Charles Dickens 
Pictures from Italy 

»When Dickens has described something you see it for the rest of your life» George Orwell
In 1844, Charles Dickens took a break from novel writing to travel through Italy for almost a year, and Pictures from Italy is an illuminating account of his experiences there. He presents the country like a magic-lantern show, as vivid images ceaselessly appear before his – and his readers» – eyes. Italy»s most famous sights are all to be found here – St Peter»s in Rome, Naples with Vesuvius smouldering in the background, the fairytale buildings and canals of Venice – but Dickens»s chronicle is not simply that of a tourist. Combining compelling travelogue with piercing social commentary, he portrays a nation of great contrasts: between grandiose buildings and squalid poverty, ancient monuments and everyday life, past and present.
Edited with an Introduction and Notes by Kate Flint