There was a time when the English novel did not exist. The literary styles and techniques we know so well that we don’t even notice them, had to be invented. In The Rise of the Novel, Part One, we explored the work of 19th Century writer Charles Dickens, perhaps the greatest English novelist. In The Rise of the Novel, The Early Years, we examine the lives and works of Dickens’ 18th Century predecessors who were major contributors to the birth of this new literary form. Zoom in to hear about the fascinating lives and works of Samuel Richardson, Henry Fielding, Frances Burney, and Ann Radcliffe.
Bill Franz holds two degrees in English Literature. He lives in Newburyport with his wife Donna, where they both volunteer for the Village.