Charles Dickens

Born

in Portsmouth, England

February 07, 1812

Died

June 09, 1870

Genre

Fiction

Influences

Thomas Carlyle, Miguel de Cervantes, Daniel Defoe, Henry Fielding, Tob ...more

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Charles John Huffam Dickens was a writer and social critic who created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era. His works enjoyed unprecedented popularity during his lifetime, and by the twentieth century critics and scholars had recognised him as a literary genius. His novels and short stories enjoy lasting popularity.

Dickens left school to work in a factory when his father was incarcerated in a debtors' prison. Despite his lack of formal education, he edited a weekly journal for 20 years, wrote 15 novels, five novellas, hundreds of short stories and non-fiction articles, lectured and performed extensively, was an indefatigable letter writer, and campaigned vigorousl Charles John Huffam Dickens was a writer and social critic who created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era. His works enjoyed unprecedented popularity during his lifetime, and by the twentieth century critics and scholars had recognised him as a literary genius. His novels and short stories enjoy lasting popularity.

Dickens left school to work in a factory when his father was incarcerated in a debtors' prison. Despite his lack of formal education, he edited a weekly journal for 20 years, wrote 15 novels, five novellas, hundreds of short stories and non-fiction articles, lectured and performed extensively, was an indefatigable letter writer, and campaigned vigorously for children's rights, education, and other social reforms.

Dickens was regarded as the literary colossus of his age. 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, and, like many of his novels, evoke images of early Victorian London. 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 fellow writers—from Leo Tolstoy to George Orwell and G. K. Chesterton—for its realism, comedy, prose style, unique characterisations, and social criticism. On the other hand, Oscar Wilde, Henry James, and Virginia Woolf complained of a lack of psychological depth, loose writing, and a vein of saccharine sentimentalism. The term Dickensian is used to describe something that is reminiscent of Dickens and his writings, such as poor social conditions or comically repulsive characters.

On 8 June 1870, Dickens suffered another stroke at his home after a full day's work on Edwin Drood. He never regained consciousness, and the next day he died at Gad's Hill Place. Contrary to his wish to be buried at Rochester Cathedral "in an inexpensive, unostentatious, and strictly private manner," he was laid to rest in the Poets' Corner of Westminster Abbey. A printed epitaph circulated at the time of the funeral reads: "To the Memory of Charles Dickens (England's most popular author) who died at his residence, Higham, near Rochester, Kent, 9 June 1870, aged 58 years. He was a sympathiser with the poor, the suffering, and the oppressed; and by his death, one of England's greatest writers is lost to the world." His last words were: "On the ground", in response to his sister-in-law Georgina's request that he lie down.

(from Wikipedia) ...more

Combine Editions
Charles Dickens’s books

Average rating: 3.88 · 2,812,967 ratings · 80,676 reviews · 3,957 distinct works • Similar authors

	A Tale of Two Cities 3.83 avg rating — 738,574 ratings — published 1859 — 2694 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Great Expectations 3.76 avg rating — 577,982 ratings — published 1861 — 2626 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, Joe L. Wheeler (Contributor) 4.04 avg rating — 525,608 ratings — published 1843 — 203 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Oliver Twist 3.86 avg rating — 283,492 ratings — published 1838 — 2485 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	David Copperfield 3.98 avg rating — 181,356 ratings — published 1849 — 1790 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Bleak House by Charles Dickens, Nicola Bradbury (Annotations) , Hablot Knight Browne (Illustrations) 4.01 avg rating — 86,756 ratings — published 1853 — 18 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Christmas Carol, The Chimes and The Cricket on the Hearth by Charles Dickens, Katharine Kroeber Wiley (Introduction) 4.12 avg rating — 54,666 ratings — published 1843 — 168 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Little Dorrit 3.98 avg rating — 41,096 ratings — published 1855 — 588 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Hard Times 3.52 avg rating — 48,220 ratings — published 1854 — 1209 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens, Mark Ford (Annotations) 3.90 avg rating — 37,095 ratings — published 1839 — 14 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Charles Dickens…

Series by Charles Dickens

The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club (2 books)
by

Charles Dickens

3.99 avg rating — 318 ratings

Nicholas Nickleby (2 books)
by

Charles Dickens

4.03 avg rating — 116 ratings

The Old Curiosity Shop (2 books)
by

Charles Dickens

3.61 avg rating — 70 ratings

Martin Chuzzlewit (2 books)
by

Charles Dickens

3.90 avg rating — 20 ratings

Quotes by Charles Dickens

“There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor.”
― Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

tags: humor, laughter

5067 likes

“I loved her against reason, against promise, against peace, against hope, against happiness, against all discouragement that could be.”
― Charles Dickens, Great Expectations

tags: love

4451 likes

“Never close your lips to those whom you have already opened your heart.”
― Charles Dickens

tags: kissing, love, romance

4036 likes

See all Charles Dickens's quotes »

Polls

What is your favorite Charles Dickens Novel?

Bleak House

16 votes 21.6%

Great Expectations

16 votes 21.6%

A Tale of Two Cities

7 votes 9.5%

The Pickwick Papers

7 votes 9.5%

David Copperfield

6 votes 8.1%

Our Mutual Friend

5 votes 6.8%

Oliver Twist

4 votes 5.4%

Martin Chuzzlewit

3 votes 4.1%

Nicholas Nickleby

3 votes 4.1%

Hard Times

2 votes 2.7%

Little Dorrit

2 votes 2.7%

The Old Curiosity Shop

1 vote 1.4%

Barnaby Rudge

1 vote 1.4%

Dombey and Son

1 vote 1.4%

The Mystery of Edwin Drood

0 votes 0.0%

74 total votes

4 comments

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