Charles Dickens Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era. His works enjoyed unprecedented popularity during his lifetime, and by the 20th century critics and scholars had recognised him as a literary genius. His novels and short stories are still widely read today. Born in Portsmouth, Dickens left school to work in a factory when his father was incarcerated in a debtors' prison. Despite his lack of
Dickens in America Court of Massachusetts in Worcester, Massachusetts. The Honorable Peter W. Agnes, Associate Trial Court Justice tells Miriam that Dickens understood human nature and human nature has not changed since the 19th century. At Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Joel J. Brattin shows Miriam the esteemed Robert D. Fellman Collection of Charles Dickens treasures. The collection includes many first editions, original manuscripts and autograph letters. Professor Michael Sokal of Worcester Polytechnic Institute explains phrenology to Miriam. Dickens had a strong interest in the pseudoscience. Miriam takes a boat down the Connecticut River from Hartford to New Haven with Natalie McKnight. At one point