This was a rewarding assembly of Dickens' writing. He approaches each piece in his "Sketches by Boz" like an artisan trying to uncover the underlying nature of what he is dealing with. There are character sketches, location explorations, and early tales themselves which are surprisingly readable and interesting in themselves. The last portion of the book, the uncollected early papers, provides a framework through which we gain greater sight of who Dickens was and what he was about.

Overall, a pleasant and engaging read. 3.25 stars! ( )