Charles John Huffam Dickens (February 7, 1812 – June 8, 1870) was the most popular English novelist of the Victorian era and remains popular, having created some of English literature's most iconic characters.

Many of his novel first appeared in magazines in serialized form, a popular format at the time. Unlike other authors who completed entire novels before serialization, Dickens often created the episodes as they were being serialized. The practice lent his stories a particular rhythm, punctuated by cliffhangers to keep the public looking forward to the next installment. His novels and short stories remain so popular that they have never gone out of print.