Before finding a place as a celebrated author and household name, Charles Dickens was the beleaguered son of a perpetually impoverished family, proving a failure at everything from court reporting to pot polishing. This story, adapted from his cherished works of fiction, imagines his life at this young age. In the entries of Charles Dickens: His Journal, we meet a floundering Dickens just as he throws up his hands, withdraws his paltry savings, and sets out for Canterbury like the pilgrims of old. He places himself in the hands of the world, depending in part on the strength of his last shillings, in part on his own quick wits, but most of all upon the patchy hospitality of unforgettable characters he meets along the way. Can we believe what we read? According to Dickens, all of his tales are true reflections of life - fragmentary and highly improbable. For readers unfamiliar with the author's work, this is a remarkable introduction to Dickens' brilliant humour and to his indelible characters, who come to life as soon as we read their names. For Dickens enthusiasts, this is a smart, exhilarating romp through the pages of a timeless writer, celebrating caricatures and scenes too often overlooked. AUTHOR: Vincent Torre is an author, designer, and artist living in New York City. His books are in the collections of the New York Public Library, British Library, Yale Library, University of Sydney, Australia, and elsewhere. 112 b/w illustrations