This concise, comprehensive and up-to-date reference to the works of Charles Dickens will fascinate not only Dickens enthusiasts, but also those new admirers of Dickens who want to learn more about the man and his writings. The book begins by providing a wealth of information relating to the background of Dickens' remarkable career, with a chronology of his life and writings and a "who's who" of the Dickens circle. These are followed by individual sections on each of Dickens' writings: not only the major novels, but also his stories, journalism, readings, speeches, letters and minor writings. Also included are an annotated list of characters, the topography of Dickens' fiction, illustrators of his work, a filmography, a bibliography, and and appendix, which reprints documents of particular biographical interest. - Back cover.