The Mystery of Charles Dickens

A. N. Wilson

“Wilson has taken a…near-fictive approach to Dickens’ life — posing and investigating several ‘mysteries’ about Dickens… The solutions to these ‘mysteries’ may never be found, Wilson argues; but they divulge fascinating contradictions in a man whose work has entertained more generations of readers than any writer could ever dream of.” — Los Angeles Times
“A sprightly work of reinterpretation… Mr. Wilson is a novelist, and he brings to the task of biography a shrewd sense of how creative writers operate, along with a large stock of intuitions about human nature. The results are frequently perceptive.” — Wall Street Journal
“His knowledge is wide, his writing fluent… Wilson has a number of persuasive ideas about Dickens, whom he sees as not only a conflicted personality but a tragic one, despite his genius for comedy.” — New York Times Book Review
“[An] utterly satisfying investigative narrative… A marvelous exploration by an author steeped in the craft of his subject’s elastic, elusive work.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“[Wilson] blend[s] perceptive analysis of the novels with parallel experiences in Dickens' life… Beyond the eye-opening analysis, Wilson also offers a moving personal account of why Dickens has meant so much to him.” — Booklist (starred review)
“[Wilson’s] intriguing study will deliver some startling insights.” — Publishers Weekly
“Wilson brings dazzling, far-reaching erudition to this study, drawing on unexpected, sometimes arcane sources to paint a portrait with impressive depth and nuance.” — BookPage
“Wilson’s admiration and understanding of the novelist makes this a book to debate and savor… His own alluring analysis on the mystery of Dickens could not be bettered.” — Seattle Book Review