The Life of Charles Dickens

A three-volume biography of Dickens, published in 1872–4 by one of his closest friends and advisors.

John Forster (Author)

9781108039376, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 15 December 2011

576 pages, 2 b/w illus.
21.6 x 14 x 3.3 cm, 0.72 kg

John Forster (1812–76), an exact contemporary of Charles Dickens, was one of his closest friends, and acted for him (as for many other authors) as advisor, editor, proofreader, agent and marketing manager: according to Thackeray, 'whenever anyone is in a scrape we all fly to him for refuge. He is omniscient and works miracles.' Forster was Dickens' literary executor, and was left the manuscripts of many of the novels, which he in turn left (along with the rest of his magnificent library) to the South Kensington Museum (later the Victoria and Albert Museum). He was ideally placed to write a biography of Dickens, having known him since the 1830s, and having been involved in deeply private matters such as Dickens' separation from his wife. This three-volume account was first published between 1872 and 1874; the version of Volume 3 reissued here is the first edition.

1. 1850–3. David Copperfield and Bleak House
2. 1853–5. Home incidents and Hard Times
3. 1853. Switzerland and Italy revisited
4. 1853, 1854, and 1856. Three summers at Boulogne
5. 1855, 1856. Residence in Paris
6. 1855–7. Little Dorrit, and a lazy tour
7. 1857–8. What happened at this time
8. 1856–70. Gadshill Place
9. 1858–9. First paid readings
10. 1859–61. All the Year Round and the Uncommercial Traveller
11. 1861–3. Second series of readings
12. 1855–65. Hints for books written and unwritten
13. 1864–7. Third series of readings
14. 1836–70. Dickens as a novelist
15. 1867. America revisited. November and December, 1867
16. 1868. America revisited. January to April, 1868
17. 1868–70. Last readings
18. 1869–70. Last book
19. 1836–70. Personal characteristics
20. 1869–70. The end
Appendix
Index.

Subject Areas: Literary studies: c 1800 to c 1900 [DSBF]