Other editions of book Sketches by Boz

Sketches by "Boz," Illustrative of Every-day Life and Every-day People (commonly known as Sketches by Boz) is a collection of short pieces published by Charles Dickens in 1836. The 56 sketches concern London scenes and people and are divided into four sections: "Our Parish", "Scenes", "Characters", and "Tales". The material in the first three of these sections is non-fiction. The last section comprises fictional stories.

Charles Dickens' first published piece of fiction, "Sketches by Boz", began as a series of tales about a young reporter whose articles chronicle the lives of many colourful characters, including child workers and prostitutes, living and working in London in the 1830s. Often drawing on Dickens' own experiences these tales, by turns humorous and heartbreaking, hint at the unforgettable characters and stories to come in his later novels. This remarkable collection, which travels from the sordid gin shops of central London to the ramshackle parish elections in Richmond and beyond, marked the beginning of Dickens' long and successful career as one of the world's most well-loved authors. This special edition features an exclusive introduction by the highly-acclaimed writer Peter Ackroyd, one of Britain's leading literary biographers.