I have long been in love with the work of Charles Dickens and the informal glimpses into his thoughts through correspondence framed in context with this impeccably researched and presented book, have rekindled that flame anew. This is truly a must-read book for Dickens fans.

In the chosen letters you find the voice of the author, which may differ greatly from the work you have read. Whether demanding or morose, with flights of fancy and fits of pique: all moments in his life, however fleeting and momentary.

This book does all of that and more, making my feet itch to travel to Niagara Falls and see it as he did, or find a vantage point in the mountains, to commune with memories and thoughts. What emerges in this book is the great dichotomy that was Dickens. A man obsessed with neatness and order, a proponent of orderliness in his home and person, with a cutthroat business sense fueled by great ambition. Every conversation, every event was fodder for his imagination, facile enough to see three sides of a single coin and represent each viewpoint fully and succinctly.

I was provided an eBook copy through NetGalley from Open Road Integrated Media for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review and all conclusions are my own responsibility.
( )