Charles Dickens wrote A Tale of Two Cities, Oliver Twist, Great Expectations, and other hit novels of 19th-century England. Dickens grew up in poverty, and it shows in his writing: he is known for his orphans and urchins, rogues, shopkeepers, stuffed shirts, widows, and other colorful characters pulled from the sooty streets of London. An all-around workhorse, Dickens edited a monthly magazine, wrote novels, gave public readings and came out with a ********* story every year. His novels were often published first in serial form -- as chapter-by-chapter monthly installments in magazines of the day. Among his major works are Oliver Twist (completed 1839), The Old Curiosity Shop (1841), David Copperfield (1850), the historical drama A Tale of Two Cities (1859), and Great Expectations (1861).