In 1843, Charles Dickens could never have known that his festive tale, A Christmas Carol, would still be popular more than 175 years later. It is regarded as the first novel with Christmas as its theme, creating a new genre (category) of books that still exists today. With Christmas Eve fast approaching (when the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future visit Ebenezer Scrooge), it’s the perfect time to take a look at the life of the famous author.
A bumpy childhood
Dickens, who was born in Portsmouth in 1812, had an unusual upbringing – at times enjoying the comfort of a rich life in London, and at other times overcoming extreme difficulties when his father was sent to prison. When his father was jailed, in 1824, Dickens was sent…