Yes, I understand that, but as I said, I am
REALLY a Dickens' nut and I have always HATED this book of his.
"BLEAK HOUSE" is good, but so are "HARD TIMES", "OLIVER TWIST", "THE OLD CURIOSTY SHOP", "NICHOLAS NICKLEBY" and on and on and on. Just because TPP was his first, it doesn't belong on the list; JMO.
Oliver Twist is substandard Dickens IMO. But TPP revolsutioned the publishing industry. I think that's the primary reason its there. Uncle Tom's Cabin isn't exactly a literary masterwork either. Interestingly enough, Tolstoy came to prefer it to his own novels for its high moral value.