A Child’s Dream of a Star – Published in 1850 Charles Dickens Last modified 1988. Charles Dickens (1812-1870) was an English author who is considered to be the greatest novelist of the Victorian Era. Charles Dickens and the Popularity of Abject Misery The Works of Charles Dickens, in Thirty-Four Volumes The world has seen many talented wordsmiths in literature, but few can hold a candle to the skill of Charles Dickens (1812-1870), especially when it comes to bleakness, hardship and injustice. The Battle of Life – Published in 1852; To Be Read at Dusk – Published in 1846, it’s the fourth of his Christmas books. Charles Dickens was the foremost English novelist of the Victorian era and considered one of the English language’s greatest writers; he was acclaimed for his rich storytelling and memorable characters, and achieved massive worldwide popularity during in his lifetime. He is best known for works such as Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol, David Copperfield, A Tale of Two Cities and lots more. His parents went on to have five more children to join Charles and his elder sister, Fanny, two of whom died in infancy. His work was praised for its humour, satire and observations of society. Charles John Huffam Dickens was born 7 February 1812 in Portsmouth, England. He was the second child of John and Elizabeth Hoffman Dickens. Partial Listing of Novellas, Short Stories and Other Works by Charles Dickens in Alphabetical Order. [To get some idea of Dicken's popularity, take a look at the gallery of memorial caricatures that appeared after the novelist's death; be sure to click on the images to read some of extravagant tributes. GPL] Victorian Web Authors.