First published in 1996, The William Makepeace Thackeray Library is a collection of works written by and about the novelist. This fourth volume contains Charles Plumptre Johnson’s The Early Writings of William Makepeace Thackeray and Adolphus Alfred Jack’s Thackeray: A Study. While Johnson’s work signifies a landmark in Thackeray scholarship, recognizing his lesser-known work for magazines and newspapers, A. A. Jack’s text marks a major reassessment of Thackeray’s work in light of the debate on the moral intentionality of fiction. Richard Pearson’s introduction guides the reader through the context of each publication, providing a helpful explanation of how and why these works were written. This book will be of interest to those studying Thackeray and nineteenth-century literature.

First published in 1996, The William Makepeace Thackeray Library is a collection of texts written by and about the novelist, which provide an insight into his life and works beyond his major novels such as Vanity Fair. It begins with some of Thackeray’s lesser-known journalistic work and travel writings and moves on to key works written about the author in the second half of the 19th century and at the turn of the 20th century. Each volume begins with an informative introduction by Richard Pearson, providing a brief analysis of each text and presenting the context in which it was written. This set will be of keen interest to those studying William Thackeray and nineteenth-century literature more broadly.