Young Pip seems destined to follow in his family's humble footsteps. Then one day, an anonymous gift suddenly transforms him into a rich young man . . . but will it also transform his life for the better? Dickens's great bildungsroman, featuring iconic characters like Miss Havisham, is an enduring favorite in schools, libraries, and homes.

Charles Dickens was born on February 7, 1812, in Hampshire, England. The second of eight children, Dickens was pulled out of school at the age of twelve and forced to work at a local factory. At the age of twenty-four, Dickens published The Pickwick Papers, transforming him into a well-known author. Dickens is now considered the most successful British author of the Victorian Age.