Description
Book SynopsisA biography of Dickens that uncovers Dickens the man through the profession in which he excelled. Drawing on a study of this prodigiously brilliant figure, it explores the personal and emotional life, the high-profile public activities, the relentless travel, the charitable works, the amateur theatricals and the astonishing productivity.
Trade Review"'In many ways, this is an excellent book. It is clearly written, without rash speculation or amateur psychiatry. It is based on a thorough knowledge of relevant facts. The illustrations are copious, well chosen, and extremely well reproduced.' (A.O.J. Cockshut, The Church Times) 'The attention Mr. Slater gives to Dickens's less familiar writings - the short stories, journalism, and essays - is one of the things that distinguish his excellent biography... An authoritative and engaging biography.' (The Economist) 'Indispensable... Slater assembles a million accumulated details, minutely examining the genesis of each work... This is an incomparable portrait of the writing life of Dickens. Cumulatively, it is profoundly moving, chronicling the constant restless interaction between the life and work.' (Simon Callow, The Guardian) 'This book is like a cake, rich with fruit, appropriately for Dickens a Christmas cake, which will keep and be sliced into for years; or maybe, as he saw it, "the layers of red and white in a side of streaky, well-cured bacon" - white for comedy - red for mortality.' (P. J. Kavanagh, The Tablet)"
