Charles Dickens
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Every home should have a vintage Charles Dickens book.
These classic novels written by the great philanthropist of the era raised the plight of the poor and became overnight bestsellers as readers thrilled to his intricate plots.
Classic novels such as Bleak House, Great expectations, and the all time favourite old book A Christmas Carol.
So don't be a Scrooge, treat yourself or a loved one to a lovely antique Charles Dickens book and read some of the greatest novels of the 19th century and if you are interested you can find out more about the life of this great writer below. -
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American Notes and Pictures from Italy Charles Dickens Classic Vintage Leather Book
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"But Edith, with her face still hidden in her hands, had already risen and moved towards the door. She stopped an instant on seeing Mr Dombey there, irresolute and scared, and seemed as though she would have spoken, but, glancing at his face, retreated and went out, leaving him looking after her with a shadowy reflection in his face, as if he had lost her dimly, in some dream or memory."
Charles Dickens, 'Dombey and Son'
Charles Dickens was an English novelist, broadly recognised as one of the greatest writers of the Victorian era.
Not only was he a writer but In addition to his novels, Dickens was also a great social activist and philanthropist. Some of his most famous works include "A Christmas Carol," "David Copperfield", "Bleak House," "A Tale of Two Cities," "Great Expectations," and "Our Mutual Friend."
Dickens was born in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England, on February 7, 1812. He spent his early childhood in Chatham,moving to London in 1822. When Charles was twelve, his father was imprisoned for debt. This rude awakening meant Charles had to leave school and work in a factory again providing important material for his richly characterised books....
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Dickens' father was also an influence on his work, making the young Charles aware of the financial struggles families could face due to the unavoidable fact that his father was greatly inept with money.
When Charles was twelve, his father was imprisoned for debt. This rude awakening meant Charles had to leave school and work in a factory again providing important material for his richly characterised books.
Dickens began his career as a journalist he gained acclaim for his serialized novels published in instalments in various periodical magazines of the day. He was an avid social commentator, often highly critical of the great injustices towards the poor of the Victorian era.
He supported numerous charitable causes throughout his life and used his novels to continually highlight the conditions for children and the poor. Dickens' character Edith from the novel Dombey and Son (quoted above) also raised awareness of domestic abuse in marital relationships. He frequently gave enthusiastic public readings of his works, which were highly popular raising awareness of both his novels and the social issues he wanted to highlight.
The frequently overlooked novel 'Dombey and Son', has an important female character Edith whose individual story illustrates vividly, the oft occurring plight of married women during the Victorian Age. In context, an influence at a time when the first seeds of women’s suffrage and improved marital rights for women were being planted. His own unhappy experiences in school and his mother's lack of understanding also left a deep and lasting impression upon Charles, the result being he often explored themes of childhood, education, and motherhood in his writing. Dicken's other famous character Nancy in Oliver Twist also highlighted the bitter reality of women’s lives during the Victorian era and the darkest underbellies of Victorian society.
The appeal of Dicken's books to people of all classes and backgrounds guaranteed the success he found worldwide. His work was characterized by an innate ability to capture the very essence of Victorian society including its most unpleasant (albeit often highly entertaining) aspects, making him undoubtedly one of the greatest forces in 19th century literature. It is hard to find another author whose books, each and everyone of which, are literary masterpieces.
Despite some of the personal flaws to Dicken’s character his empathy towards the people of the society he lived in made his entertaining novels actually highly important social justice commentary.
This great writer’s life came to an end on June 9, 1870, at his home 'Gad’s Hill', near Chatham, Kent. The legacy of Dicken's great novels however, lives on as they continue to be widely read and celebrated around the world. His deeply relatable characters and depictions of everyday life, the social commentary as a constant thread throughout his novels, and his compassion for the downtrodden have made him an enduring and highly important figure in English literature.
Books by this Author
A list of Charles Dickens' major literary works:
The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club (1836-1837)
Oliver Twist (1837-1839)
Nicholas Nickleby (1838-1839)
The Old Curiosity Shop (1840-1841)
Barnaby Rudge (1841)
Martin Chuzzlewit (1843-1844)
Dombey and Son (1846-1848)
David Copperfield (1849-1850)
Bleak House (1852-1853)
Hard Times (1854)
Little Dorrit (1855-1857)
A Tale of Two Cities (1859)
Great Expectations (1860-1861)
Our Mutual Friend (1864-1865)
The Mystery of Edwin Drood (1870) (unfinished)
In addition to these novels, Dickens also wrote numerous short stories, essays, and articles for various publications throughout his career.
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