A Guide to Dickens' London

Book excerpt: To commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Dickens, a generously illustrated guide to the city that was perhaps the greatest of his characters From Newgate Prison to Covent Garden and from his childhood home in Camden to his place of burial in Westminster Abbey, this guide traces the influence of the capital on the life and work of one of Britain's best-loved and well-known authors. Featuring more than 40 sites—places of worship and of business, streets and bridges—this comprehensive companion not only locates and illustrates locations from works such as Great Expectations and Little Dorrit but demonstrates how the architecture and landscape of the city influenced Dickens' work throughout his life. Each site is illustrated with substantial quotations from Dickens' own writing about the city he loved.