About the Book

The first in-depth study of the essential role Switzerland played in Charles Dickens's imagination

Book Synopsis

Dickens and Switzerland brings to light the many surprising connections between the country, which Dickens visited on several occasions, and the author's life and work. The close links between Dickens's biography, his writing and Switzerland have never before been examined so thoroughly. Rather than offering a mere chronology of travel, this volume explores Dickens's deep personal investment in the country and its people, which manifests itself in numerous and often the most unexpected places in his fictional and personal texts. It looks both at and beyond the period of the author's journeys to Switzerland during the 1840s and early 50s and considers both earlier and later references as well. The tome renders visible how Dickens's experience of Switzerland was more than merely episodic and is deeply connected to the rest of his life and literary work. As a significant and integral part of his imagination and his identity, Switzerland deserves a prominent place in Dickensian scholarship.

Review Quotes

This alert and resourceful study fills a major gap in Dickens studies. Dickens in relation to America, Italy and France has been well studied; to Switzerland, the fourth country where he spent a significant amount of time, hitherto not. Gmür's impeccably scholarly monograph will stimulate a variety of new work.--Michael Hollington, editor of The Reception of Charles Dickens in Europe