Charles Dickens’ novel ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ was published on November 15th 1859 after the final chapter was completed and published in his ‘All the Year Round’ circular. Charles Dickens was born in 1812 and educated in the English naval city of Portsmouth. His father was employed as a clerk in the nearby pay office of the navy but was thrown into Debtors Prison in 1824, his son Charles at that time just 12 years old was sent to work in a factory. The harsh life of children at that time and their surroundings were the topics for many of his novels.

Dickens became a reporter when in his late teens and had published humourous short stories by the age of 21. A collection of his stories was published in 1836, the same year as he married Catherine Hogarth. During their marriage they had nine children. This first of his works of fiction was originally called ‘Sketches by Boz’ before being renamed ‘The Pickwick Papers,’ then came ‘Oliver Twist’ in 1838 and ‘Nicholas Nickleby’ the following year. He then spent 5 months in the United States in 1841 where he was welcomed as a literary hero. He was adding a new novel to his growing list of publications almost every year, many of these were in serial form.

He is known mostly for ‘David Copperfield’ published in 1850, ‘Great Expectations’ in 1861 and ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ in 1859. He produced his own weekly circular which contained his short stories, poetry and essays, his first one was called Household Words, this was to replaced with All the Year Round which included the first chapter of ‘A Tale of Two Cities.’

In 1858 he and his wife separated and lived separate lives, he began a relationship with a young actress. His frequent readings were very popular and his last novel ‘The Mystery of Edwin Drood’ was unfinished at the time of his death in 1870 at the age of 58.