The Letters of Charles Dickens. Vol. 1

The Letters of Charles Dickens. Vol. 1, 1833-1856 is a collection of personal correspondence written by Charles Dickens in the mid-19th century. This first volume offers a deep insight into his thoughts and experiences leading up to the creation of early works like The Pickwick Papers and Oliver Twist. Through various letters to family, friends, and business associates, we glimpse Dickens’s private life and the complex path he took to build his iconic literary career. The opening section depicts his early days as a young writer living in London, covering the period before his first major publication. The letters detail his time working as a parliamentary reporter, his engagement to Catherine Hogarth, and the beginning of his literary success. Particularly, Dickens describes the transformative opportunity given by Chapman and Hall to edit a monthly magazine, which eventually led to the inception of The Pickwick Papers. These letters reveal his daily life, relationships, and the gradual emergence of his literary talent, capturing the struggles and hopes that laid the foundation for his journey in the literary world.