Ten of the best punch-ups in fiction

At the Guardian, John Mullan named ten of the best punch-ups in fiction.

One book on the list:

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

As Hollywood knows, there's nothing like a good fight to cement a bond between two men. The young Pip encounters a "pale young gentleman" at Miss Havisham's who invites him to fight. Despite "squaring at me with every demonstration of mechanical nicety" he is useless and falls over each time he is hit. He is Herbert Pocket and is destined to be Pip's best friend.

Read about all ten titles on the list.

Read an 1861 review of Great Expectations.

--Marshal Zeringue