The Signal-Man - Charles Dickens - Bookniverse

First published in 1866 in the special Christmas edition of Charles Dickens's own literary magazine, The Signal-Man is far more than a tale of frights and shadows. Dickens wrote it at a time when railways were still a relatively new technology, and many people felt both fascinated and frightened by the power of steam trains. By setting his ghost story in this industrial landscape, Dickens showed that the supernatural and the modern world could exist side by side. ****************************Charles Dickens (1812- 1870) was the ultimate literary celebrity of his age, yet his journey to fame was paved with hardship. As a teenager, his life was turned upside down when his father was sent to "debtors' prison," forcing young Charles to work in a miserable factory pasting labels onto jars of shoe polish. This painful experience never left him, and throughout his writing career, Dickens showed deep sympathy for the poor, the vulnerable, and the forgotten members of society. He went on to write a remarkable number of novels, including Oliver Twist, A Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations, and A Christmas Carol.