Mayhew aimed simply to report the realities of the poor from a compassionate and practical outlook. This penetrating selection shows how well he succeeded: the underprivileged of London become extraordinarily and often shockingly alive.

    Hard Times (1854) exposes the limites of utilitarian philosophy, as Louisa Gradgrind grows up trapped by her disciplinarian father's uncompromising views on bringing up children. A Tale of Two Cities (1859), set in London and Paris, sees the causes and effects of the French Revolution from the point of view of individuals caught up in events. One of Dicken's most experimental novels, it is also a highly charged examination of human suffereing and sacrifice. Great Expectations (1860-1) charts the progress of Pip from childhood through a series of painful and comic experiences to adulthood, stressing that he must establish his own sense of self and discover his own set of values. Peopled with memorable characters such as Sleary of the circus in Hard Times, and Miss Havisham, locked in memories of her past in Great Expectations, each of these novels explores questions of human fallibility, honour, and growth.