The Story of Charles Dickens: The First Celebrity Writer (Great Victorians)

Product Description Charles Dickens's happy childhood came to a sudden end when his father was jailed for debt. At the age of 12, young Charles was sent to work in a factory making shoe polish... But Charles could write stories. And he wrote lots of them. Funny stories, entertaining stories, devastatingly sad stories. And soon he had the whole world at his feet, listening to his every word. Review "Everyone should read these lively biographies - a perfect introduction to the most fascinating period in history" --Tristram Hunt Book Description Charles Dickens's happy childhood came to a sudden end when his father was jailed for debt. At the age of 12, young Charles was sent to work in a factory making shoe polish... From the Back Cover Charles Dickens's happy childhood came to a sudden end when his father was jailed for debt. At the age of 12, young Charles was sent to work in a factory making shoe polish... About the Author Andrew Billen is a feature writer and chief TV critic on The Times. He previously worked for the Sheffield Star, The Observer and the London Evening Standard and was a television and theatre critic for the New Statesman. He has written two children's biographies for Short Books. He lives in Oxford with his wife and two daughters.