Charles Dickens and His Circle
About this book
Charles Dickens (1812-70), the foremost novelist of the nineteenth century, was one of the first people to whom the term 'celebrity' in its modern sense was applied. Through sheer force of will he propelled himself from humble beginnings to become one of the world's most famous and adored men, whose extensive circle of friends and associates encompassed many eminent and influential figures of the Victorian age. Lucinda Hawksley explores the life of Dickens her great-great-great-grandfather, the family and the remarkably diverse group of intelligent, radical, questioning individuals in his orbit: artists, illustrators, poets, social reformers and fellow writers - including those he encountered during his tours of the United States.Beautifully illustrated with images from The National Portrait Gallery, this book reveals the man behind the novels and the lives of those around him.