by Tom Daly
First published 2020
Charles Dickens takes possession of his dream home at Gad's Hill in February, moving his family there by summer while overseeing extensive renovations. He completes Little Dorrit in his new residence and welcomes Hans Christian Andersen as one of his first guests. When his dear friend Douglas Jerrold dies in June, Dickens throws himself into organizing an elaborate series of memorial entertainments. He manages amateur performances of The Frozen Deep at the Gallery of Illustration, delivers readings of A Christmas Carol at St. Martin's Hall to packed audiences, and coordinates performances by professional actors including veteran T. P. Cooke. The memorial fund grows through lectures by Thackeray and W. H. Russell, a command performance before Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, and final shows in Manchester's Free Trade Hall. Throughout these demanding months, Dickens relies on Arthur Smith, a capable man of business who becomes both trusted collaborator and friend. The year captures Dickens balancing domestic happiness at his new home with public duty to a fallen colleague.
Genres: biography, literary-fiction, historical-fiction, 19th-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family
Setting: Free Trade Hall, Gallery of Illustration, Gad's Hill, Manchester, St. Martin's Hall
Period: 1857
474 pages · Paperback · Independently Published