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Monica (Enid) Dickens (1915-1992) | |
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English writer, the great-granddaughter of Charles Dickens, whose light and witty novels became hugely popular. "I want to entertain, to tell the truth, to try to help people understand other people," she once said. Monica Dickens published several books based on her own on experiences in working life. In 1970 she started to write the popular Follyfoot series for children. "'I've been abroad. Egypt, South America, India. I've seen how they treat horses. But this poor fellow... I can't take him, so I thought of you. When I couldn't get an answer on the phone, I pushed him into the truck and brought him over. I know there is always room here for a horse in trouble.'" (from Dora at Follyfoot, 1972) Monica Dickens was born in London. Her father was Henry Charles Dickens, a barrister-at-law; he was the son of Sir Henry Fielding Dickens, a judge, Charles Dickens' eighth child. Dickens studied at St. Paul's School for Girls, and after travels abroad she continued her studies at a theatre school, from where she was expelled "for not being able to act". She then worked as a journalist, contributing to the magazine Woman's Own for twenty years. Dickens started her career as novelist with several autobiographical works. Her first book, ONE PAIR OF HANDS (1939), she wrote in three weeks. It was based on her experiences as a cook and general servant. With humor and pointed commentary, Dickens portrayed the delicate and ongoing war between the wealthy and their servants. Also autobiographical MARIANA (1940) was a story of a young woman, whose husband is at war, and who looks back over her past. The Sunday Telegraph described the book as "funny, poignant and a perfect period piece." During World War II Monica Dickens worked in an aircraft factory repairing Spitfire fighters. ONE PAIR OF FEET (1942) was a humorous account of the author learning to be a hospital nurse during the war. The book concludes with her announcement that she will leave nursing to go and make tanks. THE HAPPY PRISONER (1946), which was made into a play, dealt with the relationship between a nurse, Elizabeth, and Oliver, a former officer who lost his leg in Arnheim in a battle and has a serious heart trouble. Oliver lives with his mother. Other members of the family include his sisters Violet and Heather with her son David. From the small details of their everyday life Dickens draws an optimistic picture of post-war England. Her experiences as a reporter on a local newspaper were recorded in the novel MY TURN TO MAKE THE TEA (1951). After marrying Roy Stratton, an US-Marine officer, she moved in 1951 to the United States. She continued to incorporate first-hand experiences into her novels with NO MORE MEADOWS (1953) and KATE AND EMMA (1964), which arouse directly from her involvement with the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. THE ROOM UPSTAIRS (1964) depicted the life of an old woman, Sybil, who becomes the prey of vacillating loyalties and bewilderments of modern society. A six-line highway slices through her farm, leaving a farmhouse on the other side and the barn on the other. Sybil, a widow of eighty, fractures her thigh after the wedding of her grandson. Dorothy Grue, a housekeeper, is hired to look after Sybil. Dorothy starts to rule the house and keeps Sybil under control by every possible means. But when Dorothy becomes interested in the herb recipes written down by Sybil's father, she will finally taste her own medicine. Dickens worked with a number of charitable organizations and founded the first American branch of Samaritans in Massachusetts in 1974. COBBLER'S DREAD (1963) emerged from her work with the RSPA and THE LISTENERS (1970) from work with Samaritans, the suicide prevention organization. Around the tragedy of suicide Dickens builds a story of human crisis, depicting the various persons, with all sorts of backgrounds, working for the organization. Among the central characters are Tim Shaw, a lonely young man who is unemployed, Andrew, an university student, Paul, a teacher, who can save a man who has swallowed too many sleeping pills, Sarah, a childish young wife, and Victoria, a journalist. "'But at the last moment, because you are a human being and self-preservation is your second strongest instinct, sometimes at the last moment, you send out one more cry for help.' He laid his hand on one of the telephones on the desk. 'And it is answered. At the last moment, because you can't bear to go unnoticed into your final act, you ask someone to listen to you. And they listen.'" (from The Listeners, 1970) In the1980s Dickens published A CELEBRATION (1984), DEAR DOCTOR LILY (1988), and THE ENCHANTMENT (1989). Her 'Follyfoot' juvenile books, which centered on tales of horses and farming communities, were based on the Yorkshire Television series, which ran from 1971-1973. Dickens's lifetime experience of riding and knowledge of everything to do with horses pervade the books. They depicted of people who live at Follyfoot, a Home of Rest for Horses, and injustices dealt to the horses and of Callie's, Paul's and Dora's attempts to right them. The enemy of Follyfoot is Sidney Hammond, whose own riding stables will not bear inspection and whose loutish son makes Callie's life at school a misery. In 1985 Dickens returned to England after the death of her husband. Her later novels include CLOSED AT DUSK (1990), SCARRED (1991), and ONE OF THE FAMILY (1993). Her autobiography, AN OPEN BOOK, was published in 1978. For further reading: World Authors 1950-1970, ed. by John Wakeman (1975); Women and the World Today by P. Chambers (1963); Author by Profession by J.Leasor (1952) - For further information: The Roland Collection of Films & Videos on Art. Writers Talk: Ideas of Our Time - Monica Dickens ; Mariana by Monica Dickens ; Estate of Monica Dickens Selected works:
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