It's a difficult thing to lose a child, a grown-up child. Claire Tomalin childdifficultgrow Change image and share on social
In 2007, several musicologists contacted me at about the same time, expressing interest in the work of the mysterious Muriel Herbert, a few of whose songs they had come across. Claire Tomalin contactexpressherbert Change image and share on social
I think it's about as likely Jane Austen was gay as that she was found out to be a man. Claire Tomalin austenfindgay Change image and share on social
After Shakespeare, Dickens is the great creator of characters, multiple characters. Claire Tomalin charactercreatordicken Change image and share on social
Writing Charles Dickens' biography is like writing five biographies. Claire Tomalin biographycharledicken Change image and share on social
When you live with Dickens for years, reading him and trying to present him as faithfully as you can, you can't fail to love the man - so the shock of his bad behaviour is considerable, even when you know it is coming. Claire Tomalin badbehaviourcome share on social
All the people I have written about remain with me - perhaps they are my closest friends. Claire Tomalin closefriendpeople Change image and share on social
You become more tolerant when you become older. You're not interested in rapping people over the knuckles; you're interested in understanding them. Claire Tomalin interestknuckleold Change image and share on social
Dickens never joined a political party nor put forward a political programme. He was a writer who rightly saw his power as coming through his fiction. Claire Tomalin comedickenfiction Change image and share on social
My life was a sort of series of random disasters. Claire Tomalin disasterliferandom Change image and share on social