Charles Dickens and the Great Theatre of the World    by Simon Callow Order:  USA  Can Vintage, 2012 (2012) Hardcover, Softcover, e-Book     Reviewed by Ricki Marking-Camuto In his Foreword, author Simon Callow talks about the variety of biographies and other scholarly works written about Charles Dickens. Charles Dickens and the Great Theatre of the World is his take on the famous author's life, supposedly with a nod towards Dickens' theatrical endeavors both on and off the stage. While Dickens' love for the theatre, amateur theatrics, and public showmanship as an early world-wide celebrity are all highlighted, these events feel more like an afterthought in what is otherwise a standard biography. I cannot say Callow showed Dickens in any different light than any other biography has. As a biography, Charles Dickens and the Great Theatre of the World is a good one – Simon Callow even manages to write in a Dickensian style – but as a look at the author and his various performances, it fails to live up to the hype. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more NonFiction books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews