After a traumatic early childhood spent living in poverty in a cellar, the orphaned George Silverman grows up convinced that he is at fault for all the misfortunes in his life. Hoodwinked by hypocritical clergymen and exploited by his employer, he finds himself forsaking love and facing professional ruin. One of Charles Dickens's very last writings, this 1868 serial is a dark and psychologically insightful investigation of failure and guilt. Also featured here are the detective story "Hunted Down" and the novella for children "Holiday Romance." Along with four pages of black and white photographs, the book also includes a detailed chronology of Dickens's life and career.