Charles Dickens was not only the most popular novelist of his time, he was also a hugely successful performer of his own work. Over the last twelve years of his life he refined the text of these readings as he gave nearly 500 performances to huge audiences all over Britain and America. The power of these readings was extraordinary, and Dickens threw himself into this work with characteristic energy, so much so that his pulse doubled when he read the murder of Nancy and his family always believed that the strain of his performance hastened his death. The range of character and emotion certainly calls for a remarkable performer and Simon Callow's technical virtuosity and intellectual grasp make this a memorable event.