Bleak House

In the fog and mud of London, the Court of Chancery grinds on, and a lawsuit called Jarndyce and Jarndyce ruins lives while producing nothing. Around this dead case, Charles Dickens gathers a vast cast: a young woman with a hidden past, a proud baronet and his beautiful wife, a poor crossing-sweeper, a sinister lawyer, and a detective who sees everything. Bleak House is at once a mystery, a satire, and a sweeping social panorama, and it remains one of the most ambitious novels in English.

This edition contains the complete text of Bleak House, including the original preface. It also includes a new introduction for first-time readers, a character guide to the principal figures, a summary of the plot, a list of major themes, a glossary of period words and phrases, and a set of discussion questions for book clubs and students. Whether you are reading for pleasure or study, this companion will help you navigate Dickens's rich and demanding world.