Great Expectations (Version 3)


Read by Mil Nicholson

(4.9 stars; 338 reviews)

In one of Charles Dickens’ most beloved stories, Philip Pirrip, known as “Pip”, narrates his own journey, from the hindsight of 50 years.

Pip grows up with his older sister after losing his parents at a very early age. His sister, a tough unloving woman, rules Pip and her gentle husband Joe with an iron hand. During Pip's 7th year, while playing in the marshes, he is accosted by an escaped criminal whom he decides to help by stealing food from his own home. But the convict is caught and returned to prison.

Miss Havisham, an eccentric, rich recluse, sends for Pip to come to her house to play with Estella, a haughty and rude girl about his age. Although Pip is ashamed of himself as a poor uneducated boy, he is fascinated by Estella.
A few years later, he becomes apprenticed to Joe, a blacksmith, but dreams of becoming rich and clever and marrying Estella. A stranger, Mr. Jaggers, arrives to inform him that he has come into a handsome property, and will be removed from his present home to be brought up as a gentleman. The benefactor is kept secret, but Pip is sure it must be Miss Havisham.

In London, he acquires a tutor, grand new clothes and the lifestyle he always wanted. However, life is complicated as a gentleman in society, and he finds himself very unhappy, as Estella remains indifferent to him, involved with someone else. Pip begins overspending his generous allowance, and worse, spurns his old friends. Then unexpected problems from his past arise, and begin to transform his attitude. (Summary by Mil Nicholson) (20 hr 12 min)

Chapters

Chapter 1 13:03 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 2 21:30 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 3 12:48 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 4 22:29 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 5 26:50 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 6 4:58 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 7 27:06 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 8 31:20 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 9 18:35 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 10 16:35 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 11 34:24 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 12 14:35 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 13 20:01 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 14 5:35 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 15 28:45 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 16 12:24 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 17 21:31 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 18 33:10 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 19 36:56 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 20 20:14 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 21 11:31 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 22 30:53 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 23 20:06 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 24 15:13 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 25 18:39 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 26 18:17 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 27 20:52 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 28 15:33 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 29 32:26 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 30 21:38 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 31 14:17 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 32 14:03 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 33 17:07 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 34 14:38 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 35 19:21 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 36 17:14 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 37 17:49 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 38 31:48 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 39 32:25 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 40 34:53 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 41 13:52 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 42 20:10 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 43 13:21 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 44 19:58 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 45 19:17 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 46 19:01 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 47 16:05 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 48 17:42 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 49 24:06 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 50 9:25 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 51 20:25 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 52 13:04 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 53 33:25 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 54 35:51 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 55 18:08 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 56 14:25 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 57 32:03 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 58 20:46 Read by Mil Nicholson
Chapter 59 10:02 Read by Mil Nicholson

Reviews

Alnternate ending version


(4.5 stars)

This is the alternate chapter 59 ending. Where Pip sees no further parting from Estella. In Dickens original ending (the one read in my University days) Pip is walking with his younger namesake and is called over to a carriage. There he discovers Estella who has re-married a poor but honest Doctor and they live off of her fortune. Both endings were published. One makes a better movie I suppose.

What a Reader!!!


(5 stars)

Mil Nicholson brings life to every character and every scene. Read by a less talented reader parts of (perhaps large parts) of Great Expectations would have been tedious. But Ms. Nicholson has me seriously considering exploring the rest of Dickens novels - so long as she is reading them.

Fantastic text, brilliantly read!


(5 stars)

My favourite LV book to date! Mil does a brilliant job of all the voices, bringing Dickens' writing to life and even making the dialect parts clear! I'd write more about how fantastic Mil is, but I'm off now to listen to everything else she's ever recorded!


(5 stars)

Only one more Dickens text read by Mil Nicholson remains for me to hear. This reading was a particular pleasure—I wrote my senior paper as a literature major on the aspect of setting in Great Expectations. It has been 40 years since I read the novel. While reading brings insights, especially as to methods of composition, listening brings others, especially as to characterization. And Ms Nicholson brings characters and their ways to life in a way that few readers are able. I only wish that Dickens had reported on Wemmick, Miss Skiffins, and the Aged Parent upon his return from abroad, since Wemmick’s pleasant modifications to the Castle are a favorite memory. I had long tried to recall in which Dickens novel a Wemmick-like person and home had appeared. It was such a pleasure to find them again in Mil Nicholson’s reading of Great Expectations. Monday, 4 March 2024.

pretty good kinda a love story unfortunately


(4.5 stars)

Read the book did listen to it. The one I read was a Readers Digest Hardcover book and I highly recommend their classic literature. They’re pages are nice and thick and the print is not super small which shows quality, they are out of print now but you can find them used for like 7$. They are very decorative too

extraordinary


(5 stars)

I've never seen anyone read so well. Mr. Nicholson brings the characters and the book to life! He coughs, laughs, sneezes, sighs to suit each character and even resumes his natural voice too. How does he do so many different voices! He even changed Pip's voice as he grows up from a boy to a young man. I haven't finished it yet, but I'm extremely impressed.

Great Expectations


(5 stars)

My favourite Dickens of all. A very good clear reading by Mil Nicholson. I much prefer a single reader for a whole book rather than many. Not really a criticism but the expression of a preference Just one thing really grated for me and that was the mispronunciation of the surnames Gargery and Compeyson... However, thoroughly enjoyed listening. Thank you.

One of The Finest LibriVox Offerings


(5 stars)

You can have every expectation of something truly great with this Charles Dickens classic read by Mil Nicholson, which represents the best in classical 19th century literature available on LibriVox in this “aged one’s” opinion. Thanks Ms. Nicholson for your volunteering your amazing skills and talents to bring so much quality to this wonderful catalog.