I enjoyed getting to read this book, it brought Charles Dickens to life for the reader. It had that research element that I was looking for and thought the feel worked overall. Stephen Browning and Simon Thomas wrote this perfectly and was glad I got to read this.

WoW, Wishes do come true.............and I loved reading books by Charles Dickens when I was younger.

The Real Charles Dickens by Stephen Browning and Simon Thomas was a brilliant read this new book is an in-depth exploration of the author's life, work, and enduring legacy, examining his personal struggles, literary achievements, and social reform efforts. The Real Charles Dickens is an insightful look into the world of the life and work of the great 19th-century writer and gives you a detailed look at each of his major works, tracing the development of his fiction through one of the most productive periods of world literature.

Stephen Browning and Simon Thomas do an excellent job connecting Charles Dickens life to his many works It was a well researched and written book.

Overall this book was an excellent book, I would recommend it to anyone with any interest in Charles Dickens life and books etc.

Big Thank you to NetGalley and White Owl (Pen and Sword) for the ARC.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A straightforward, well-researched account of the life of Charles Dickens. It's not too academic or challenging. An enjoyable read.

This is an enjoyable romp through Dickens’s life and works. Not too challenging or academic but very straightforward, enjoyable and thorough. His life is woven throughout as each work is discussed in chronological order. These chapters can be read as stand- alone if desired. I checked out Bleak House first as I have recently re-read it.

We also learn what happened to each of his several children and grandchildren in the case of Monica Dickens the successful novelist and short story writer.

I also liked the detailed Dickens’s walking routes round London, with bus suggestions too.. I shall get Google Maps ready! Accompanied by photos.

This is a lovely book for the Dickens completist, of which I am one.

I read an ebook copy provided by NetGalley but will look for a hardback once published.

The Real Charles Dickens is a biography with a happy twist. Stephen Browning and Simon Thomas do an excellent job connecting Charles Dickens life to his many works.

The appeal in Dickens is his ability to write about actual people and the social environment he lived in. His works are a 19th century time capsule for us future generations to appreciate. In this biography you will gain a better understanding of what and who inspired much of his work. For example, the authors explore the people he based his characters on, such as Mr. A.S. Laing, a magistrate who would be forever linked to the cruel Mr. Fang in Oliver Twist. He would be one of his uncanny characters before Mr. Dickens realized it would be best to make these people less obvious and began fusing fiction in with the reality.

I especially enjoyed the author name drops, like the time when Hans Christian Anderson stayed with Dickens and his family in 1856 for five weeks and their surprising thoughts on the man. Other names mentioned were Elizabeth Gaskell, Anthony Trollope and George Eliot.

The book ends with a chapter that is essentially a tour guide of the locations that inspired his works or were directly linked to the man’s life. It’s written for the Charles Dickens fan, but accessible to the lesser read admirer. I approached this book more interested in his personal life than his novels so I didn’t quite get as much out of it as I wanted, but I’m glad I read it and will forever see he books in a new light. Highly suggested for the Dickens enthusiast!

Thank You NetGalley and Pen & Sword Books for the special opportunity for this advanced reading in exchange for a review.

I have read some amazing biographies and non-fiction books in the past year and am sad to say this wasn't one of them.

I have never read a biography about Charles Dickens and was excited to learn about his life. However, this was so difficult to read that I barely learned anything about him.

One of the biggest problems could be because it was an uncorrected proof or maybe a formatting problems in kindle. If I hear from another reader or the publisher that this was fixed, I will add a star to my eating. This formatting problem made it even worse to get through. When there are long quotes included, ones that you aren't putting quotation marks around, you are supposed to indent it further than your normal paragraph.

However, there was not a single example where they did this in the book. So I would suddenly be reading quotes and then have no idea when they finished. Would just have to guess when they finished.

Thanks to NetGalley for the free kindle book. My review is voluntarily given, and my opinions are my own.
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I thought I'd enjoy this book but I ended up loving it!

If you're a classics fan or you enjoy reading about Victorian history, this book is for you!

The book takes you through Dickens' life from birth to death. The biography is split into chapters by 'life phase'. As you read about that particular time in his life, you're introduced to his relationships and connections as well as the general setting and contexts influencing his writing.

Throughout the text, you also get sections dedicated to each of his major works where you can learn more about it, read an in-depth literary analysis of it, draw connections with Dickens' own life as well as learn about its critical reception. I love that they are split out so you can choose to read them as you come across them or you could read them on their own at a later time, for example, after reading the novel.

I appreciated that the book offers a balanced view of his life and actions. I've read many books that put the figure on a pedestal, but what we get here is a much more comprehensive report of Charles Dickens. The real him with all of his virtues and vices. A man with great talents and strong social justice principles as well as a questionable husband.

While I loved the whole book and how organized and comprehensive it is, the cherry on top is the 'Walk with Charles Dickens' chapter at the end. It provides several recommended plans for literary walking tours of London. You can walk the same streets and even visit some of the establishments Charles Dickens and other classic writers frequented. And the book provides you with facts and information for each stop. I adore that!!

Overall, this was such a wonderful read. I am very grateful for the ARC and highly recommend the book!

I read and enjoyed Claire Tomalin’s biography of Dickens and considered it the definitive work. However, most readers and certainly anyone who enjoys any of Dickens work will find The Real Charles Dickens an indispensable companion volume. I’m blown away by the content, well set out and much is new to me. The authors give you a real feel for this rather enigmatic man. He was full of contradiction and seemed to have a number of ‘faces’ he presented to the world. He carefully curated information about him whilst he was alive, showing excellence in PR and also the extent to which he was prepared to manipulate his public image.

The Real Charles Dickens is well set out with detailed insight into his early life and background, his wife and children, his affairs and much more. There’s a real sense of his financial struggles and rise to fame of fortune and how this affected him. His inspiration was drawn from life and real places and I found the literary walks section of this book fascinating. It allows the reader to sense the places and people. The final section includes numerous photos of places relevant to his texts. It brings so many of his stories to life and shoukd interest anyone who wants to know more about one of the most famous authors in the world. There’s an extensive bibliography and comprehensive index for easy reference to a particular title, character, subject or place. I’ve enjoyed the electronic version, and my thanks to Pen and Swird and the authors for an early review copy. But the real beauty of this book is a place in hard copy on a bookshelf, there for reference and rereading. Absolutely packed with information which will add to the pleasure of reading any Dickens title. This is a real cracker and one to treasure.

Well researched and written book. I learned more about Charles Dickens than I realized I would. The book gave a more personal feel and connection to the life of Charles Dickens and all he overcame in his life.
My only 'issue' with the book was I found the interspersing of information about his books to at times take away from the more biographical feel. I personally would have preferred the information separated, but that's more a personal preference. Overall an excellent book and I would recommend it to anyone with any interest in Mr. Dickens.