There’s a reason Charles Dickens remains one of the most-read authors in English literature. Over 34 years, he produced 15 novels that changed how society thought about poverty, justice, and the human condition. This guide lays out every novel in publication order, with tips on where to start and what to watch for — whether you’re a newcomer or a longtime fan.

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Novels published by Dickens: 15 ·
First novel: The Pickwick Papers (1836) ·
Most famous novel: A Christmas Carol (1843) ·
Last completed novel: Our Mutual Friend (1865) ·
Unfinished novel at death: The Mystery of Edwin Drood (1870) ·
Best‑selling Dickens novel: A Tale of Two Cities — estimated 200 million copies

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Which novel is “best” is subjective; rankings vary.
  • Exact sales figures for individual Dickens titles are estimates.
  • The precise number of copies of A Christmas Carol sold annually is not precisely tracked.
3Timeline signal
  • 1836–1837: The Pickwick Papers published serially; Dickens becomes a household name (Encyclopaedia Britannica).
4What’s next
  • Dickens’s legacy continues through new adaptations and academic study.
  • Unfinished Drood leaves a literary mystery that still sparks debate.

Six key facts, one pattern: Dickens’s career moved from comic beginnings to dark social critique, with David Copperfield as his personal favorite and A Tale of Two Cities as his commercial peak.

The table below captures the essential numbers at a glance.

Label Value
Total completed novels 15
Publication span 1836 to 1870
Most‑sold novel A Tale of Two Cities (~200 million copies)
Novel adapted most A Christmas Carol (dozens of film/TV versions)
Dickens’s own favorite David Copperfield
Unfinished novel The Mystery of Edwin Drood

What are the 15 books Charles Dickens wrote?

Complete list of Dickens novels by publication date

  • The Pickwick Papers (1836–1837) – Dickens’s first novel, launched his fame (Encyclopaedia Britannica).
  • Oliver Twist (1837–1839) – Exposed workhouse abuses (Encyclopaedia Britannica).
  • Nicholas Nickleby (1838–1839) – Attacked Yorkshire boarding schools.
  • The Old Curiosity Shop (1840–1841) – Pathos and sentiment.
  • Barnaby Rudge (1841) – Historical novel set during the Gordon Riots.
  • Martin Chuzzlewit (1843–1844) – Satire of America.
  • Dombey and Son (1846–1848) – First novel with a unified plot.
  • David Copperfield (1849–1850) – Dickens’s personal favorite (Encyclopaedia Britannica).
  • Bleak House (1852–1853) – Dense legal satire.
  • Hard Times (1854) – Shortest novel, industrial critique.
  • Little Dorrit (1855–1857) – Bureaucratic satire.
  • A Tale of Two Cities (1859) – Best‑selling Dickens title.
  • Great Expectations (1860–1861) – Later masterpiece.
  • Our Mutual Friend (1864–1865) – Last completed novel.
  • The Mystery of Edwin Drood (1870) – Unfinished at his death (Encyclopaedia Britannica).
Bottom line: All 15 novels were published as serials, meaning the installment dates differ from the volume publication. The list above follows the first installment publication order.

What is Charles Dickens most famous book?

A Christmas Carol as global icon

A Christmas Carol (1843) introduced Scrooge, Tiny Tim, and the ghosts of Christmas. It is culturally ubiquitous, adapted dozens of times for film, stage, and television (Charles Dickens Museum (official museum of Dickens)).

A Tale of Two Cities’ sales record

A Tale of Two Cities (1859) is the best‑selling Dickens novel, with an estimated 200 million copies sold worldwide (Encyclopaedia Britannica). It ranks among the top three best‑selling books of all time, alongside the Bible and Quotations from Chairman Mao.

Why this matters

A Christmas Carol shows Dickens’s power to create lasting cultural icons, while A Tale of Two Cities proves his commercial reach rivals any author in history.

What is the best Dickens book to start with?

Beginner‑friendly choices: A Christmas Carol, Oliver Twist, Great Expectations

  • A Christmas Carol is short, seasonal, and low‑complexity — ideal for a first taste (Charles Dickens Museum (official museum)).
  • Oliver Twist has a straightforward plot and memorable characters.
  • Great Expectations is often taught in schools for its accessible first‑person narrative.

The Dickens Museum recommends new readers start with an easier novel like A Christmas Carol or Oliver Twist (Charles Dickens Museum). The staff at Indianapolis Public Library, however, suggests beginning with Great Expectations as a modern entry point (Indianapolis Public Library (public library system)).

The catch

“Easy” doesn’t mean shallow — Dickens rewards slow reading. Treat each chapter like an episode and the experience becomes far more enjoyable, as the Charles Dickens Museum advises.

What is the hardest Dickens book to read?

Bleak House’s dense prose and multiple plots

Bleak House (1852–1853) uses two narrators and a labyrinthine legal plot centered on the fictional case Jarndyce and Jarndyce. Its length and intricate satire make it one of the more demanding reads (Encyclopaedia Britannica).

Little Dorrit’s social critique

Little Dorrit (1855–1857) is an intricate satire of Victorian bureaucracy and debtors’ prisons. Its layered plot and dense prose challenge even experienced readers.

Martin Chuzzlewit’s slow pace

Martin Chuzzlewit (1843–1844) is noted for its slow pacing and complex character web, especially the American episodes that modern readers may find jarring.

The implication: if you’re new to Dickens, start with Oliver Twist or Great Expectations before tackling Bleak House or Little Dorrit.

Charles Dickens books in order: a timeline of his novels

1836–1839: Early comic novels

The Pickwick Papers (1836–1837) launched Dickens’s fame as a comic writer. He followed with Oliver Twist (1837–1839), which introduced social reform themes (Encyclopaedia Britannica).

1840s: social reform and travel

Novels like The Old Curiosity Shop (1840–1841) and Martin Chuzzlewit (1843–1844) mixed sentiment with satire. A Christmas Carol (1843) redefined Christmas literature.

1850s–1860s: mature masterpieces

David Copperfield (1849–1850) was Dickens’s own favorite. Bleak House (1852–1853), Hard Times (1854), and Little Dorrit (1855–1857) deepened his social critique. A Tale of Two Cities (1859) and Great Expectations (1860–1861) capped his career (Encyclopaedia Britannica). Our Mutual Friend (1864–1865) explored money and class.

The trade-off

Reading in publication order gives you Dickens’s stylistic evolution, but skipping to the later masterpieces lets you experience his most sophisticated work first.

What are Charles Dickens’s most famous books for different readers?

For fans of romance: David Copperfield

David Copperfield integrates autobiographical elements with love stories and character growth. It’s considered Dickens’s most personal work (Encyclopaedia Britannica).

For social commentary: Bleak House, Hard Times

Hard Times is a short, fierce critique of industrialization. Bleak House attacks the legal system’s absurdities.

For mystery lovers: The Mystery of Edwin Drood

Dickens’s unfinished last novel is a detective story that ends mid‑sentence — a tantalizing puzzle for literary sleuths.

What is the 3 most sold book in the world?

A Tale of Two Cities among global best‑sellers

The three best‑selling books of all time are: the Bible, Quotations from Chairman Mao, and A Tale of Two Cities (estimated 200 million copies). Dickens’s market presence demonstrates enduring global appeal (Encyclopaedia Britannica).

Timeline: Charles Dickens’s novels in order

  • 1836–1837: The Pickwick Papers published serially; Dickens becomes a household name (Encyclopaedia Britannica).
  • 1837–1839: Oliver Twist exposes workhouse conditions.
  • 1843: A Christmas Carol – overnight holiday classic (Charles Dickens Museum).
  • 1849–1850: David Copperfield – autobiographical masterpiece (Encyclopaedia Britannica).
  • 1859: A Tale of Two Cities – his best‑seller.
  • 1860–1861: Great Expectations – late career triumph.
  • 1870: Dickens dies, leaving The Mystery of Edwin Drood unfinished (Encyclopaedia Britannica).

Certainty and uncertainty in Dickens scholarship

Confirmed facts

  • Dickens wrote exactly 15 completed novels (Encyclopaedia Britannica).
  • A Christmas Carol is his most globally recognized work (Encyclopaedia Britannica).
  • A Tale of Two Cities is his best‑selling novel.
  • The Mystery of Edwin Drood is unfinished (Encyclopaedia Britannica).

What’s unclear

  • Which novel is “best” is subjective; rankings vary.
  • Exact sales figures for individual Dickens titles are estimates.
  • Whether publication order or a curated reading order is better for newcomers is debated (Wren & Ink Paper (reader blog)).
  • The exact number of copies of Oliver Twist sold in the 19th century is not precisely recorded.

Quotes on Dickens

“The one strong, unmistakable impression that Dickens left on every reader was that of a man who had an immense and almost miraculous power of sympathy.”

— G. K. Chesterton, literary critic

“He wrote as the people thought; he felt as the people felt; and he gave expression to the feelings of the people.”

— John Forster, Dickens’s biographer

Dickens’s empathy for the poor and his ability to weave social critique into gripping stories made him a voice for the Victorian era.

Summary

Dickens’s 15 novels offer a masterclass in storytelling, social observation, and character creation. For the reader looking to start, the choice is clear: begin with A Christmas Carol or Oliver Twist for a warm introduction, then move to Great Expectations for a fuller narrative experience. For the seasoned reader tackling Bleak House or Little Dorrit, the reward is a deeper understanding of Victorian society. In every case, Dickens delivers a world worth entering slowly, chapter by chapter.

Additional sources

teaandinksociety.com, books.apple.com, youtube.com, dickensmuseum.com

For an even more detailed look at his career and lesser-known titles, the complete guide to Charles Dickenss works provides additional context beyond just the novel sequence.

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Frequently asked questions

How many novels did Charles Dickens write in his lifetime?

Dickens wrote exactly 15 completed novels. He also wrote several Christmas books (including A Christmas Carol) and numerous short stories, sketches, and non‑fiction works.

Which Dickens novel is considered the best?

There is no single “best” — rankings vary. David Copperfield was Dickens’s personal favorite, while Bleak House and Great Expectations are often praised by critics. A Tale of Two Cities is his most commercially successful.

What is the easiest Dickens book to read?

A Christmas Carol is the shortest and simplest. Oliver Twist and Great Expectations are also considered beginner‑friendly (Charles Dickens Museum).

Why is A Tale of Two Cities so popular?

It combines a gripping plot, memorable characters (Sydney Carton), and themes of sacrifice and resurrection. Its famous opening line and dramatic ending contribute to its enduring appeal (Encyclopaedia Britannica).

Is A Christmas Carol a novel or a novella?

A Christmas Carol is a novella — shorter than a novel but longer than a short story. It is part of Dickens’s set of Christmas books, not one of his 15 novels.

What was Dickens’s final book?

His final completed novel was Our Mutual Friend (1864–1865). The Mystery of Edwin Drood was left unfinished at his death in 1870.

Are Charles Dickens books still relevant today?

Yes. Themes of poverty, justice, bureaucracy, and class inequality remain urgent. Modern adaptations and academic study keep his work alive for new generations.

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