Excellent overview not only of the life of Dickens, which can be summed up as "poor boy makes good," but also the novels themselves.

Interesting to see how Dickens' fiction changed the world of books. And to think most of the books were written in serial form for periodicals/papers. Amazing.

More on Charles Dickens and her writing craft in her interview with Robert Birnbaum in 2003. http://www.identitytheory.com/intervi...

He was kind of a jerk.

I went into this book knowing almost nothing of Charles Dickens, and I feel that I learned so much about the man and his writing. Smiley gives insightful analysis of all of his works as well as the details of his childhood and his life with his wife and his many children. He was very modern in so many ways--a famous celebrity in his time who shaped the style and purpose of novel writing. He had incredible energy for work and not only wrote profusely--novels and magazine articles--but he edited many other writers and performed before audiences as well. He also could be secretive and vindictive--he mistreated his wife whom he ended up divorcing. On the other hand, he was also a generous benefactor and raised a great deal of money for worthy causes. He was well traveled and fluent in French; France was a second home for him. He worked hard to portray, and then to better, his society. Definitely a worthy read about a profound author.

Smiley intertwines basic information about Dickens's life with illuminating commentary on many (not all) of his major works. She writes about Dickens from the interesting perspective of a fellow novelist (it seems clear to me that Dickens has been a great influence on Smiley herself, especially in "Horse Heaven"), and I found this short biography insightful and thought-provoking.

A slim (207 pgs.) volume that hits some of the highlights of Dickens' life and, more importantly for someone like myself who hasn't actually read much Dickens ("Great Expectations" many years ago), gives a feel for the novels. (And from the viewpoint of one who writes novels). Made me want to read more Dickens...what more can one ask? I've enjoyed all the books I've read in this series (Penguin Lives).

An easy read. Interesting but much of the book is spent discussing his novels rather than his life.

This biography was good enough for a supplement before a book club, but by no means a definitive look at the author's life. Smiley says as much at the outset and concentrates much more on Dickens's writing life with little tidbits about his private life. She also refers throughout to Peter Ackroyd's biography of Dickens which is not currently available on Kindle. Things I learned about Dickens that I didn't know before reading Smiley: He had many children, all of whom disappointed him by not becoming productive members of society; and he divorced his wife because she became plump and less vigorous after having so many children. The section on Hard Times was a good companion to read before book club.

great combo, smiley's newsy nosy writing and an author ive always been interested in charles dickens. he was my grandmother's favorite, in fact it might have been her final reason for marrying my grandfather charles. i think i might try to read one of his last two books edmund drood or our mutual friend where apparently he has improved his insight into women greatly.

Didn't learn as much as I'd hoped, but that was because the author was apparently quite secretive as his family grew and his marriage deteriorated. But interesting throughout, particularly regarding the ambition and character of his many one-man readings and performances, which were driven both by a need for money and a love of the stage.

A readable biography by a good author. Penguin Lives tried to use novelists or critcs to write the lives of the great authors covered in their series, and some are just absolutely unreadable. This is one of the better literary biographies among the Penguin Lives (Carol Shield's Jane Austen is probably the best, though the ones on Proust and Melville are good too).