{"product_id":"charles-dickens-a-life-9780143119920","title":"Charles Dickens: A Life","description":"\u003cb\u003eWith the delectable wit, unforgettable characters, and challenging themes that won her a Pulitzer Prize and national bestseller status, Jane Smiley naturally finds a kindred spirit in the author of classics such as \u003ci\u003eGreat Expectations\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eA Christmas Carol\u003c\/i\u003e. As \"his novels shaped his life as much as his life shaped his novels,\" Smiley's \u003ci\u003eCharles Dickens\u003c\/i\u003e is at once a sensitive profile of the great master and a fascinating meditation on the writing life.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e This biographical deep dive offers brilliant interpretations of almost all the major works, an exploration of Dickens's narrative techniques and his innovative voice and themes, and a reflection on how his richly varied lower-class cameos sprang from an experience and passion more personal than his public knew. Smiley's\u003cb\u003e \u003c\/b\u003eown \"demon narrative intelligence\" (\u003ci\u003eThe Boston Globe\u003c\/i\u003e) touches, too, on controversial details that include Dickens's obsession with money and squabbles with publishers, his unhappy marriage, and the rumors of an affair. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ci\u003eCharles Dickens\u003c\/i\u003e is a fresh look at the dazzling personality of a verbal magician and the fascinating times behind the classics we read in school and continue to enjoy today.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eJane Smiley\u003c\/b\u003e is the author of numerous novels, including \u003ci\u003eA Thousand Acres\u003c\/i\u003e, which was awarded the Pulitzer Prize, the Last Hundred Years Trilogy, \u003ci\u003eA Dangerous Business\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eLucky\u003c\/i\u003e. She is the author as well of several works of nonfiction and books for young adults. A member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, she has also received the PEN Center USA Lifetime Achievement Award for Literature. She lives in Northern California.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Penguin Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50872458805522,"sku":"9780143119920","price":17.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_398b4196-9780-49a6-babb-294518c0c4f3.jpg?v=1737898441","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/charles-dickens-a-life-9780143119920","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}