Easton Press leather edition of Charles Dickens's "The Personal History of David Copperfield," a COLLECTOR'S edition, Illustrated by John Austen, one of the 100 GREATEST BOOKS EVER WRITTEN series, published in 1979. Bound in brown leather, the book has deep burnt orange moire silk end leaves, satin book marker, hubbed spine, gold gilding on three edges---in near FINE condition----except for a blank attached bookplate on second page. Charles Dickens, who lived from 1812-1870, was born near PORTSMOUTH, England but his family moved to LONDON when he was two years old.  As a young boy, David Copperfield lives happily with his mother and his nurse, Peggotty. His father died before he was born. During David’s early childhood, his mother marries the violent Mr. Murdstone, who brings his strict sister, Miss Murdstone, into the house. The Murdstones treat David cruelly, and David bites Mr. Murdstone’s hand during one beating. The Murdstones send David away to school. Peggotty takes David to visit her family in Yarmouth, where David meets Peggotty’s brother, Mr. Peggotty, and his two adopted children, Ham and Little Em’ly. Mr. Peggotty’s family lives in a boat turned upside down—a space they share with Mrs. Gummidge, the widowed wife of Mr. Peggotty’s brother.  David befriends and idolizes an egotistical young man named James Steerforth and Tommy Traddles, an unfortunate, fat young boy who is beaten more than the others. David’s mother dies, and David returns home, where the Murdstones neglect him. He works at Mr. Murdstone’s wine-bottling business and moves in with Mr. Micawber, who mismanages his finances. When Mr. Micawber leaves London to escape his creditors, David decides to search for his father’s sister, Miss Betsey Trotwood—his only living relative. He walks a long distance to Miss Betsey’s home, and she takes him in on the advice of her mentally unstable friend, Mr. Dick. 821 pages.  I offer Combined shipping.