Charles Dickens A to Z: The Essential Reference to His Life and Work

by Paul B. Davis

Entries cover such topics as Dicken's associates, the characters in his novels, literary themes, social themes, other writers' assessments of his work, and his private life

Genres: Reference, Nonfiction

432 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

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There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name

Reviews

[Cristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paul Davis' "Dickens Encyclopedia" is a must-have for any Dickens scholar or fan. Arranged in a very accessible alphabetized and indexed format, Charles Dickens A to Z includes the "essentials" of Dickens and every Dickens-related piece of work. Can’t remember where you read about Barkis? Where was that Circumlocution Office? We’re all familiar with A Christmas Carol, but what other stories was Dickens writing for his children? Find the answers to such questions in more in this reference guide. Davis offers plot synopses, character descriptions, locale details, and the like, and includes the definitions of various Dickens-related vocabulary words. Also included are wonderful illustrations that further emphasize Dickens’ worlds—both personal and public, and fictional and factual. All in all, this is a useful book for scholars who may need to “brush up” on their Dickens or who are simply curious about a bit more of the background of the work they’re reading—or Dickens, the man, himself. The oversized format ensures that there’s plenty to offer in this addicting book! Finally, perhaps the most useful point is that Davis also includes details on each text’s adaptations/versions and criticism, to boot. Additionally, there is quite a bit on the social background of Dickens’ Victorian England. For the student, this encyclopedia is a great launching bad to other primary and secondary sources by and about Charles Dickens.