Simon Whalley earned a Master of Studies in Musicology from Oxford University. An avid reader, Simon Whalley enjoys the works of Charles Dickens.
One of England’s greatest writers, Charles Dickens was born into a family of eight children in 1812. His father was a naval clerk who dreamed of becoming rich while living beyond his means. Though his family was poor, young Dickens was able to wander free in the countryside near Chatham, where his family moved in 1816.
By 1822, his father’s finances had become dire, and the family moved to a poor neighborhood in London called Camden Town. Two years later, his father was thrown into debtor’s prison, and the Charles had to abandon his studies for a job in a boot-blacking factory near the River Thames.
Thrust into horrid working conditions at such a young age to support his family made a deep impression, and this experience would color much of his future masterpieces.
