Charles Dickens was an English writer and social critic. This volume showcases two collections of little-known sketches by Dickens. Whimsical, satirical, witty and exuberant, the sketches ridicule the behavior of their subjects with perfect comic effect, offering fascinating evidence of a writer learning his craft and refining his style.

At the height of his career Charles Dickens wrote a series of sketches, mostly set in London, which he collected as The Uncommercial Traveller. In the persona of "the Uncommercial," Dickens wanders the city streets and brings London, its inhabitants, commerce, and entertainment vividly to life. Sometimes autobiographical, as childhood experiences are interwoven with adult memories, the sketches include visits to the Paris Morgue, the Liverpool docks, a workhouse, a school for poor children, and the theater. They also describe the perils of travel, including seasickness, shipwreck, the coming of the railways, and the wretchedness of dining in English hotels and restaurants.

At the height of his career Charles Dickens wrote a series of sketches, mostly set in London, which he collected as The Uncommercial Traveller. In the persona of "the Uncommercial", Dickens wanders the city streets and brings London, its inhabitants, commerce, and entertainment vividly to life. Sometimes autobiographical, as childhood experiences are interwoven with adult memories, the sketches include visits to the Paris Morgue, the Liverpool docks, a workhouse, a school for poor children, and the theater. They also describe theperils of travel, including seasickness, shipwreck, the coming of the railways, and the wretchedness of dining in English hotels and restaurants.

At the height of his career Charles Dickens wrote a series of sketches, mostly set in London, which he collected as The Uncommercial Traveller. In the persona of "the Uncommercial," Dickens wanders the city streets and brings London, its inhabitants, commerce, and entertainment vividly to life. Sometimes autobiographical, as childhood experiences are interwoven with adult memories, the sketches include visits to the Paris Morgue, the Liverpool docks, a workhouse, a school for poor children, and the theater. They also describe the perils of travel, including seasickness, shipwreck, the coming of the railways, and the wretchedness of dining in English hotels and restaurants.

At the height of his career Charles Dickens wrote a series of sketches, mostly set in London, which he collected as The Uncommercial Traveller. In the persona of "the Uncommercial", Dickens wanders the city streets and brings London, its inhabitants, commerce, and entertainment vividly to life. Sometimes autobiographical, as childhood experiences are interwoven with adult memories, the sketches include visits to the Paris Morgue, the Liverpool docks, a workhouse, a school for poor children, and the theater. They also describe theperils of travel, including seasickness, shipwreck, the coming of the railways, and the wretchedness of dining in English hotels and restaurants.

Charles Dickens was an English writer and social critic. At the height of his career he wrote a series of sketches, mostly set in London, which he collected as The Uncommercial Traveller. Sometimes autobiographical, as childhood experiences are interwoven with adult memories, the sketches include visits to the Paris Morgue, the Liverpool docks, a workhouse, a school for poor children, and the theater. They also describe the perils of travel, including seasickness, shipwreck, the coming of the railways, and the wretchedness of dining in English hotels and restaurants.

Charles Dickens was an English writer and social critic. At the height of his career he wrote a series of sketches, mostly set in London, which he collected as The Uncommercial Traveller. Sometimes autobiographical, as childhood experiences are interwoven with adult memories, the sketches include visits to the Paris Morgue, the Liverpool docks, a workhouse, a school for poor children, and the theater. They also describe the perils of travel, including seasickness, shipwreck, the coming of the railways, and the wretchedness of dining in English hotels and restaurants.

Charles Dickens was an English writer and social critic. This volume showcases two collections of little-known sketches by Dickens. Whimsical, satirical, witty and exuberant, the sketches ridicule the behavior of their subjects with perfect comic effect, offering fascinating evidence of a writer learning his craft and refining his style.

Charles Dickens was an English writer and social critic. This volume showcases two collections of little-known sketches by Dickens. Whimsical, satirical, witty and exuberant, the sketches ridicule the behavior of their subjects with perfect comic effect, offering fascinating evidence of a writer learning his craft and refining his style.

'Sets out the London of the 1830s before you, streets, people, pleasures, low life, prisons' Claire Tomalin Charles Dickens's first published book, Sketches by Boz is a funny and touching collection of observation, fancy and fiction showing the London he knew in all its complexity - its streets, theatres, inns, pawnshops, law courts, prisons and, of course, the river Thames. His descriptions of everyday life and people seem to anticipate characters from his great novels - garrulous matrons, vulgar young clerks, Scrooge-like bachelors - while his powers of social critique shine in his unflinching depictions of the city's forgotten citizens, from child workers to prostitutes. This edition includes the original illustrations by George Cruikshank.

Charles Dickens was an English writer and social critic. Sketches by Boz is the collection of short pieces he originally published in various newspapers and other periodicals between 1833 and 1836. This richly varied collection of observations shows us the London at its best and worst - its streets, theatres, inns, pawnshops, law courts, prisons, omnibuses and the river Thames - in honest and visionary descriptions of everyday life and people. A startling mixture of humour and pathos, these sketches reveal London as wonderful terrain for an extraordinary young Dickens.

Charles Dickens was an English writer and social critic. Sketches by Boz is the collection of short pieces he originally published in various newspapers and other periodicals between 1833 and 1836. This richly varied collection of observations shows us the London at its best and worst - its streets, theatres, inns, pawnshops, law courts, prisons, omnibuses and the river Thames - in honest and visionary descriptions of everyday life and people. A startling mixture of humour and pathos, these sketches reveal London as wonderful terrain for an extraordinary young Dickens.

Charles Dickens was an English writer and social critic. Sketches by Boz is the collection of short pieces he originally published in various newspapers and other periodicals between 1833 and 1836. This richly varied collection of observations shows us the London at its best and worst - its streets, theatres, inns, pawnshops, law courts, prisons, omnibuses and the river Thames - in honest and visionary descriptions of everyday life and people. A startling mixture of humour and pathos, these sketches reveal London as wonderful terrain for an extraordinary young Dickens.

Charles Dickens was an English writer and social critic. Sketches by Boz is the collection of short pieces he originally published in various newspapers and other periodicals between 1833 and 1836. This richly varied collection of observations shows us the London at its best and worst - its streets, theatres, inns, pawnshops, law courts, prisons, omnibuses and the river Thames - in honest and visionary descriptions of everyday life and people. A startling mixture of humour and pathos, these sketches reveal London as wonderful terrain for an extraordinary young Dickens.

This richly varied collection of observation, fancy and fiction shows the London he knew so intimately at its best and worst - its streets, theatres, inns, pawnshops, law courts, prisons, omnibuses and the river Thames - in honest and visionary descriptions of everyday life and people. We see the condemned man in his prison cell, garrulous matrons, vulgar young clerks and Scrooge-like bachelors. A startling mixture of humor and pathos, these Sketches reveal London as wonderful terrain for an extraordinary young Dickens.

This richly varied collection of observation, fancy and fiction shows the London he knew so intimately at its best and worst - its streets, theatres, inns, pawnshops, law courts, prisons, omnibuses and the river Thames - in honest and visionary descriptions of everyday life and people. We see the condemned man in his prison cell, garrulous matrons, vulgar young clerks and Scrooge-like bachelors. A startling mixture of humor and pathos, these Sketches reveal London as wonderful terrain for an extraordinary young Dickens.