Synopses & Reviews
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.
Synopsis
Detailed and definitive, this profile of the Victorian writer explores the private life of the complicated, insecure, and wildly ambitious man who became the best-known author of his day. By the author of "Hawksmoor" and "T. S. Eliot." 150 illustrations.
Synopsis
Dickens: Private Life & Public Passion is the first fully illustrated accessible biography of Dickens, the perfect book for anyone wanting to know more about this fascinating author without having to wade through 600+ pages of detail. Written by the recognized expert on Dickens, and packed with pictures, it is a must-have book for Dickens' fans - a biography of one of the world's greatest (and America's best-loved) authors written by Peter Ackroyd, the best-selling, award-winning novelist and biographer! Ackroyd has already written what has been hailed as the landmark biography of Dickens, now out of print. This book is far shorter, far more accessible and more personal - it is centered round the stories Dickens tried to keep hidden from his public - and will appeal as much to the interested reader as it will Dickens' scholars. Comprehensively illustrated with contemporary images and photographs from the Victorian era, Dickens - Public Life & Private Passion is an intelligent and highly accessible introduction to Dickens and the Victorian London he lived in. The combination of Ackroyd and Dickens, and the inclusion a plethora of stunning images, results in the ideal introduction to this great author.
Synopsis
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.