On this day in 1867, British author Charles Dickens gave his first public reading in the United States. As you may remember, Charles Dickens is well known for  being “the world’s most memorable fictional characters and is generally regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian period.” He wrote The Pickwick Papers, David Copperfield, Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol, and may other famed novels.

Another type of work he excelled in was essays, like Contributions to All The Year Round, and the essay title “A Poor Man and His Beer.”

Today, brewers pay homage to Dickens and his work through traditional ales, such as Charles Dickens Ale (brewed by Shepherd Neame to commemorate Dicken’s 200th birthday).