Monica: A Life of Monica Dickens

by Anne Wellman

Charles Dickens' great-granddaughter Monica Dickens was the author of twenty-five novels and many classics for children, and one of the most popular writers of her day. Born into the upper classes, as a bored and unhappy debutante in the 1930s she took the incredible step of going into domestic service and then writing a book about it. 'One Pair of Hands,' published in 1939, sold in the millions and has never been out of print. Her subsequent works, calling on her rich experience as a wartime nurse, Spitfire factory worker, GI bride and more, sold in similar numbers but are now largely forgotten.

Often dismissed as a 'light' writer, and her widespread appeal deflecting serious recognition, Monica Dickens was nevertheless highly praised by some of the most respected authors of the twentieth century, and indeed beyond. Far from writing lightly, in her middle period she addressed issues such as child abuse, suicide, and inner-city deprivation. Her novels, always threaded with humour, were immensely understanding of human frailties, but at the same time urged resilience and responsibility for one's fellow man. These were qualities that Monica herself possessed in plenty. After becoming a volunteer for the Samaritans in England, this deeply compassionate woman went on to found the first branch of the organisation in America and hence to save countless lives. Her name is engraved on a marker near the soaring bridges over the Cape Cod Canal, where she campaigned for the erection of higher barriers to stop desperate people jumping to their deaths.

In her early sixties Monica produced an account of the experiences in her life which had influenced her writing, her 1978 memoir 'An Open Book'. 'This is not the whole story of a life,' begins the first chapter, and in truth much was omitted or by her own admission confused with the semi-autobiographical works she had written as a young woman. 'An Open Book' is a valuable starting-point but this first biography seeks to fill the gaps and to tell the story of her later years, with the help of contemporary accounts, family histories, interviews with close friends, articles and private correspondence, and not least Monica's major works and their critical reception.

All her writing life Monica was compared to Charles Dickens, not always favourably. And yet the similarities between them are there: eccentric characters, humorous observation of the English scene, social conscience, an optimistic and moral view of life – but above all, talent for the written word.

Unknown Binding

About the author

Anne spent her career in government service and only started writing on retirement. Her first book was a biography of the funny and touching American author Betty MacDonald; the second a life of the English author Monica Dickens, great-granddaughter of Charles Dickens; and the third a collective biography of six writers of the swinging 1960s.

And now, just out, a biography of the greatly loved author Anne Tyler.

Reviews

[Catherine Cavendish · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a shame that Monica Dickens' books have largely been forgotten with the passage of time. This great-granddaughter of Charles Dickens inherited her ancestor's talent for depicting memorable, quirky characters and plots -especially in her semi-autobiographical books One Pair of Hands, One Pair of Feet, and My Turn To Make The Tea. Even though these stories all took place decades ago, in a world we have moved a long way from, they still resonate and provide wonderful entertainment. But, as we discover in Anne Wellman's engrossing and informative biography, there was a lot more to Monica Dickens than pure comfort reading.

She had a highly developed social conscience and was versatile enough to write in multiple genres - including the World's End series of children's stories, as well as novels such as Kate and Emma which delved into the depths of poverty in 1960s London through the story of two women.

In Anne Wellman's hands, Monica Dickens emerges as a woman born into privilege who had an irrepressible knack for doing the unexpected and the frequently frowned-upon. Her great-grandfather would have been proud of her and Anne Wellman should be proud of this biography. Fascinating.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had read a couple of her books, so thought I might be interested in learning more about her story. That I did, but more than I expected.

Sounds as though it's chock full of salacious details, but not what I mean. It's that it's quite thorough, sort of a deep-dive This is Your (Her) Life. I didn't need to know that much. For instance, she wrote Black Beauty-like horse books at one point. Having no interest in the subject, that focus was lost on me. Her work with The Samaritans was interesting, though again lots of detail.

I suppose I was interested more in her earlier years, where she came from, far more than her experience as a writer later. She deserves credit for making a life for herself beyond the family connection. But, I think this book is best left to those who've read most of her work, as that's the framework for it's progression.

To be blunt: there needs to be an abridged edition for the general reader.