Synopses & Reviews
Here is the greatest compendium of information ever produced about one of the greatest writers who ever lived. For anyone wishing to learn more about Dickens's life and works and the literary, political, and social milieu in which he lived, there is no better place to turn than
The Oxford Reader's Companion to Dickens.
Written by a distinguished team of over 60 scholars, and edited by Paul Schlicke, former president of The Dickens Society, The Companion offers:
·A detailed exploration of the private man and the public figure. Over 500 alphabetical entries chart the age in which Dickens lived and worked, the places which were significant to him, and the ideas and social theories of his time.
·Comprehensive coverage. Entries cover all Dickens's work, including his journalism.
·Up-to-date literary scholarship. Contributors draw upon recent work in areas such as publishing history, book illustration, periodical reviewing, women's studies, and cultural studies to offer a synthesis of the current state of Dickens scholarship.
·Essential tables. Contains a complete chronology of Dickens's life, a list of characters and of abbreviations, a thematic overview, and an extensive bibliography.
·Over 50 beautiful black-and-white illustrations and four maps.
Most importantly, The Companion illuminates the intricate connections between Dickens's life, his writings, and his time. Anyone wishing to more fully enjoy the crowded world of Dickens's imagination will be superbly aided by the wealth of information gathered here on Dickens's reality.
Review
"Here is the world of Dickens in brief but readily identifiable form.... It will prove invaluable to scholars, readers, and admirers of Dickens into the next century and beyond."--Peter Ackroyd, The Times (London)
"Paul Schlicke has masterminded a magnificent new Reader's Companion.... It will be a necessary possession for all Dickensians, both specialists and general readers, and very desirable for anyone interested in 19th-century literature and culture.... It collects and preserves more useful information than any single previous volume about Dickens's work and life."--Adrian Poole, Times Higher Education Supplement
"Scrupulous, encyclopedic, and useful. In short, everything a straight Oxford Companion to Dickens should be."--Matthew Reynolds, Times Literary Supplement
"It's the mark of this exemplary volume's marvellous comprehensiveness in all matters Dickensian, and the sweep of its coverage from 'Abridgements' to 'Women's Issues,' that you feel emboldened by the knowledge it imparts to argue almost any point of view."--Robert McCrum, The Observer
Review
"A composite portrait of the writer and the age. It will prove invaluable to scholars, readers, and admirers of Dickens into the next century and beyond."--
The Times (London)
"This excellent work gives the user a renewed appreciation for the tremendous range of Dickens's interests and talents and provides fresh insights into the age in which he lived. Its strong emphasis on and extensive coverage of the political, social, and artistic milieu surround Dickens and his circle set it apart from...Charles Dickens A to Z, which treats those aspects much more briefly."--Booklist
"The Oxford Reader's Companion to Dickens succeeds wonderfully in its stated aim 'to illuminate the active interrelation between the man, his writings and activities, and his time.' It is a dense compendium of scholarship, but it is also leavened with delightful details."--Times Literary Supplement (London)
"This book represents an important contemporary resource, of value to both the general reader and the specialist."--Library Journal
"Paul Schlicke provides an impressive depth of literary and historical context--from Dr. Johnson's influence on Dickens to Dickens's attitude toward Jews and the publishing history of his magazine, Household Words."--Publishers Weekly
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 605-607) and index.
About the Author
Paul Schlicke, Senior Lecturer in English at the University of Aberdeen, was President of the Dickens Society in 1994. He is an internationally renowned Dickens scholar.
Table of Contents
Preface; Acknowledgements; List of Editors and Contributors; List of Illustrations; List of Abbreviations; Thematic Overview; How to Use this Book; 500+ A-Z entries; Chronology of Dickens's life; Select Bibliography; List of Characters; General Index