Publisher's Synopsis
Had Charles Dickens a terrible life when he was a child, or his parents provided a fairy tale childhood for him? His father was sent to the prison for being in debt two times in Charles life. At ten years old Charles was forced to go to work to support the family walking five miles one way to work and working ten-hour days. He wanted a college degree so badly he could taste it. He knew hard work and how to keep his word. He had an extremely high IQ and what seemed like a photographic memory. There are different and varying opinions on whether he was a ladies' man or not; but once you research Charles, you cannot help but to label him as a ladies' man; some may even label him as a pedophile with his very young sister-in-law.
Dickens was known by many around him to be a heartless and sometimes cruel man. Known for his poignant characterizations of children in his work, he had a strained relationship with his own family and had little sympathy towards his depressed wife. As fascinating and complex a character as any of his own creations, the real Charles Dickens was a mass of contradictions. In this illuminating biography, Karen Kenyon vividly divulges and dissects the true nature of one of the most remarkable authors in the English language.
As spirits haunt Scrooge's darkened soul, readers are taken on a chilling journey through past, present, and future. Dickens's masterful storytelling combined with the eerie atmosphere creates a spine-tingling reading experience that breathes new life into the beloved Christmas tale.
