Pip), as he leaves behind a childhood of misery and poverty after an anonymous benefactor offers him a chance at the life of a gentleman.

From its famous dramatic opening on the bleak Kentish marshes, the story abounds with some of Dickens's most memorable cast that has entered popular culture: the mysterious convict Abel Magwitch, the capricious Miss Havisham, the cold and beautiful Estella, the kind and generous blacksmith Joe, the sycophantic Uncle Pumblechook, Mr. Jaggers, Wemmick with his dual personality, and the wise friend, Herbert Pocket.

Whether you're buying this as a gift or for yourself, this remarkable edition features: a beautiful high-end hardcover featuring Laci Fowler's distinctive hand-painted art, perfect for standing out on any discerning fiction lover's bookshelf; embossed cover art and gold foiling; decorative interior pages featuring pull quotes distributed throughout; a matching ribbon marker; and gold page edges.

Charles Dickens was born in 1812 near Portsmouth where his father was a clerk in the Navy pay office. The family moved to London in 1823, but their fortunes were severely impaired. Dickens was sent to work in a blacking-warehouse when his father was imprisoned for debt. Both experiences deeply affected the future novelist. In 1833 he began contributing stories to newspapers and magazines, and in 1836 started the serial publication of Pickwick Papers. He began Oliver Twist in 1837, followed by Nicholas Nickleby (1838) and The Old Curiosity Shop (1840-41). A Christmas Carol appeared in 1843, David Copperfield in 1850. In later works, such as Bleak House (1853) and Little Dorrit (1857), Dickens's social criticism became more radical and his comedy more savage. He published Hard Times in 1854, A Tale of Two Cities in 1859, and Great Expectations in 1860. His last novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, was never completed and he died on June 9, 1870.