by Mark Deming
synopsis
Charles Dickens' life sounds like a story that could have come from one of his novels -- his father was imprisoned when Charles was a child, forcing him to find work in a factory to support himself and his family, and it was only after many years of struggle that he began to earn his living as a reporter. In time, Dickens began writing comic short stories, and eventually he became one of the most popular and acclaimed novelists in the world. Dickens of London is a miniseries produced for British television which recounts the remarkable story of Dickens's life and career. Roy Dotrice stars as Charles Dickens, Gene Foad plays Dickens as a young man, and Simon Bell portrays Dickens as a child.
