The Life and Times of Charles DickensThe Life and Times of Charles Dickens

In this stunning new illustrated biography, Peter Ackroyd introduces us to the public and private life of one of Britain's best loved literary giants, Charles Dickens.

Dickens's own story is one of rags to riches; from bankruptcy, prison and enforced child labor in his youth to a life of fame and fortune in adulthood, yet one that was overshadowed by guilt and secrecy. His life seems to echo the plots of his epic novels: indeed he was strongly influenced by personal experience and his stories brim with references to the places and characters he knew and the preoccupations that haunted his life.

At a remarkably young age, Dickens achieved the public respectability, wealth and international fame he had craved during his impoverished childhood. However, his road to personal happiness was a far less successful one. Scarred by the memory of his father's bankruptcy, he experienced continued anxieties over money and he often found himself supporting members of his family financially. Dickens, a writer who celebrated domestic harmony and familial affection in his work, had also to brave the shame of public anger when he separated from his wife of over twenty years for his secret mistress, Ellen Ternan.

As a strong supporter of social reform, Dickens's writings frequently addressed issues of contemporary concern. In Dickens - Public Life and Private Passion, Peter Ackroyd highlights the reality of life in the Victorian era and the great landmarks and events of the time, all of which were to be profound influences on Dickens's life and work.

Dickens was a mercurial character, with enormous vitality, wit and humor, yet he also lived a sense of loss and longing that constantly reiterated itself in his work. He died having achieved success and riches he aspired to, while still harboring the deep sadness he had experienced all is life. Illustrated with contemporary images and photographs, Ackroyd presents a fascinating introduction to his best-loved and his time.
In this stunning new illustrated biography, Peter Ackroyd introduces us to the public and private life of one of Britain's best loved literary giants, Charles Dickens.

Dickens's own story is one of rags to riches; from bankruptcy, prison and enforced child labor in his youth to a life of fame and fortune in adulthood, yet one that was overshadowed by guilt and secrecy. His life seems to echo the plots of his epic novels: indeed he was strongly influenced by personal experience and his stories brim with references to the places and characters he knew and the preoccupations that haunted his life.

At a remarkably young age, Dickens achieved the public respectability, wealth and international fame he had craved during his impoverished childhood. However, his road to personal happiness was a far less successful one. Scarred by the memory of his father's bankruptcy, he experienced continued anxieties over money and he often found himself supporting members of his family financially. Dickens, a writer who celebrated domestic harmony and familial affection in his work, had also to brave the shame of public anger when he separated from his wife of over twenty years for his secret mistress, Ellen Ternan.

As a strong supporter of social reform, Dickens's writings frequently addressed issues of contemporary concern. In Dickens - Public Life and Private Passion, Peter Ackroyd highlights the reality of life in the Victorian era and the great landmarks and events of the time, all of which were to be profound influences on Dickens's life and work.

Dickens was a mercurial character, with enormous vitality, wit and humor, yet he also lived a sense of loss and longing that constantly reiterated itself in his work. He died having achieved success and riches he aspired to, while still harboring the deep sadness he had experienced all is life. Illustrated with contemporary images and photographs, Ackroyd presents a fascinating introduction to his best-loved and his time.

This book's jacket shows the title as Dickens; Public Life and Private Passion ; the title page shows The Life and Times of Charles Dickens. The prolific, Whitbread-winning Ackroyd provides an overview of the much-loved novelist and social reformer's twin lives, public and private, in a biography enhanced with many color and b&w images. Dickens' life had a rags-to-riches trajectory; but the fame and fortune he experienced as an adult were overshadowed by guilt, secrecy, and anxiety over money. Ackroyd explores many facets of Dickens' divided temperament as manifested in his travels, his crusades, his domestic troubles. For those who need the info, Hylas books published before Fall 2003 have the publisher's old name (Hydra Publishing) on them. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
Presents an illustrated introduction to the public and private life of the popular Victorian novelist.