Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens was an English writer of the early to mid-Victorian Era. He is one of the greatest from England, and being a prolific writer, several of his novels are notable works: Great Expectations (1861), Oliver Twist (1838), A Tale of Two Cities (1859), Bleak House (1853), and David Copperfield (1850). But his most popular work is the novella A Christmas Carol, published in 1843.

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• Lifetime: 7 February 1812 • 9 June 1870
• Main genre: Social novels
• Literary movement: Realism
• Works: About 20 novels, more than 100 short stories, 7 plays, too numerous to count non-fiction pieces, letters and some poetry.
• Mid-2026 popularity rank:  7 • Trending ▼

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What to expect if you want to read his works:

• A realist contemporary depiction of the Victorian Era: urban life in London, social injustice and inequity, poverty, child labour, institutional cruelty and survival
• Comedy and a humorous and satirical tone: this is used for social criticism and comic relief (to balance the gritty realism)
• Larger-than-life characters, quirky or deeply human, sometimes exaggerated, capable of growth and change. Emotional storytelling ranges from tragic to sentimental.

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"There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humour."