Charles Dickens: A Life Reviewed

2012 is the two-hundredth anniversary of the birth of Charles Dickens, one of Britain's all-time greatest writers. This collection charts the Guardian's relationship with Dickens and his legacy over that time, from his first 'celebrity' profile in the paper in 1846 right through to modern day reviews of television adaptations of Bleak House and John Crace's handy digested version of that intimidatingly large book. Dickens was a man whose interests were many and varied, and the pieces here reflect that, revealing his passion for wallpaper and interior decoration and his contributions to his wife's pseudonymous cookbook, as well as highlighting his enduring contributions to the worlds of theatre and literature.