Claire Tomalin in conversation with John Mullan at British Council's Dickens 2012 in Berlin

[@kkay3784]

I can understand Dickens's desire to preserve his reputation. Reading his books there is so much morality involved. How could he be the villain of his own life? I appreciate Ms. Tomalin's determination to accept a nuanced version of this incredible creative personality.

thanks . this is great.

[@DrSleep00]

read 2 of her books and will read more!!

[@preggioperson]

Is Claire serious when she says the hungry forties are like now. Get real Claire did you ever read little Dorrit and take on board just how dreadful life in the Marshalsea was? Do we still have workhouses.?

[@frankdsouza2425]

Oonagh, I hope I not doing you an injustice when I opine that you appear to have erected a bogus Aunt Sally??

[@KevTheImpaler]

To be fair, I don't think life in the hungry 1840's was anything like now.

[@johnking1088]

She clearly says "it was worse than it is now".

[@suzannetevlin8439]

Men have a desperate desire to continue to be seen as the "noble" creatures their first wives fell in love with, so must declare the first wife as mad when he feels lust for the soon to be mistress. This still goes on. Speak to any woman whose husband has taken off with a "assistant". He had no choice, his wife was crazy!