Charles John Huffam Dickens (February 7, 1812 -- June 9, 1870)Dickens, pen-name "Boz", was an English novelist. Early in Dickens' life, his family fell into debt; at the age of twelve, he was old enough to work and spent ten hours a day in a boot-blacking factory to help support his family, which was incarcerated in a debtors' prison. After a few years, his family's financial situation improved and they were able to leave the prison. In 1827, Dickens began working as a law clerk. For a short time, he worked as a court stenographer. Later he became a journalist, reporting parliamentary debate and traveling Britain to cover election campaigns. His journalism formed his first collection of pieces, Sketches by Boz, and he continued to contribute to and edit journals for much of his life. In his early twenties he made a name for himself with his first novel, The Pickwick Papers. Dickens' writings were extremely popular in their day and were read extensively. He is remembered as the greatest writer of his time. He is frequently referred to by his last name only. Fiction
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