Robert Gottlieb

Dickens was born in 1812 and died in 1870, having produced fifteen novels, many of which can confidently be called great, as well as having accomplished outstanding work in activities into which his insatiable need to expend his vast energies - to achieve, to prevail - carried him: journalism, editing, acting, social reform.

American Writer

Robin Sloan

It turns out you can train a neural network on a big body of text. It can be Wikipedia; it can be all the works of Charles Dickens; it could be all of the Internet. They can use grammar and put words together in interesting and convincing ways - and, I think, unexpected and beautiful ways.

American Author

Dustin Hoffman

If you have this enormous talent, it's got you by the balls, it's a demon. You can't be a family man and a husband and a caring person and be that animal. Dickens wasn't that nice a guy.

American Actor

Douglas Booth

Dickens writes such brilliant characters and stories, and his themes and social commentary are still so relevant. I think that's why he's still so loved today.

English Actor

Anne Rice

Dickens is a very underrated writer at the moment. Everyone in his time admired him but I think right now he's not spoken of enough.

American Novelist

Claire Tomalin

Dickens had more energy than anyone in the world, and he expected his sons to be like him, and they couldn't be.

English Author

Michael Caine

Be like a duck. Calm on the surface, but always paddling like the dickens underneath.

Terry Pratchett

Dickens, as you know, never got round to starting his home page.

George Orwell

Dickens is one of those authors who are well worth stealing.

British Author

Xavier Becerra

I will fight like the dickens to protect Social Security.

American Politician

Used to emphasize the strength of a feeling or the degree of a situation.

Expression Intensity

Shows strong emotions like frustration, curiosity or disbelief.

Emotional Emphasis

Less common in modern speech but adds quirky charm to language.

Outdated Phrase

A polite alternative to stronger swear words when expressing confusion or annoyance.

Not Rude

Often used in exclamatory questions starting with 'What', 'How', or 'Where'.

Exclamatory Phrase

Remember not to use an apostrophe; it's 'the dickens,' not 'the dickens's.'

No Apostrophe

Refers to the famous 19th-century British author known for his social commentary.

Legendary Author

Associated with the grim realities of society, especially poverty, depicted in Dickens's works.

Dickensian Worldview

Knowing about Charles Dickens can enlighten you about British culture and literature.

Cultural Reference

 Dickens are as apt today as ever we do live in the best of times and we've seen some of those best of times in the technology and the healthcare and the amazing stuff that we learn and know and explore about our world but we also live