kelbi's review against another edition
5.0
Superb. She is a great biographer and having read her Thomas Hardy I had to read this. She looks clearly at Dickens and makes sure you know his failings as well as his strengths. I listened to the Audible version which was very well read though I didn’t think the narrator got his voice right at all. Just a quibble
whatmariaread's review against another edition
4.0
This is quite a beast of a book {thank goodness for Kindle editions!!}. It is absolutely engrossing- I have so far not succumbed to the charms of Dickens’ writing- or rather have an ongoing schoolgirl prejudice!- but I do want to read more of his work now. However it is also difficult to reconcile the image of his talent and his social commentary with the arbitrary cruelty in his marriage. Still, it has made for a brilliant read- recommended.
kecb12's review
4.0
I have been a fan of Charles Dickens for most of my life, having tackled David Copperfield when I was 13. But besides some of the better-known aspects of his history, I was completely in the dark about Dickens as a person. I am grateful to know more about him and his life, and while I have some complicated feelings about finding out that one of my literary heroes was a terrible father and husband, I can also appreciate knowing that Dickens was just a normal, flawed person like the rest of us. A genius, for sure. But not necessarily someone to be placed on a pedestal, which is a good reminder for anyone with any sort of hero. Probably my only beef with this book is that there isn’t a ton of analysis about the meaning of all these facts and details about Dickens’ life. Obviously, a biographer has to be careful of putting words or motives into an un-interviewable person’s mouth or mind, but she clearly does so much research here, that I think some attempt at explaining why Dickens was the way he was might have been interesting.
alexrafinski's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
5.0
Claire Tomalin is easily the best biographer of historical literary figures. This covers the life of Dickens in detail and covers both the good and the bad dispassionately.
didactylos's review
3.0
I wanted to read this having enjoyed her Hardy. I hoped to get similar insights. I ended up being educated on the life and times but really little further aware of the man. A mix of a parade of names of people, précis of the novels and this a very long book that left me exasperated. Maybe not her fault as Dickens does seem to have very deliberately hidden much of himself.
caroparr's review against another edition
4.0
As it turns out, I knew very little about Dickens's life, apart from the blacking factory and the ten children. Tomalin's biography is sympathetic but clear-eyed. Yes, he loved music, dancing, theatricals and playing games with friends and family, but he could also be cold and controlling. When she comes to the breakup of his family, Tomalin writes, "You want to avert your eyes from a good deal of what happened the next year, 1859." It is unsettling to see the man you've come to like and admire act so badly. Tomalin is also very good on the novels, summarizing them succinctly and pointing out their strengths and weaknesses. All in all, a brisk biography that is exactly as much as I wanted to know about Dickens. And, of course, a resolution to return to the Dickens Project, maybe Bleak House next?
kouw's review against another edition
3.0
Definite plus: Penelope Wilton did the audio for this, so it was a lovely listen.
Definite con: I am totally unsure if I am supposed to sympathise with Dickens or not - my gut says (while listening to the book being read, it was all very communicative) he was quite an egomaniac and downright cruel to his wife, but the narrative almost tries to persuade you that is all alright because he was a champion of the poor and so extremely well-loved by his audience.
Definite con: I am totally unsure if I am supposed to sympathise with Dickens or not - my gut says (while listening to the book being read, it was all very communicative) he was quite an egomaniac and downright cruel to his wife, but the narrative almost tries to persuade you that is all alright because he was a champion of the poor and so extremely well-loved by his audience.
bangel_ds's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
Claire Tomalin is always the best when it comes to biographies. This is a complete portrait of Dickens. If you have put him on a pedestal, you might be disappointed because Dickens comes out as a complex and very, very hard man. But the biography is a must read, that's for sure.
milesjmoran's review
5.0
Tomalin has swiftly become one of my favourite biographers. When selecting biographies, you (as a reader) have to show some caution in which ones you opt to read. Some are romanticised accounts that leave the subject glossy and inhuman. Others focus on the scandal, on the grime, leaving your impression of the subject permanently tarred. Tomalin has found a perfect balance, wonderfully demonstrated in this biography, studying a man who, at the time of reading, I knew little about and whose work I was uninterested in. I have always loved A Christmas Carol. However, his other books didn't appeal to me but I still wanted to give him a chance since I loved one of his books so much. Reading Tomalin's biography completely opened my eyes to who Dickens was. She portrayed him with both the bad and good aspects of his personality/life, and was written in an engaging way, not at all dry and lecturing like some non-fiction texts can be. Since reading this book, I've fallen head over heels in love with Dickens, savouring his works and citing him one of my favourite writers, and that isn't become this book persuaded me to, it's because Tomalin skillfully penned this biography and stirred an interest in me no other documentary/teacher/book had done previously. I very much look forward to reading more of her work.