I've owned Norrie Epstein's The Friendly Shakespeare for some years, and was delighted to discover she's done the same for Charles Dickens, that is, written a guide to Dickens' life and works that is thoroughly accessible, interesting and fun. It includes background to the novels, guides to the films made from the novel, and interviews with actors, scholars and other articulate people. You can read this through, or dip into it as you like. If you are fond of Dickens, or even if you are rather put off by him -- particularly if you are one of those unfortunate people who haven't read A Christmas Carol because it's "too long", you should probably get this book out of the library. I did (get it out of the library, I mean), and now plan to purchase it.