Charles Dickens - A Life, By Claire Tomalin

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First
Broadcast

Repeated

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20111128

20111129 (R4)
20200330 (R4)

Claire Tomalin's acclaimed biography of Britain's great novelist paints a portrait of an extraordinarily complex man. Today's theme is Dickens' troubled childhood.

Claire Tomalin's acclaimed biography of one of the nation's literary giants is broadcast to mark the 150th anniversary of his death in June 2020. Here Tomalin portrays Dickens as a writer 'so charged with imaginative energy that he rendered nineteenth century England crackling, full of truth and life, with his laughter, horror and indignation - and sentimentality.' The Artful Dodger, Mr Pickwick, Pip and David Copperfield are just a handful of the characters he created and who continue to endure. He was also a hard-working journalist, a philanthropist, a supporter of liberal social causes, and father of ten, and yet his genius also had a dark side which emerged with the breakdown of his marriage.

Claire Tomalin was literary editor of the The New Statesman and then the Sunday Times before becoming a full time writer. Her biographies are award winning. The Life and Death of Mary Wollstonecraft, won the Whitbread First Book Award, and Samuel Pepys: The Unequalled Self was Whitbread Book of the Year in 2002.

Read by Penelope Wilton

Produced by Elizabeth Allard.

The troubled childhood of Charles Dickens. Claire Tomalin's acclaimed biography.

20111129

20111130 (R4)
20200331 (R4)

Claire Tomalin's acclaimed biography of Britain's great novelist paints a portrait of an extraordinarily complex man. Today's themes are his early successes as a writer, and new beginnings.

Claire Tomalin's acclaimed biography of the novelist who called himself the 'inimitable' is being broadcast in the 150th year since his death. Here Tomalin paints a vivid portrait of the writer at work, his extraordinary energy allowing him to write at an intense rate. His personal life required almost as much energy, a husband, a father of ten and a man who enjoyed a busy social life, with evenings spent at the theatre among friends before returning home to write.

Read by Penelope Wilton

Produced by Elizabeth Allard.

The early successes of Charles Dickens. Claire Tomalin's book about the great novelist.

20111130

20111201 (R4)
20200401 (R4)

Claire Tomalin's acclaimed biography of Britain's great novelist paints a portrait of an extraordinarily complex man. Today the novelist is well received in America.

Marking the 150th anniversary of Charles Dickens death, Radio 4 is broadcasting Claire Tomalin's acclaimed biography of the literary giant who called himself the 'inimitable'. Here Tomalin has created a vivid and evocative portrait of one of the nation's best loved writers. The characters Dickens created are instantly recognisable, from David Copperfield, to Mr Micawber and Nicholas Nickleby. His literary output was phenomenal. He was also the father of ten, and a supporter of various social causes, all evident in his novels. He was also a deeply complex man and a dark side accompanied his genius.

Read by Penelope Wilton

Produced by Elizabeth Allard.

Charles Dickens is well-received in America. Claire Tomalin's acclaimed biography.

20111201

20111202 (R4)
20200402 (R4)

Claire Tomalin's acclaimed biography of one of Britain's literary giants paints a portrait of an extraordinarily complex man. Today a theatrical performance changes the course of his life.

Claire Tomalin's acclaimed biography of one of the nation's literary giants is broadcast to mark the 150th anniversary of his death in June 2020. Here Tomalin portrays Dickens as a complex man, a writer who created characters who continue to endure in the popular imagination from the The Artful Dodger, Mr Pickwick, Pip and David Copperfield. He was also a ferociously hard-working writer, a philanthropist, a supporter of liberal social causes, and father of ten, and yet his genius also had a dark side.

Read by Penelope Wilton

Produced by Elizabeth Allard.

A theatrical performance changes the course of Dickens's life.

05 LAST

20111202

20111203 (R4)
20200403 (R4)

Claire Tomalin's acclaimed biography of one of Britain's best loved novelists paints a portrait of a brilliant writer and a complex man. Today's themes are adulation and farewells.

Claire Tomalin's well-received biography of one of the nation's literary giants is broadcast to mark the 150th anniversary of his death in June 2020. Here Tomalin evocatively portrays Dickens as a writer charged with tremendous imagination and energy, enabling him to create characters who continue to endure in our popular culture from The Artful Dodger, Mr Pickwick, Pip and David Copperfield. He was also a hard-working journalist, a philanthropist, a supporter of social causes, and father of ten, and yet his genius also had a dark side.

Read by Penelope Wilton

Produced by Elizabeth Allard.

Adulation and farewells for Britain's great novelist. Claire Tomalin's acclaimed biography

Episodes

Episode	First Broadcast	Repeated	Comments
01	20111128	20111129 (R4) 20200330 (R4)	Claire Tomalin's acclaimed biography of Britain's great novelist paints a portrait of an extraordinarily complex man. Today's theme is Dickens' troubled childhood. Claire Tomalin's acclaimed biography of one of the nation's literary giants is broadcast to mark the 150th anniversary of his death in June 2020. Here Tomalin portrays Dickens as a writer 'so charged with imaginative energy that he rendered nineteenth century England crackling, full of truth and life, with his laughter, horror and indignation - and sentimentality.' The Artful Dodger, Mr Pickwick, Pip and David Copperfield are just a handful of the characters he created and who continue to endure. He was also a hard-working journalist, a philanthropist, a supporter of liberal social causes, and father of ten, and yet his genius also had a dark side which emerged with the breakdown of his marriage. Claire Tomalin was literary editor of the The New Statesman and then the Sunday Times before becoming a full time writer. Her biographies are award winning. The Life and Death of Mary Wollstonecraft, won the Whitbread First Book Award, and Samuel Pepys: The Unequalled Self was Whitbread Book of the Year in 2002. Read by Penelope Wilton Produced by Elizabeth Allard. The troubled childhood of Charles Dickens. Claire Tomalin's acclaimed biography.
02	20111129	20111130 (R4) 20200331 (R4)	Claire Tomalin's acclaimed biography of Britain's great novelist paints a portrait of an extraordinarily complex man. Today's themes are his early successes as a writer, and new beginnings. Claire Tomalin's acclaimed biography of the novelist who called himself the 'inimitable' is being broadcast in the 150th year since his death. Here Tomalin paints a vivid portrait of the writer at work, his extraordinary energy allowing him to write at an intense rate. His personal life required almost as much energy, a husband, a father of ten and a man who enjoyed a busy social life, with evenings spent at the theatre among friends before returning home to write. Claire Tomalin was literary editor of the The New Statesman and then the Sunday Times before becoming a full time writer. Her biographies are award winning. The Life and Death of Mary Wollstonecraft, won the Whitbread First Book Award, and Samuel Pepys: The Unequalled Self was Whitbread Book of the Year in 2002. Read by Penelope Wilton Produced by Elizabeth Allard. The early successes of Charles Dickens. Claire Tomalin's book about the great novelist.
03	20111130	20111201 (R4) 20200401 (R4)	Claire Tomalin's acclaimed biography of Britain's great novelist paints a portrait of an extraordinarily complex man. Today the novelist is well received in America. Marking the 150th anniversary of Charles Dickens death, Radio 4 is broadcasting Claire Tomalin's acclaimed biography of the literary giant who called himself the 'inimitable'. Here Tomalin has created a vivid and evocative portrait of one of the nation's best loved writers. The characters Dickens created are instantly recognisable, from David Copperfield, to Mr Micawber and Nicholas Nickleby. His literary output was phenomenal. He was also the father of ten, and a supporter of various social causes, all evident in his novels. He was also a deeply complex man and a dark side accompanied his genius. Claire Tomalin was literary editor of the The New Statesman and then the Sunday Times before becoming a full time writer. Her biographies are award winning. The Life and Death of Mary Wollstonecraft, won the Whitbread First Book Award, and Samuel Pepys: The Unequalled Self was Whitbread Book of the Year in 2002. Read by Penelope Wilton Produced by Elizabeth Allard. Charles Dickens is well-received in America. Claire Tomalin's acclaimed biography.
04	20111201	20111202 (R4) 20200402 (R4)	Claire Tomalin's acclaimed biography of one of Britain's literary giants paints a portrait of an extraordinarily complex man. Today a theatrical performance changes the course of his life. Claire Tomalin's acclaimed biography of one of the nation's literary giants is broadcast to mark the 150th anniversary of his death in June 2020. Here Tomalin portrays Dickens as a complex man, a writer who created characters who continue to endure in the popular imagination from the The Artful Dodger, Mr Pickwick, Pip and David Copperfield. He was also a ferociously hard-working writer, a philanthropist, a supporter of liberal social causes, and father of ten, and yet his genius also had a dark side. Claire Tomalin was literary editor of the The New Statesman and then the Sunday Times before becoming a full time writer. Her biographies are award winning. The Life and Death of Mary Wollstonecraft, won the Whitbread First Book Award, and Samuel Pepys: The Unequalled Self was Whitbread Book of the Year in 2002. Read by Penelope Wilton Produced by Elizabeth Allard. A theatrical performance changes the course of Dickens's life.
05 LAST	20111202	20111203 (R4) 20200403 (R4)	Claire Tomalin's acclaimed biography of one of Britain's best loved novelists paints a portrait of a brilliant writer and a complex man. Today's themes are adulation and farewells. Claire Tomalin's well-received biography of one of the nation's literary giants is broadcast to mark the 150th anniversary of his death in June 2020. Here Tomalin evocatively portrays Dickens as a writer charged with tremendous imagination and energy, enabling him to create characters who continue to endure in our popular culture from The Artful Dodger, Mr Pickwick, Pip and David Copperfield. He was also a hard-working journalist, a philanthropist, a supporter of social causes, and father of ten, and yet his genius also had a dark side. Claire Tomalin was literary editor of the The New Statesman and then the Sunday Times before becoming a full time writer. Her biographies are award winning. The Life and Death of Mary Wollstonecraft, won the Whitbread First Book Award, and Samuel Pepys: The Unequalled Self was Whitbread Book of the Year in 2002. Read by Penelope Wilton Produced by Elizabeth Allard. Adulation and farewells for Britain's great novelist. Claire Tomalin's acclaimed biography