"Dickens" is a biography of the famous 19th-century English author Charles Dickens, written by Peter Ackroyd and first published in 1990. The book provides a detailed account of Dickens's life, from his childhood in Portsmouth, through his rise to fame as a writer, to his later years as a public figure and social reformer.
Ackroyd's biography portrays Dickens as a complex and multi-dimensional figure, with a range of personal and professional interests and concerns. The book explores Dickens's relationships with his family, his friends, and his readers, and it examines the social and cultural context in which he lived and worked.
One of the key themes of the book is Dickens's commitment to social justice and his role as a champion of the poor and the oppressed. Ackroyd shows how Dickens's personal experiences and observations of the inequalities of Victorian society influenced his writing, and he analyzes the political and social impact of Dickens's novels and journalism.
The book also offers insights into Dickens's writing process, his literary influences, and his innovations as a novelist. Ackroyd analyzes some of Dickens's most famous works, including "Oliver Twist," "David Copperfield," "Great Expectations," and "A Tale of Two Cities," and he examines the themes and techniques that make these novels enduring classics of English literature.
Overall, "Dickens" is a comprehensive and insightful biography that provides a detailed and engaging portrait of one of the most important writers in English literary history.
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