This is a well researched analysis of the first 30 or so years of Dickens's life, tracing the links between the early events in his life and his developing literary approach. Much of this is material I have seen covered in other books, but Hibbert shows how repeated patterns come up, such as strong brother-sister relationships being seen as more ideal than husband-wife ones, reflecting in particular his close and, to modern eyes, bizarre, relationship with his sister in law Mary Hogarth who died so suddenly and so tragically young; and the repeated ripples of assertions of self confidence in later life reflecting the knock back Dickens suffered after his initial schooling in Chatham when he had to work in the infamous blacking warehouse on the site of what is now Charing Cross station. Much of Dickens's life and attitudes towards his own progress and relations with others seems to demonstrate an absolute imperative to avoid the feckless attitudes and precarious economic situation of his father John Dickens whom he had continually to bale out for the reminder of the latter's life. This is fascinating stuff though I did think Hibbert perhaps went slightly too far into Dickens's middle life to suit the title. ( )

Clever use of the frankly autobiographical elements of Dickens' own writing to illuminate his early life. A very good read, and no slog. ( )