Dickens, Charles

Charles John Huffman Dickens (7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer notable of social commentary of the Victorian era. He frequently used idealised characters and emotive scenes to contrast with the poverty and social stratification of his time. His most popular titles include Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, A Tale of Two Cities, and Great Expectations, which have remained popular being adapted for film and television format. Dickens’s books were characteristically written in monthly or weekly instalments in popular journals such as Master Humphrey’s Clock and Household Words. The final issue was typically bound into an engraved book form with advertising slips and are a valued collector’s item. Dickens’s is also known for his five books in the distinctive Christmas series including the classic The Christmas Carol. Dickens novels proved popular and they were released as a collection in the Library Edition. After Dicken’s death Chapman and Hall publishers continued to publish many of his works with original illustrations in library sets.