Jack Sheppard (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. Historical NovelBy William Harrison Ainsworth
Length19h 18m
About this audiobook
William Harrison Ainsworth's Jack Sheppard (1839) is a vivid Newgate novel that transforms the career of the celebrated eighteenth-century housebreaker into a fast-paced romance of crime, confinement, and spectacular escape. Drawing on criminal biography, popular theatre, and Gothic melodrama, Ainsworth stages London's underworld with theatrical energy, setting the agile, charismatic Sheppard against the sinister thief-taker Jonathan Wild. Its episodic structure, bold contrasts, and sensational incidents place it firmly within Victorian debates about popular fiction and the moral dangers of glamorizing transgression. Ainsworth, a novelist with antiquarian tastes and a keen instinct for public appetite, was fascinated by the drama of historical personalities and the imaginative power of place. Following the success of Rookwood, he turned to Sheppard's legend at a moment when serialized fiction and urban crime narratives commanded enormous attention, shaping a work that reflects both his archival interests and his flair for spectacle. This book is recommended to readers interested in Victorian popular culture, crime fiction's origins, and the uneasy boundary between historical reconstruction and sensational entertainment.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.
Audiobook details
GenreHistorical Fiction, Mystery and Thriller
Length19 hrs 18 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateJan 26, 2020
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1Introduction
2Introduction
3Synopsis
4Historical Context
5Jack Sheppard
Show all chaptersShow less
6EPOCH THE FIRST. 1703. JONATHAN WILD.
7Chapter 1. The Widow and her Child.
8Chapter 2. The Old Mint.
9Chapter 3. The Master of the Mint.
10Chapter 4. The Roof and the Window.
11Chapter 5. The Denunciation.
12Chapter 6. The Storm.
13Chapter 7. Old London Bridge.
14EPOCH THE SECOND. 1715. THAMES DARRELL.
15Chapter 1. The Idle Apprentice.
16Chapter 2. Thames Darrell.
17Chapter 3. The Jacobite.
18Chapter 4. Mr. Kneebone and his Friends.
19Chapter 5. Hawk and Buzzard.
20Chapter 6. The first Step towards the Ladder.
21Chapter 7. Brother and Sister.
22Chapter 8. Miching Mallecho.
23Chapter 9. Consequences of the Theft.
24Chapter 10. Mother and Son.
25Chapter 11. The Mohocks.
26Chapter 12. Saint Giles’s Round-house.
27Chapter 13. The Magdalene.
28Chapter 14. The Flash Ken.
29Chapter 15. The Robbery in Willesden Church.
30Chapter 16. Jonathan Wild’s House in the Old Bailey.
31Chapter 17. The Night-Cellar.
32Chapter 18. How Jack Sheppard broke out of the Cage at Willesden.
33Chapter 19. Good and Evil.
34EPOCH THE THIRD. 1724. THE PRISON-BREAKER.
35Chapter 1. The Return.
36Chapter 2. The Burglary at Dollis Hill.
37Chapter 3. Jack Sheppard’s Quarrel with Jonathan Wild.
38Chapter 4. Jack Sheppard’s Escape from the New Prison.
39Chapter 5. The Disguise.
40Chapter 6. Winifred receives two Proposals.
41Chapter 7. Jack Sheppard warns Thames Darrell.
42Chapter 8. Old Bedlam.
43Chapter 9. Old Newgate.
44Chapter 10. How Jack Sheppard got out of the Condemned Hold.
45Chapter 11. Dollis Hill revisited.
46Chapter 12. The Well Hole.
47Chapter 13. The Supper at Mr. Kneebone’s.
48Chapter 14. How Jack Sheppard was again captured.
49Chapter 15. How Blueskin underwent the Peine Forte et Dure.
50Chapter 16. How Jack Sheppard’s Portrait was painted.
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