From E. D. H. Johnson's Charles Dickens: An Introduction to His Novels, which originally appeared three decades ago (1969) in the paperback Random House Study in Language and Literature Series. It has been included in the Victorian web with the kind permission of the late author's family. Page breaks in the paperback edition have been indicated within the text by [5/6] in order to permit readers to cite original page numbers.
The novels of Charles Dickens were first published at the dates and in the form indicated below:
Pickwick Papers
Monthly numbers, April 1836 to November 1837Oliver Twist
Monthly serial in Bentley's Miscellany February 1837 to April 1839 (24 installments)Nicholas Nickleby
Monthly numbers, April 1838 to October I839The Old Curiosity Shop
Weekly serial in Master Humphrey's Clock, April 2S, 1840, to February 6,1841Barnaby Rudge
Weekly serial in Master Humphrey's Clock, February 13, 184l, to November 27,1841Martin Chuzzlewit
Monthly numbers, January 1843 to July 1844Dombey and Son
Monthly numbers, October 1846 to April 1848David Copperfield
Monthly numbers, May 1849 to November 1850Bleak House
Monthly numbers, March 1852 to September 1853Hard Times
Weekly serial in Household Words, April 1, 1854, to August 12, 1854Little Dorrit
Monthly numbers, December 1855 to June I857A Tale of Two Cities
Weekly serial in All the Year Round, April 30, 1859, to November 26, 1859 [167/168]Great Expectations
Weekly serial in All the Year Round, December 1, 1860 to August 3, 1861Our Mutual Friend
Monthly numbers, May 1864 to November 1865The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Monthly numbers, April 1870 to September 1870 (six of twelve numbers completed)