Monica Dickens Biography and List of Works

English writer, the great-granddaughter of Charles Dickens. 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.

Dickens was born in London, and studied at St. Paul's School. After travels abroad she studied at a theatre school and then worked as a journalist, contributing to the magazine Woman's Own for twenty years. She started her career as novelist with several autobiographical works. Her first book, ONE PAIR OF HANDS, appeared in 1939, and was based on her experiences as a cook and general servant. With humour 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.

During World War II Monica Dickens worked in an aircraft factory, which was basis for the humorous ONE PAIR OF FEET (1942). Her experiences as a reporter on a local newspaper were recorded in the novel MY TURN TO MAKE THE TEA (1951). After marrying 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.

"'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 ENCANTMENT (1989). Her 'Follyfoot' juvenile books, which centered on tales of horses and farming communities, were based on the Yorkshire Television series. 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.

"'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)

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.

ONE PAIR OF HANDS, (1939)