The Great Charles Dickens Scandal

Biography & Memoir, Literary
Cover of the book The Great Charles Dickens Scandal by Professor Michael Slater, Yale University Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Professor Michael Slater ISBN: 9780300142310
Publisher: Yale University Press Publication: September 14, 2012
Imprint: Yale University Press Language: English
Author: Professor Michael Slater
ISBN: 9780300142310
Publisher: Yale University Press
Publication: September 14, 2012
Imprint: Yale University Press
Language: English

Charles Dickens was regarded as the great proponent of hearth and home in Victorian Britain, but in 1858 this image was nearly shattered. With the breakup of his marriage that year, rumors of a scandalous relationship he may have conducted with the young actress Ellen "Nelly" Ternan flourished. For the remaining twelve years of his life, Dickens managed to contain the gossip. After his death, surviving family members did the same. But when the author's last living son died in 1934, there was no one to discourage rampant speculation. Dramatic revelations came from every corner—over Nelly's role as Dickens's mistress, their clandestine meetings, and even about his possibly fathering an illegitimate child by her.

This book presents the most complete account of the scandal and ensuing cover-up ever published. Drawing on the author's letters and other archival sources not previously available, Dickens scholar Michael Slater investigates what Dickens did or may have done, then traces the way the scandal was elaborated over succeeding generations. Slater shows how various writers concocted outlandish yet plausible theories while newspapers and book publishers vied for sensational revelations. With its tale of intrigue and a cast of well-known figures from Thackeray and Shaw to Orwell and Edmund Wilson, this engaging book will delight not only Dickens fans but also readers who appreciate tales of mystery, cover-up, and clever detection.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Charles Dickens was regarded as the great proponent of hearth and home in Victorian Britain, but in 1858 this image was nearly shattered. With the breakup of his marriage that year, rumors of a scandalous relationship he may have conducted with the young actress Ellen "Nelly" Ternan flourished. For the remaining twelve years of his life, Dickens managed to contain the gossip. After his death, surviving family members did the same. But when the author's last living son died in 1934, there was no one to discourage rampant speculation. Dramatic revelations came from every corner—over Nelly's role as Dickens's mistress, their clandestine meetings, and even about his possibly fathering an illegitimate child by her.

This book presents the most complete account of the scandal and ensuing cover-up ever published. Drawing on the author's letters and other archival sources not previously available, Dickens scholar Michael Slater investigates what Dickens did or may have done, then traces the way the scandal was elaborated over succeeding generations. Slater shows how various writers concocted outlandish yet plausible theories while newspapers and book publishers vied for sensational revelations. With its tale of intrigue and a cast of well-known figures from Thackeray and Shaw to Orwell and Edmund Wilson, this engaging book will delight not only Dickens fans but also readers who appreciate tales of mystery, cover-up, and clever detection.

More books from Yale University Press

Cover of the book The Murder of King James I by Professor Michael Slater
Cover of the book Democracy in Retreat by Professor Michael Slater
Cover of the book Punctuated Equilibrium and the Dynamics of U.S. Environmental Policy by Professor Michael Slater
Cover of the book Leonard Bernstein by Professor Michael Slater
Cover of the book Climate Cultures by Professor Michael Slater
Cover of the book Migrant Brothers by Professor Michael Slater
Cover of the book John Brown's Spy by Professor Michael Slater
Cover of the book If Mayors Ruled the World by Professor Michael Slater
Cover of the book Grand Strategies: Literature, Statecraft, and World Order by Professor Michael Slater
Cover of the book Edward Bancroft: Scientist, Author, Spy by Professor Michael Slater
Cover of the book Ascending India and Its State Capacity by Professor Michael Slater
Cover of the book Directions in Sexual Harassment Law by Professor Michael Slater
Cover of the book The Leningrad Blockade, 1941-1944: A New Documentary History from the Soviet Archives by Professor Michael Slater
Cover of the book Sin and Evil: Moral Values in Literature by Professor Michael Slater
Cover of the book Walking Toward the Sun by Professor Michael Slater
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy