What it's about

David tells his own life from birth: a cruel stepfather, child labour in a London warehouse, his eccentric aunt Betsey Trotwood, school, love, work as a writer, and a gallery of characters including Mr. Micawber and Uriah Heep. Dickens called it his favourite child, and it draws more on his own early life than any of his other novels.

Reading plan

Pick a finish date and Genius lays out the days — the plan shows today's target and keeps you honest.

Read together

Start a circle and share the code — everyone sees everyone's honest place in the book. Accountability, not leaderboards.

Who it's for

- Anyone who wants a long, absorbing coming-of-age story - Readers who enjoy memorable comic and villainous characters - Those curious about Dickens's own childhood, lightly fictionalised

What’s inside

1
CHAPTER 1. I AM BORN
21 min
2
CHAPTER 2. I OBSERVE
28 min
3
CHAPTER 3. I HAVE A CHANGE
29 min
4
CHAPTER 4. I FALL INTO DISGRACE
36 min
5
CHAPTER 5. I AM SENT AWAY FROM HOME
34 min
6
CHAPTER 6. I ENLARGE MY CIRCLE OF ACQUAINTANCE
14 min
7
CHAPTER 7. MY ‘FIRST HALF’ AT SALEM HOUSE
33 min
8
CHAPTER 8. MY HOLIDAYS. ESPECIALLY ONE HAPPY AFTERNOON
27 min
9
CHAPTER 9. I HAVE A MEMORABLE BIRTHDAY
22 min
10
CHAPTER 10. I BECOME NEGLECTED, AND AM PROVIDED FOR
38 min
11
CHAPTER 11. I BEGIN LIFE ON MY OWN ACCOUNT, AND DON’T LIKE IT
31 min
12
CHAPTER 12. LIKING LIFE ON MY OWN ACCOUNT NO BETTER, I FORM A GREAT
18 min
13
CHAPTER 13. THE SEQUEL OF MY RESOLUTION
38 min
14
CHAPTER 14. MY AUNT MAKES UP HER MIND ABOUT ME
29 min
15
CHAPTER 15. I MAKE ANOTHER BEGINNING
18 min
16
CHAPTER 16. I AM A NEW BOY IN MORE SENSES THAN ONE
40 min
17
CHAPTER 17. SOMEBODY TURNS UP
32 min
18
CHAPTER 18. A RETROSPECT
14 min
19
CHAPTER 19. I LOOK ABOUT ME, AND MAKE A DISCOVERY
31 min
20
CHAPTER 20. STEERFORTH’S HOME
16 min
21
CHAPTER 21. LITTLE EM’LY
37 min
22
CHAPTER 22. SOME OLD SCENES, AND SOME NEW PEOPLE
41 min
23
CHAPTER 23. I CORROBORATE Mr. DICK, AND CHOOSE A PROFESSION
27 min
24
CHAPTER 24. MY FIRST DISSIPATION
16 min

Showing the first 24 of 64 chapters — open the book for the rest.

David Copperfield

What it's about

Reading plan

Read together

Who it's for

What’s inside

What readers say

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David Copperfield

What it's about

Reading plan

Read together

Who it's for

What’s inside

What readers say

Read next