Dickens biography, anyone?  From Nina Auerbach, here is a vote for Fred
Kaplan's, and from Judith Stuart yet another strong vote for the late
Edgar Johnson's.  (PJM)
                                ------

In response to Greg Granger's question about a good Dickens biography, I
recommend the Fred Kaplan biography that came out about 5 years ago, even
though it's a little mother-bashing. Our wicked colleague Jim Kincaid
wrote such a devastating review of the Peter Ackroyd that sight unseen I
don't recommend it.

Then there's Wilson's seminal, and still very eloquent, essay in _The
Wound and the Bow_: "Dickens: The 2 Scrooges."

--
Nina Auerbach                                 Department of English
[log in to unmask]                   University of Pennsylvania

                                --------
From: Judith Stuart <[log in to unmask]>
While I'm not a Dickens specialist as are so many members of this list, I
found Edgar Johnson's _Charles Dickens: His Tragedy and Triumph_ a
wonderfully broadening read.  Johnson does not seem to make the mistake
of glancing aside from The Inimitable's faults, but neither does he
sensationalize.  Others will perhaps have their
own favourites, but you might give this one a try (full details below).

Johnson, Edgar.  _Charles Dickens: His Tragedy and Triumph_.  Revised and
        Abridged.  New York: Richard Seaver / Viking Press, 1977.


Judith Anderson Stuart
University of Toronto