Charles Dickens (7 February, 1812 – 9 June, 1870), prolific English author, is known to this day as the quintessential Victorian author.
- Charles Dickens was born as Charles John Huffam Dickens
- Dickens’ father was put in debtor’s prison and Charles was forced to leave school and go to work at a boot polish factory. The conditions at the factory were so bad that young Dickens suffered from … loneliness.
- When Dickens’ pet raven, Grip, died, he had it stuffed. The raven is now on display in Philadelphia. after is it was purchased by Col. Richard Gimbel – a Dickens collector. Dickens wrote about Grip’s demise: “On the clock striking twelve he appeared slightly agitated, but he soon recovered, walked twice or thrice along the coach house, stopped to bark, staggered, exclaimed `Halloa old girl!’ (his favorite expression) and died.“
- The first time Dickens was published, he was working in Monthly Magazine at age 21. The piece was called “A Dinner at Poplar Walk” and can be read online.
- Edward Bulwer Lytton Dickens, the author’s son, was named after Bulwer Lytton – an author and friend.
- Dickens put on a magic show with friends, he called himself “The Unparalleled Necromancer Rhia Rhama Rhoos, educated cabalistically in the Orange Groves of Salamanca and the Ocean Caves of Alum Bay.”
- Dickens started writing Nicholas Nickelby halfway through Oliver Twist. He startedOliver Twist halfway through Pickwick Papers.
- When The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club (Pickwick Papers) was published it was so popular that ancillary items started popping up such as Pickwick pastries.
- During his lifetime Dickens published 15 novels, hundreds of short stories, and many non-fiction pieces as well as plays and letters. Dickens also toured the lecture circuit in the US and England as well as editing two journals.
- Charles Dickens has appeared on the British £10 note (shown above).
Zohar – Man of la Book
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