Innocent abroad : Charles Dickens’s American engagements

In 1842, Dickens visited America, expecting both a return to Eden and an ideal progressive republic. His disappointment darkened his vision of society and human nature for the remainder of his career. A second tour, in 1867-68, proved no antidote for the first. Using new materials letters, diaries, and publisher's records Meckier (English, U. of Kentucky) enumerates the reasons for the failure of Dickens' American tours. Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.