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The Artful Dickens: The Tricks and Ploys of the Great Novelist

The Artful Dickens: The Tricks and Ploys of the Great Novelist

by John Mullan

Bloomsbury Publishing ·2020 ·431 pages
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About This Book

Discover the tricks of a literary master in this essential guide to the fictional world of Charles Dickens. From Pickwick to Scrooge, Copperfield to Twist, how did Dickens find the perfect names for his characters?What was Dickens's favourite way of killing his characters?When is a Dickens character most likely to see a ghost?Why is Dickens's trickery only fully realised when his novels are read aloud? In thirteen entertaining and wonderfully insightful essays, John Mullan explores the literary machinations of Dickens's eccentric genius, from from his delight in clichés to his rendering of smells and his outrageous use of coincidences. A treat for all lovers of Dickens, this essential companion puts his audacity, originality and brilliance on full display.


Reviews

"Mullan, the Lord Northcliffe chair of modern English literature at University College London, is the best of professors ..."

Laura Freeman· The Times (UK) Read review ↗ Near the Top

"The chapter on naming is one of the book's most fascinating ..."

John Carey· The Times (UK) Read review ↗ Top of the Pile

"Mullan devotes a thought-provoking chapter to Dickens's fondness for describing the sort of 'visceral event' staged, above all, by olfaction."

David Trotter· London Review of Books Read review ↗ Near the Top

"A brisk, authoritative look at a literary icon."

Kirkus Read review ↗ Top of the Pile

"Astute observations abound ..."

Publishers Weekly Read review ↗ Top of the Pile

"The Artful Dickens made me feel that I had been in some form of trance during my earlier reading of these novels."

Frances Wilson· The Guardian Read review ↗ Top of the Pile

"Some readers will find that expedient, but Mullan is a brisk and observant writer."

Annette Federico· Times Literary Supplement Read review ↗ Near the Top

"Some of these feel more random than others: it's hard to think of Dickens's obsession with death by drowning, for instance, as a sign of his artfulness, though Mullan has arresting things to say ..."

Ruth Bernard Yeazell· New York Review of Books Read review ↗ Near the Top

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