Little Dorrit. By CHARLES DICKENS, Illustrations by Phiz aka Hablot Knight Browne, Odhams Press Limited, London.
 
Classic Fiction Novel
 
The story features Amy Dorrit, youngest child of her family, born and raised in the Marshalsea prison for debtors in London. Arthur Clennam encounters her after returning home from a 20-year absence, ready to begin his life anew.
 
The novel satirises the shortcomings of both government and society, including the institution of debtors' prisons, where debtors were imprisoned, unable to work, until they repaid their debts. The prison in this case is the Marshalsea, where Dickens’ own father had been imprisoned. Dickens is also critical of the lack of a social safety net, the treatment and safety of industrial workers, as well as the bureaucracy of the British Treasury, in the form of his fictional "Circumlocution Office". In addition, he satirises the stratification of society that results from the British class system.

Red cloth with embellished gilt spine title. Slightly shaken binding with gutter bindery wear at inside hinge. Clean pages (one outer fore edge pencil mark noted) and owner gift names at front endpaper. Light cover fading and very light surface worming with small tear at spine head. Mild foxing at endpapers and crease at rear endpaper. 7 x 4-1/2 with 764 pages. Undated circa 1930.