Born Charles John Huffam Dickens in Portsmouth, England on February 7,1812, Charles Dickens was the 2nd of 8 children born to John and Elizabeth Barrow Dickens.
His childhood was not without difficulty. John Dickens lived far beyond his scant means and was incapable of supporting his large family, His father’s poor head for finances led to his imprisonment for debt in the Marshalsea Prison and ultimately forced 12 year old Charles to begin work at at Warren’s Blacking Factory. These early formative years became a taboo topic for discussion with Charles Dickens but found wonderfully creative expression in each of his literary works.
Because of personal experiences in these early years, Dickens was also a dedicated campaigner for children’s rights, education, and social reforms — including his stance as an outspoken proponent for copyright law and the protection of intellectual property.
Happiness is a gift and the trick is not to expect it, but to delight in it when it comes.
Charles Dickens (Nicholas Nickleby)
Charles Dickens was an incredible creative force during his lifetime. He wrote 15 novels, 5 novellas and hundreds of short stories and non-fictional articles. He gave lectures, was a prolific letter writer and edited a weekly journal for almost 20 years. But above all Charles Dickens was most celebrated and beloved for his pioneering of the narrative serial novel. Not only did he capture the imagination of millions during his writing career, but he also had an intense gift for a deep portrayal of a time period and a way of life in the world in which he lived.
Mystery and disappointment are not absolutely indispensable to the growth of love, but they are, very often, its powerful auxiliaries.
Charles Dickens (Nicholas Nickleby)
I love to read Charles Dickens. He’s not always an easy read - his books are usually very lengthy works and there is a different rhythm to reading them… You don’t finish a Dickens novel in a night or even two nights and you need a fully engaged mind. They are made to settle into - to invest in with your time and attention — but they are so worth it with their rich, colorful characters and memorable storylines.
Our current read - Nicholas Nickleby — or The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Containing a Faithful Account of the Fortunes, Misfortunes, Uprisings, Downfallings, and Complete Career of the Nickleby Family — is Dickens’ 3rd full-length novel and was originally published in serial form from March 1838 to October 1839 with a book form releasing in 1839.
In short, the poor Nicklebys were social and happy; while the rich Nickleby was alone and miserable.
Charles Dickens (Nicholas Nickleby)
One of the important plot focuses in Nicholas Nickleby involves Nicholas’ teaching position at a Yorkshire boarding school, Dotheboys Hall. Charles Dickens was aware that he could direct public attention and reform by exposing current issues and possibly affect change in people’s attitudes and governmental thinking. There was a boarding school industry in Yorkshire that involved inhumane treatment of children and Dickens used Nicholas’ teaching experiences to direct a spotlight onto this issue of the time. Unwanted children were being sent to boarding schools where they were kept without vacations or visits home and often lacked basic medical care. As a result of the novel, Nicholas Nickleby, Charles Dickens was a key force in bringing down the Yorkshire School Industry.
We will all be able to share our thoughts and ideas on this wonderful novel as we meet for an Autumn Book Breakfast Buffet on Saturday, October 11th, 2025 to discuss Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens. There is still plenty of time to read this one but you may want to get started soon - it is worth the effort!
The pain of parting is nothing to the joy of meeting again.
Charles Dickens (Nicholas Nickleby)
