Our Mutual Friend

Charles Dickens was born in Hampshire on February 7, 1812. His father was a clerk in the navy pay office, who was well paid but often ended up in financial troubles. When Dickens was twelve years old he was send to work in a shoe polish factory because his family had been taken to the debtors' prison. His career as a writer of fiction started in 1833 when his short stories and essays began to appear in periodicals. The Pickwick Papers, his first commercial success, was published in 1836. The serialisation of Oliver Twist began in 1837. Many other novels followed and The Old Curiosity Shop brought Dickens international fame and he became a celebrity in America as well as Britain. Charles Dickens died on 9 June 1870. He is buried in Westminster Abbey. Nick Hornby is the bestselling author of nine novels, including High Fidelity, About a Boy, and Just Like You, as well as several works of nonfiction including Fever Pitch. His books have sold over 3.5 million copies in the UK, and many have been turned into successful films and TV series. He has been Oscar-nominated twice for his screenplays, and his TV work has won three Emmys. His work has been translated into more than 40 languages. He lives in London.

Our Mutual Friend made me want to be a writer