Publisher's Synopsis
Charles Dickens, A Critical Study (1906) By G.K. Chesterton Chesterton's 1906 biography of Charles Dickens was largely responsible for creating a popular revival for Dickens's work as well as a serious reconsideration of Dickens by scholars. Chesterton examines some of the author's finest work, including The Pickwick Papers, and investigates his focus on Christmas. English writer Charles John Huffam Dickens (1812 - 1870) created some of the world's best-known fictional characters including David Copperfield, Oliver Twist and Scrooge. He is regarded by some as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era. He was born in Portsmouth and left school to work in a factory when his father was jailed over debts. Despite his lack of education, Dickens edited a weekly journal for 20 years and wrote 15 novels and five novellas. Dickens's success began with the 1836 serial publication of The Pickwick Papers. Within a few years he had become an international celebrity, famous for his humour, satire, and observations of society. His plots were carefully constructed, and he often wove elements from topical events into his narratives.His 1843 novella, A Christmas Carol, remains popular and continues to inspire adaptations in every artistic genre. Oliver Twist and Great Expectations are also frequently adapted. His 1859 novel, A Tale of Two Cities, set in London and Paris, is his best-known work of historical fiction. Dickens's creative genius has been praised by Leo Tolstoy, George Orwell and G. K. Chesterton, among many other writers, for its realism, comedy, and social criticism. The term "Dickensian" is used to describe something that is reminiscent of Dickens and his writings, such as poor social conditions.
