Simply Dickens

Schlicke (Dickens and Popular Entertainment), a renowned Dickens authority, delivers a straightforward installment of the Simply Charly series, which introduces readers to famous historical figures. Consistent with the series format, Schlicke’s book provides a brief overview of both the man and his works. Schlicke identifies primary influences on Dickens’s writing, including the fall of family fortunes that led to the young Dickens working in a boot-blackening factory, his lifelong love of the theater, and his pursuit of becoming a publisher. Dickens is presented in an accessible way meant to underscore key points and take account of his prolific literary output and the development of his craft. Although Schlicke’s thematic organization of the material leads to a faster pace than a chronological presentation might have had, he often doesn’t engage the subject deeply enough. The aim of the series is simplicity and accessibility, but at least here, the product is often synopsis. The result may not be interesting enough for the uninitiated, or probing enough for the enthusiast. [em](BookLife) [/em]