Charles Dickens

The Human Interest Brothers: Dickens & Character

Even if you don’t read Charles Dickens, you’ve probably heard of some of his characters – Scrooge, for example. But who was his greatest creation? This was the theme of …

The Victorian Origins of Crime Writing – A talk given at HULF, 30 April 2022

This is an extended version of a talk given at the Crime, Thriller and Mystery Books event, Hawkesbury Upton Literary Festival, 30 April 2022 (a “long read”). “How are …

Pugs, Roos and Amazonians: Some Lesser Known Boxing Matches of the Eighteenth Century

In eighteenth and nineteenth century Britain, bare-knuckle boxing was a popular sport which drew followers from across the social spectrum, from the Prince of Wales and the aristocracy down. Charles …