Charles Dickens was born in 1812 in Portsmouth, England. He had a difficult childhood as his father, John Dickens, was imprisoned for debt. Dickens went on to become one of the most famous English authors, writing many classic novels including Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol, David Copperfield, and A Tale of Two Cities. He had a wife, Catherine Hogarth, and several children, though one daughter passed away at a young age. Dickens drew from his experiences growing up and observations of society and human nature to craft memorable characters and stories through his literary works.