CHARLES Dickens: Faith, Angels and The Poor, by Keith Hooper, the grandson of Headley Luke of Bude, has just been released by Oxford publisher, Lion Hudson.

This highly readable biography holds a wide general appeal for those who have both an interest in the great writer and the Victorian period in general.

Though well researched, it is far from being an academic book. Rather, broken down into short chapters, its purpose is to simply tell the story of Dickens’ life within the context of the period in which he lived.

The author, who became interested in Dickens when he first read David Copperfield, holds a doctorate from the University of Exeter and regularly speaks on Victorian literature, including the likes of Dickens and the Bronte sisters’ work. His talks have attracted thousands of viewings on YouTube.

Having always considered himself to have been privileged to have the opportunity to study, Keith has always been committed to sharing the knowledge he has in an approachable way.

Keith has a very strong family connection with Bude. The grandson of a former Bude headmaster, his mother was born and grew up at Summerleaze Crescent, the house of which his family still owns today. His grandmother also spent some years at this house.

Keith’s parents were married in the parish church, and for the last 50 years, he has spent a large amount of time living in the family home in Bude.

Speaking about what triggered his urge to write on Dickens, Keith said: “I was inspired to write the book after having read David Copperfield in my thirties. Up to this point, I had never read any of Dickens’ works. The book gripped my imagination and gave me a real desire to discover more about the author.”

The Oxford-based publisher has recently announced that the first print of the book has sold out after just three weeks in the UK. It is due to be launched internationally in November.

The book is available at Spencer Thorn Bookshop, Bude.