Oliver Twist or, The Parish Boy’s Progress (Signet Classics) With a New Introduction by Frederick Busch and an Afterword by Edward Le Comte

“Oliver Twist” is a novel by Charles Dickens published in 1837-1839. The story follows the life of an orphan boy named Oliver Twist who was raised in a workhouse and then sold into apprenticeship with an undertaker. After escaping from there, he joins a gang of young pickpockets led by Fagin, a criminal mastermind. Oliver is eventually rescued by Mr. Brownlow, a kindly old man, but Fagin and his associates try to recapture him. The novel depicts the harsh realities of Victorian England, including poverty, crime, and social injustice. In the end, Oliver discovers his true identity and finds a happy ending with Mr. Brownlow.