'If the community have left horrible places and horrible lives before his eyes, then the fault is the community's: and to picture these places and these lives becomes not merely his privilege, but his duty.' The Jago was a corner of Shoreditch, notorious as the filthiest of London's late nineteenth-century slums. In his second East End work, Arthur Morrison brings to life all the squalor of this area - among those whose only commandment was 'thou shall not nark' - through the life of little Dicky Perrot, who fought and stole and loved his family like the rest of them. With the help of the respected Father Sturt, Dicky tries to earn an honest living as a shop assistant, but the bubble of his new pride and responsibility is soon burst, through no fault of his, but because no one makes good in the Jago.

In his acclaimed and final East End novel, Arthur Morrison returns to a slightly earlier period than that of Tales of Mean Streets and A Child of the Jago, the 1860s and 1870s.

'The Jago had got him, and it held him fast.' In the worst of London's East End slums, in an area called the Jago, young Dicky Perrott is used to a life of poverty, crime, and violence. Gang warfare is the order of the day, deaths are commonplace, and thieving the only way to survive. At first Dicky dreams of becoming a High Mobsman - one of the aristocrats of Jago crime - but the efforts of Father Sturt to improve conditions offer him a different path. Dicky's journey takes him through a savage but colourful community of pickpockets and cosh-carriers, where the police only enter in threes, and where murder erupts with an unusual horror and intimacy. Morrison's portrayal of the Victorian underclass and its underworld drew attention to the bleak prospects for children living in such surroundings, and it is a classic of slum-fiction. In this edition Peter Miles provides a rich contextual background to the creation of the novel, and the social debates to which it contributed. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

"Learn to read and write, learn all you can, learn cunning, spare nobody and stop at nothing....Do your devilmost...for the Jago's got you!" Dicky Perrott, growing up in the notoriously criminal enclave of the Jago, listens and learns. Compelled by his family's circumstances to provide for his mother and siblings, he sharpens his skills as a boy thief. Along the way, he navigates the Jago's topsy-turvy ethics, vacillating between the rival messages of his mentors, a devious local fence and a righteous slum priest. Relentless in its bleakness and violence, A Child of the Jago captures the desperate struggle for survival in 1890s East London. This Broadview Edition provides the literary, socio-historical, and philosophical contexts vital to readers' understanding and appreciation of the novel. Historical appendices include materials on eugenics, hooliganism, women's sweated labour, cultural philanthropy, and the debate over the novel's accuracy.

Comprised of six short works of fiction, The Dorrington Deed-Box follows a London-based private detective named Horace Dorrington. Motivated by profit, Dorrington will do whatever it takes to catch criminals-even if that means killing them. This immoral and dishonest behavior extends to his clients as well, as Dorrington will manipulate anyone he can into hiring him. Outwardly polite, even-tempered and charming, Dorrington is socially pleasant but professionally corrupt. Told through the perspective of James Rigby, Dorrington's latest client, The Dorrington Deed-Box begins when Rigby and Dorrington meet on a train. After appealing to Rigby's paranoia, Dorrington gets hired to save Rigby from a threat that the detective mostly made up. However, as Rigby's narration follows the private detective through his cases, it is impossible not to be fascinated with the way Dorrington works. As he solves crimes, recovers stolen items, outsmarts scammers and exposes crooked businesses, Dorrington is unafraid to get his hands dirty. He is willing to intimidate, steal, or dispose of anything and anyone standing in the way of a resolved case. Originally published in the midst of the detective fiction craze, spearheaded by the Sherlock Holmes creator Arthur Conan Doyle, The Dorrington Deed-Box by Arthur Morrison is a collection of work that celebrates an anti-hero detective. Featuring a variety of clever and interesting works of short fiction, The Dorrington Deed-Box adds a unique and dark twist to detective fiction. With film and television adaptations and allusions, Arthur Morrison's The Dorrington Deed-Box and its protagonist, Horace Dorrington, have earned a place in pop culture, remaining fun and riveting to contemporary audiences. This edition of The Dorrington Deed-Box by Arthur Morrison now features an eye-catching new cover design and is printed in a font that is both modern and readable. With these accommodations, this edition of The Dorrington Deed-Box creates an accessible and pleasant reading experience for modern audiences while restoring the original wit and intrigue of Arthur Morrison's work.

Old Jago is tucked away in the East End of London, conveniently placed so the wealthy and the fortunate can forget all about it and its unlucky residents. Dicky Perott does not have the luxury of forgetting about the ugly truth of Old Jago, because he and his family barely can afford the single-room home they live in, fighting off robbers, fleas, and the cold. Though he is just a young boy, Dicky already dreams of the day he can leave the slum forever, but first, he has to find out how. Roaming the streets daily, Dicky begs and steals to survive, and is always looking for an opportunity to improve himself. As a riveting narration paints a portrait of life in Old Jago, Dicky comes of age while believing that if he works hard and hopes even harder, he will make it out of Old Jago alive. First published in 1896, A Child of the Jago earned Arthur Morrison considerable fame and commercial success. Quickly becoming a bestseller, this 19th century drama is now considered to be Arthur Morrison's best work. Often praised for the authenticity in his portrayal of London's working class, Arthur Morrison provides a devastating portrayal of life in a London slum in A Child of the Jago. Through an incredibly visceral depiction of the setting and characters, A Child of the Jago is unapologetically honest and gripping. With themes of class, coming-of-age, and societal injustice, Morrison offers modern readers a rare portrayal of the poorest class in 19th century London, without omitting a single detail. With relatable characters that demand empathy and a setting that steals attention, A Child of the Jago remains on the mind long after the novel's conclusion. This edition of A Child of the Jago by Arthur Morrison now features an eye-catching new cover design and is printed in a font that is both modern and readable. With these accommodations, this edition of A Child of the Jago creates an accessible and pleasant reading experience for modern audiences while restoring the original wit and intrigue of Arthur Morrison's work.

Comprised of six short works of fiction, The Dorrington Deed-Box follows a London-based private detective named Horace Dorrington. Motivated by profit, Dorrington will do whatever it takes to catch criminals—even if that means killing them. This immoral and dishonest behavior extends to his clients as well, as Dorrington will manipulate anyone he can into hiring him. Outwardly polite, even-tempered and charming, Dorrington is socially pleasant but professionally corrupt. Told through the perspective of James Rigby, Dorrington’s latest client, The Dorrington Deed-Box begins when Rigby and Dorrington meet on a train. After appealing to Rigby’s paranoia, Dorrington gets hired to save Rigby from a threat that the detective mostly made up. However, as Rigby’s narration follows the private detective through his cases, it is impossible not to be fascinated with the way Dorrington works. As he solves crimes, recovers stolen items, outsmarts scammers and exposes crooked businesses, Dorrington is unafraid to get his hands dirty. He is willing to intimidate, steal, or dispose of anything and anyone standing in the way of a resolved case. Originally published in the midst of the detective fiction craze, spearheaded by the Sherlock Holmes creator Arthur Conan Doyle, The Dorrington Deed-Box by Arthur Morrison is a collection of work that celebrates an anti-hero detective. Featuring a variety of clever and interesting works of short fiction, The Dorrington Deed-Box adds a unique and dark twist to detective fiction. With film and television adaptations and allusions, Arthur Morrison’s The Dorrington Deed-Box and its protagonist, Horace Dorrington, have earned a place in pop culture, remaining fun and riveting to contemporary audiences. This edition of The Dorrington Deed-Box by Arthur Morrison now features an eye-catching new cover design and is printed in a font that is both modern and readable. With these accommodations, this edition of The Dorrington Deed-Box creates an accessible and pleasant reading experience for modern audiences while restoring the original wit and intrigue of Arthur Morrison’s work.