Dombey & Son

''There''s no writing against such power as this - one has no chance'' William Makepeace Thackeray

A compelling depiction of a man imprisoned by his own pride, Dombey and Son explores the devastating effects of emotional deprivation on a dysfunctional family. Paul Dombey runs his household as he runs his business: coldly, calculatingly and commercially. The only person he cares for is his little son, while his motherless daughter Florence is merely a ''base coin that couldn''t be invested''. As Dombey''s callousness extends to others, including his defiant second wife Edith, he sows the seeds of his own destruction.

Edited with an Introduction and Notes by Andrew Sanders