John Forster

"When Arthur Clennam returns to England after many years abroad, he takes a kindly interest in Amy Dorrit, his mother's seamstress, and in the affairs of Amy's father, William Dorrit, a man of shabby grandeur, long imprisoned for debt in the Marshalsea. As Arthur soon discovers, the dark shadow of the prison stretches far beyond its walls to affect the lives of many, from the kindly Mr. Pancks, the reluctant rent-collector of Bleeding Heart Yard,...

"Reading Charles Dickens is, in writer and contributor Jane Smiley's words, an "addictive" experience. Fortunately, Dickens addicts have an endless supply of material to feed their habit. He was an immensely prolific writer - the author of twenty novels as well as short stories, plays, and countless pieces of journalism. Dickens was also an extraordinary public figure - the first true literary star, whose stories were devoured by ever-hungry fans...