Dickens of London

by Wolf Mankowitz

1976 First American Edition. Macmillan hardcover with dust jacket. 252 pages. Twelve pages of color and 100 black-and-white illustrations. 7.5 x 10 x 1 inches. Biography.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, History, British Literature

252 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1976

About the author

Wolf Mankowitz was an English novelist and playwright.

Reviews

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly enjoyable. I’d expected this to be quite dry, but obviously the subject matter is very interesting and it’s written in an easily accessible way. I’m sure since this was written in the 1970s further information has probably come to light which would make it incomplete as a biography. However, I enjoyed reading it and learned quite a bit about Dickens I didn’t know previously.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wolf Mankowitz captures the real Dickens in this 1976, well-illustrated volume, published in the same year as a successful television series, & certainly surprised me with just how colourful a character the great writer was, & what his inspirations were for his vanguard, literary (& publishing!) ideas: a difficult childhood, growing up with a father who struggled to make ends meet - a problem that Dickens's early success a a journalist & writer helped to diffuse, as he became a benefactor to many struggling friends & family members. His final demise in 1870 led to his burial in Poet's Corner, Westminster Abbey & tributes from all over the world, even if his work had been translated into another language: & that speaks volumes about his gifts as a storyteller.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really good biography of Charles Dickens, one of the greatest writers and novelists of all time. The book has wonderful illustrations and pictures to further illuminate the telling of his life story. I thought the book did a nice job of covering the personal and social life of Dickens as well as his professional life of writing and his managing of magazines and publishing houses.

[Simon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy to read and generally accurate biography with lots of excellent pictures and photographs.

[Eva · Rating 4 out of 5]

The text was very visibly written by a man in the 1980s but so many great illustrations.

[Naphta]

I very much enjoyed this book! Its has lots of pictures and is an entertaining biography.

[Todd Stockslager · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review Title: Little known companion to British TV series

I picked this up at a used book spot in an old stables in a park here in London. It was published as a companion piece to a mid 1970s Yorkshire Television Series. There can't have been many viewers of the show and even fewer willing to buy the book; a set still picture of young Dickens with his dissolute father shows a cheesy set. But Mankowitz (who also wrote the screenplay for the show) has written a decent condensed version of Dickens's life, with many illustrations that make the book worth it as a budget used book buy.

The basic outline of the life is well known and retold here with no surprises. Mankowitz puts a different spin on the childhood of poverty and work at the blacking factory by suggesting that Dickens held on to the pain intentionally to drive his ambition in later life. He does a good job providing a thumbnail sketch of the separation between Dickens and his wife, his disappointing reunion with first love Maria Beadnell, and his flirtations and then affair with Ellen Ternan. He neither dwells on nor glosses over Dickens's despicable actions in those events. Interestingly, however, Wikipedia's article on the series says that the shows made no reference to either the separation or the affair.

The slightly larger format shows off the illustrations (some in color) to good effect, and those alone, some of which I have not seen before, will ensure this book has a place in my library at home. If you run across this one in a used book store or yard sale, pick it up to serve as a starter or extensions to your Dickens collection.

[Jenna Mills · Rating 3 out of 5]

Biographies are not generally my cup of tea, and this one is no different. It was interesting to read of the life of my favourite author though, particularly when the novels he was writing got a mention.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

a great biographical and historical read.
I found it very interesting learning more about who Dickens was; his trials, tribulations, selfish streak and womanising?!
He certainly had creative tallent!
What life was like then

[J. Bryce · Rating 4 out of 5]

TV-tie-in, Book Club edition, but it's a nice introduction to the title subject. Well and generously illustrated.

[Hood Thabit · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good biography of Dickens; his personal demons and inspirations.

[Kevin Fitzsimmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very well done introduction to the life and times of Charles Dickens. What I especially appreciated about the book were the illustrations...lots of very nice pictures.