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.

'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.

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.

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 one of the great chroniclers of London life. From the colourful chaos of dances and gin-shops to the sparse destitution of the pawnshop and the penitentiary, he captured the grime and the glory of the English capital with singular brilliance. Orphans and beggars, lord mayors and murderers, actors, criminals, cab drivers and prostitutes; all rub shoulders in this wonderful selection from Sketches by Boz. Designed to appeal to the booklover, the Macmillan Collector's Library is a series of beautiful gift editions of much loved classic titles. Macmillan Collector's Library are books to love and treasure. Chosen and introduced by the playwright J. B. Priestley, these twelve marvellous sketches are accompanied by George Cruikshank's evocative illustrations.

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.

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.

The Mudfog Papers, a collection of sketches by Charles Dickens, describes the local politics of the fictional town of Mudfog - such as thedelusions of grandeur of its mayor Nicholas Tulrumble and his disastrous attempts at putting on a public show - and the meetings of its Society for the Advancement of Everything, during which the town is overrun by illustrious scientists and professors conducting ostensibly pointless research.

The Mudfog Papers, a collection of sketches by Charles Dickens, describes the local politics of the fictional town of Mudfog - such as thedelusions of grandeur of its mayor Nicholas Tulrumble and his disastrous attempts at putting on a public show - and the meetings of its Society for the Advancement of Everything, during which the town is overrun by illustrious scientists and professors conducting ostensibly pointless research.

The Mudfog Papers, a collection of sketches by Charles Dickens, describes the local politics of the fictional town of Mudfog — such as thedelusions of grandeur of its mayor Nicholas Tulrumble and his disastrous attempts at putting on a public show — and the meetings of its Society for the Advancement of Everything, during which the town is overrun by illustrious scientists and professors conducting ostensibly pointless research.

The Mudfog Papers, a collection of sketches by Charles Dickens, describes the local politics of the fictional town of Mudfog — such as thedelusions of grandeur of its mayor Nicholas Tulrumble and his disastrous attempts at putting on a public show — and the meetings of its Society for the Advancement of Everything, during which the town is overrun by illustrious scientists and professors conducting ostensibly pointless research.

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.