Pictures from Italy

His plots were carefully constructed, and he often wove elements from topical events into his narratives. The book reveals the concerns of its author as he presents, according to Kate Flint, the country "like a chaotic magic-lantern show, fascinated both by the spectacle it offers, and by himself as spectator". Within a few years he had become an international literary celebrity, famous for his humour, satire, and keen observation of character and society. Pictures from Italy is a travelogue by Charles Dickens, written in 1846. Dickens is particularly drawn to the costumes, cross-dressing, and sheer exuberance of the Roman carnival. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era. Despite his lack of formal education, he edited a weekly journal for 20 years, wrote 15 novels, five novellas, hundreds of short stories and non-fiction articles, lectured and performed extensively, was an indefatigable letter writer, and campaigned vigorously for children's rights, education, and other social reforms. For example, when his wife's chiropodist expressed distress at the way Miss Mowcher in David Copperfield seemed to reflect her disabilities, Dickens improved the character with positive features. Masses of the illiterate poor chipped in ha'pennies to have each new monthly episode read to them, opening up and inspiring a new class of readers. His works enjoyed unprecedented popularity during his lifetime, and by the 20th century critics and scholars had recognised him as a literary genius. Born in Portsmouth, Dickens left school to work in a factory when his father was incarcerated in a debtors' prison. They visited the most famous sights: Genoa, Rome, Naples (with Vesuvius still smouldering), Florence and Venice. Dickens's literary success began with the 1836 serial publication of The Pickwick Papers. In his travelogue the author portrays a nation of great contrasts: grandiose buildings and urban desolation, and everyday life beside ancient monuments. Author Charles John Huffam Dickens (7 February 1812 — 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. His novels and short stories enjoy lasting popularity. The instalment format allowed Dickens to evaluate his audience's reaction, and he often modified his plot and character development based on such feedback. But it is his encounters with Italy's colorful street life that capture the imagination. Cliffhanger endings in his serial publications kept readers in suspense. From the book we learn that Dickens was an early riser and walker, and that he enjoyed touring the major attractions on foot. His novels, most published in monthly or weekly instalments, pioneered the serial publication of narrative fiction, which became the dominant Victorian mode for novel publication. In 1844, Dickens took a respite from writing novels and for several months traveled through France and Italy with his family.