Exactly 205 years ago, on February 7, 1812, in Portsmouth, England, the world welcomed a boy named John Huffam Dickens—thankfully known to the rest of us simply as Charles Dickens. The future literary giant would become one of the most influential novelists of the 19th century and a master of realism with a flair for the dramatic (both on and off the page).

Up until the age of 12, little Charles had a relatively peaceful, upper-middle-class childhood. He went to private school, his family had noble connections, and life wasn’t too hard. But then came the twist. His father, John Dickens—a charming but rather irresponsible man—landed in debtor’s prison. The family fell into hardship, and young Charles was pulled out of school to work ten-hour days at Warren’s Blacking Warehouse, pasting labels on pots of shoe polish for six shillings a week. (Yes, Dickens, the future author of Oliver Twist, lived it before he wrote it.) Read more