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Who Was . . . ? Series
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As a child, Charles Dickens worked in a shoe polish factory where his gritty surroundings inspired some of the most memorable characters and settings in literary history. Known for his masterful storytelling in books like Oliver Twist, Great Expectations, and A Christmas Carol, Dickens toured the globe as one of the most famous people of his era. Widely considered the greatest writer of the Victorian age, Dickens’s literary masterpieces continue to amuse and inspire writers and readers alike.
105 pages, Paperback
First published December 4, 2014
33 people are currently reading
540 people want to read
About the author
Pam Pollack
67 books37 followersPamela Pollack is a writer/editor/compiler of children's and young adult books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
October 11, 2020
Pam Pollack and Meg Belviso have succeeded in condensing Charles Dickens' life supremely well in an absorbing 103-page book. Obviously they have not had the space to go into great detail about everything but they have covered the most important points of the author's life in sufficient detail for the reader to have a very clear picture of what Dickens was all about. And there is no doubt that he was a very complex individual.
His childhood was a peripatetic one as he moved from Portsmouth to Chatham to London, where he spent time in various locations, including the Marshalsea Prison in Southwark. His time spent in the last named was because his father was something of a spendthrift and he would often end up with no money when bills required paying ... thus his stay in the Marshalsea. And also thus Charles' early life in Warren's Shoe Blacking factory where his mother gained him employment at a young age when funds were extremely low.
Ironically once his father was freed from the Marshalsea, courtesy of an inheritance which helped to pay off his debts, Charles' mother wanted the youngster to return to Warren's, which he had been able to leave when money was available. However, his father would hear none of it and arranged for Charles to go back to school. For this Charles was eternally grateful and always had that little bit more affection for his father than he did for his mother.
He had been a great reader as a youngster but the family's books, by such as Smollet and Fielding, had had to be sold to make ends meet so in later life he began reading at the British Museum to further his education. This helped considerably and along with friends he would use what money he had to go to the theatre where his favourite performer was the comic actor Charles Mathews. Dickens' learned to mimic Mathews' act and entertained family and friends with what were considered very professional performances. And in later life he was to use Mathews' style of delivery for some of his characters, particularly Alfred Jingle in 'The Pickwick Papers'.
After a job with a law firm, when he decided that he was not cut out for that profession, he became a journalist, covering events all round the country but later settling on reporting Parliamentary proceedings. This gave him a taste for writing and he decided that he could do better than many that he read so he posted an anonymous effort in the office of the 'Monthly Magazine'. It was duly published and he produced more, using the pen-name Boz as his moniker. These were eventually published as his first book, 'Sketches by Boz'.
He met a young lady, Maria Beadnell, and fell passionately in love, but the family did not care for the match so they sent Maria to Paris out of the way and the romance was over. However, he then met Catherine Hogarth, whose father was a newspaper editor, and they married and were eventually to have 10 children.
Charles was then recruited to write the words for a sporting story that became 'Pickwick Papers' and his success as a writer was assured. He went on to write his many famous works and in addition involved himself in other projects. He founded a home for homeless women, Urania Cottage, with Angela Bourdett-Coutts (they were to fall out in later life when Dickens abandoned his wife for a younger woman), he edited various magazines and, most importantly he presented readings from his great works; it was the extreme effort that he put into this last named occupation that was to hasten his premature death.
He toured America twice, one to his distaste, and once to huge success, he performed his amateur stage productions, in which he not only played a variety of parts but was also stage manager and producer, he performed in front of Queen Victoria, by request, and he acquired a large property in Kent, Gad's Hill, that he had admired as a youngster.
It was on one of his play productions, 'The Frozen Deep', dealing with John Franklin, that he met Ellen Ternan, who along with her mother and sister were employed to make the show more professional for Queen Victoria and he fell in love with the young lady. He retained his affection for her to the end and, indeed, was involved in a train crash in Kent when travelling with Ellen and her mother when returning from France. He was hailed as a hero for his work in helping survivors but, perhaps more importantly, certainly for Dickens himself, he managed to keep Ellen's name out of any reports of the accident.
Finally he had to curtail his last reading tour due to ill health but, once recovered, he was able to begin a new novel,'The Mystery of Edwin Drood' (it was sadly left unfinished) and also to undertake a dozen final readings in London. But the strain of the latter took their toll and in June 1870 he died at his Gad's Hill home and, against his better judgement in life, he was buried in Westminster Abbey.
Not only is this biography well presented and succinct, it is an excellent starter for those who would like to study Dickens in more detail and that is to be thoroughly recommended!
His childhood was a peripatetic one as he moved from Portsmouth to Chatham to London, where he spent time in various locations, including the Marshalsea Prison in Southwark. His time spent in the last named was because his father was something of a spendthrift and he would often end up with no money when bills required paying ... thus his stay in the Marshalsea. And also thus Charles' early life in Warren's Shoe Blacking factory where his mother gained him employment at a young age when funds were extremely low.
Ironically once his father was freed from the Marshalsea, courtesy of an inheritance which helped to pay off his debts, Charles' mother wanted the youngster to return to Warren's, which he had been able to leave when money was available. However, his father would hear none of it and arranged for Charles to go back to school. For this Charles was eternally grateful and always had that little bit more affection for his father than he did for his mother.
He had been a great reader as a youngster but the family's books, by such as Smollet and Fielding, had had to be sold to make ends meet so in later life he began reading at the British Museum to further his education. This helped considerably and along with friends he would use what money he had to go to the theatre where his favourite performer was the comic actor Charles Mathews. Dickens' learned to mimic Mathews' act and entertained family and friends with what were considered very professional performances. And in later life he was to use Mathews' style of delivery for some of his characters, particularly Alfred Jingle in 'The Pickwick Papers'.
After a job with a law firm, when he decided that he was not cut out for that profession, he became a journalist, covering events all round the country but later settling on reporting Parliamentary proceedings. This gave him a taste for writing and he decided that he could do better than many that he read so he posted an anonymous effort in the office of the 'Monthly Magazine'. It was duly published and he produced more, using the pen-name Boz as his moniker. These were eventually published as his first book, 'Sketches by Boz'.
He met a young lady, Maria Beadnell, and fell passionately in love, but the family did not care for the match so they sent Maria to Paris out of the way and the romance was over. However, he then met Catherine Hogarth, whose father was a newspaper editor, and they married and were eventually to have 10 children.
Charles was then recruited to write the words for a sporting story that became 'Pickwick Papers' and his success as a writer was assured. He went on to write his many famous works and in addition involved himself in other projects. He founded a home for homeless women, Urania Cottage, with Angela Bourdett-Coutts (they were to fall out in later life when Dickens abandoned his wife for a younger woman), he edited various magazines and, most importantly he presented readings from his great works; it was the extreme effort that he put into this last named occupation that was to hasten his premature death.
He toured America twice, one to his distaste, and once to huge success, he performed his amateur stage productions, in which he not only played a variety of parts but was also stage manager and producer, he performed in front of Queen Victoria, by request, and he acquired a large property in Kent, Gad's Hill, that he had admired as a youngster.
It was on one of his play productions, 'The Frozen Deep', dealing with John Franklin, that he met Ellen Ternan, who along with her mother and sister were employed to make the show more professional for Queen Victoria and he fell in love with the young lady. He retained his affection for her to the end and, indeed, was involved in a train crash in Kent when travelling with Ellen and her mother when returning from France. He was hailed as a hero for his work in helping survivors but, perhaps more importantly, certainly for Dickens himself, he managed to keep Ellen's name out of any reports of the accident.
Finally he had to curtail his last reading tour due to ill health but, once recovered, he was able to begin a new novel,'The Mystery of Edwin Drood' (it was sadly left unfinished) and also to undertake a dozen final readings in London. But the strain of the latter took their toll and in June 1870 he died at his Gad's Hill home and, against his better judgement in life, he was buried in Westminster Abbey.
Not only is this biography well presented and succinct, it is an excellent starter for those who would like to study Dickens in more detail and that is to be thoroughly recommended!
November 25, 2025
They pack quite a bit of information in this little book. I really enjoyed learning about him and his children.
July 14, 2025
I read Who Was Charles Dickens? back in 2018, and though it was written for young readers, it struck a chord with the lifelong Dickensian in me. Everything about Dickens has always fascinated me—the foggy alleys of his imagination, the fierce social conscience behind his satire, the tragic undercurrents beneath his comic genius. This book, part of the Who Was? series, distills his towering life into a swift, accessible narrative that reminded me just how extraordinary his journey was—from the humiliations of the blacking factory to the roar of literary fame. What made it especially memorable was how it didn’t just celebrate the books, but the man behind them: the child who knew hunger, the father who knew burden, the writer who wielded fiction as a tool of reform. It gave me, in its own quietly powerful way, a renewed appreciation for Dickens’ legacy—not just as a literary giant, but as a voice for the voiceless. A slim book, yes, but a deeply affirming one for anyone who ever fell under the spell of Bleak House or wept for Little Nell.
December 1, 2022
Very informative and a good starting point for those who know very little about Charles Dickens and Victorian times.
August 9, 2019
John Dickens, his father was hopeless with money and always in debt so Charles had to work at Warren's Blacking factory (to help make boot polish) at just 10 years old. When his father finally got out of debtors prison (which still exist in the middle east) Charles was able to go back to school but his mother wanted him to still be working like a slave to earn money, she was never forgiven.
Interesting.
His nanny was a good story teller and he loved bedtime stories so it's no surprise that he became a great story teller imitating people he'd seen and observed on the streets. Obviously helped his writing and his acting/reading tours in the USA.
He was a workaholic editor, publisher and author and it would have contributed to him dying a bit early at 58.
Interesting.
His nanny was a good story teller and he loved bedtime stories so it's no surprise that he became a great story teller imitating people he'd seen and observed on the streets. Obviously helped his writing and his acting/reading tours in the USA.
He was a workaholic editor, publisher and author and it would have contributed to him dying a bit early at 58.
August 7, 2018
He certainly was a workaholic. I hope he was happy. At least his readers were and continue to be.
August 21, 2022
Charles Dickens is such a talented writer. He wrote his novels in the 1800 nevertheless they are still popular, and this is obvious from his dedication to his work. "A Christmas carol" is my favorite and also the first chapter of "A tale of two cities" was unforgettable ➡️ It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.
February 24, 2019
My husband 😍😍😍😍🙈
September 10, 2019
Who was Charles Dickens? An extraordinary writer with a past that he tried to forget, but whose early
life experiences made his literary style impossible to do anything but remember.
life experiences made his literary style impossible to do anything but remember.
September 30, 2023
Such an informative book written in an approachable manner that inspires readers of all ages. I read some of his books before and find it very thrilling to know more about his childhood as well as his private life. Every page is enjoyed!
March 30, 2019
I love the way the books in this series tell the stories of historical and popular figures!
January 13, 2021
You are probably familiar with many of his works from high school English class (until recently) or from a movie adaptation including Oliver Twist, Bleak House, Great Expectations, and A Christmas Carol. But did you know how close to his real life many of these works are? Starting as a young child he experienced life working in a shoe polish factory wanting something more. According to Who Was Charles Dickens? by Pam Pollack these experiences growing up provided much of Dickens material that shows up in his works and described British society from the royal classes to those just scraping by living on the streets. While they were popular with readers of his time, they were also instrumental in forcing change in the laws and legal system in England at the time. His works became so popular that he was in demand to tour and do readings around the world; he was widely considered the greatest writer of the Victorian age and his stories have remained popular even to today. This book is part of the "Who Was..." series of books about famous people that is targeted for the young reader market. But they are also a quick read for an overview while you decide if you want to know more.
January 4, 2019
I am always amazed to read about people who start with less than nothing and a sad and tragic childhood and become so much more then their sad beginnings. I'm also amazed that Charles wrote so much about his beginning in his books and no one knew about it until after his death when his friend finally wrote about him. While I can't say that I believe he was always a good man, he was a genius and his books are a testament to his life and abilities.
January 6, 2018
Who Was Charles Dickens by Pam Pollack is talking about the life of the author, Charles Dickens. This books provides you information about Charles Dicken's life from the day he was born till the day he died. You would like this book if you want to know more facts about Charles Dickens, and if you like to non-fiction books.
October 30, 2024
I was strucked by that the poverty, hard work and shame of prison in his childhood made his writing special and loved by so many later. It is a mystery of life that the sufferings sometimes turn into blessing.
And for the first time I knew he was an excellent performer as well, he told stories lively and act passionately. However nowadays authors rarely act on a play.
And for the first time I knew he was an excellent performer as well, he told stories lively and act passionately. However nowadays authors rarely act on a play.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 21, 2017
Who Was Charles Dickens?
A young boy who worked in a shoe-polish factory?
A world-famous speaker who travelled the globe?
The greatest writer of the Victorian era?
All of the above? - Yes!
Find out more about the real Charles Dickens in this fun and exciting illustrated biography!
A young boy who worked in a shoe-polish factory?
A world-famous speaker who travelled the globe?
The greatest writer of the Victorian era?
All of the above? - Yes!
Find out more about the real Charles Dickens in this fun and exciting illustrated biography!
February 1, 2023
This book is about the life of Charles Dickens. My favorite part was when he wrote "A Christmas Carol" because I like the Muppet Christmas Carol. My least favorite part was when he worked in a blacking factory as a 12-year-old. The book was easy to read.
December 16, 2025
it was very good. I already knew some about Charles Dickens, but I really enjoyed knowing more about one of my favourite authors. I think every time I read one of his books, I will reflect on his life and the life situations encountered at that time, and I love it!
September 10, 2017
Charles Dickens was the greatest writer of the Victorian era. Not only was he was a writer he was a world famous speaker and he loved to traveled the globe.
December 29, 2017
Great facts
May 19, 2018
I learned a lot of little details about his life. His books reflected his life experiences. No wonder they ring so true.
December 30, 2020
Not as good as Who Was Edgar Allen Poe, which I read yesterday. The writing was a little choppy, and the illustrations not as beautiful. But I enjoyed being reminded of the things I’d forgotten about the brilliant Charles Dickens.
May 10, 2021
Charles Dickens was a busy writer often writing two books at the same time. He used his childhood to tell stories that both intrigued and made the reader laugh at times.
January 9, 2023
A very interesting read!
December 19, 2023
Excellent
January 12, 2024
Good read aloud for a family. There are sad parts to the story which allow for family discussion.
March 31, 2025
Amazing book 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
October 11, 2020
3.5 stars
Unfortunately I didn't write down notes for this one.
Charles lived such a sad and hard childhood. His father always seemed to be in debt and ended up having to go to prison because of it. I found it odd that back in the day, the whole family was sent to prison. Charles eventually managed to get out and started working in a shoe polish factory. He hated it there and from what I gather, it traumatized him but if you look at from the bright side, it also made him work hard to make a more successful life for himself.
Charles was a very hard worker, writing, acting, speaking, and even founding a homeless shelter for women. His non-stop work took its toll and ended up costing him his life. He left one unfinished book. He was so well-loved, Queen Victoria had him buried in Westminster Abbey.
Unfortunately I didn't write down notes for this one.
Charles lived such a sad and hard childhood. His father always seemed to be in debt and ended up having to go to prison because of it. I found it odd that back in the day, the whole family was sent to prison. Charles eventually managed to get out and started working in a shoe polish factory. He hated it there and from what I gather, it traumatized him but if you look at from the bright side, it also made him work hard to make a more successful life for himself.
Charles was a very hard worker, writing, acting, speaking, and even founding a homeless shelter for women. His non-stop work took its toll and ended up costing him his life. He left one unfinished book. He was so well-loved, Queen Victoria had him buried in Westminster Abbey.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews