A: Charles Dickens introduced these words into the English language.
February 7th was the birthday of Charles Dickens (1812-1870), widely considered one of the greatest writers and novelists of all time.
During his life, his work was hugely popular. By the 20th century, Dickens was seen as a literary genius by the majority of critics. His novels and short stories continue to sell well today, and there are many film adaptions of his most popular tales. His stories contain some of the most famous and beloved fictional characters, such as Oliver Twist, David Copperfield and Ebenezer Scrooge.
Born in Portsmouth, England, Dickens was forced to leave school and work in a factory when his father was jailed because he was unable to pay back his debts. Although Dickens’ education was minimal, he went on to edit a weekly journal for 20 years, wrote 5 novels, 5 novellas, hundreds of short stories and many non-fiction articles. The most popular books of his include Great Expectations, Oliver Twist and David Copperfield.
If you haven’t read any Charles Dickens books yet, why not head to your local or school library and pick up a copy of A Christmas Carol or Oliver Twist.
Fun facts:
- Charles Dickens had a pet raven called Grip, which he had stuffed when it died in 1841.
- He always insisted on sleeping with his bed aligned north-south, with his head facing north.
- The Oxford Dictionary credits Dickens with introducing 247 new words or usages.
- A toothpick Charles Dickens once used sold for over $5,000 at an auction in 2009.