Monica Dickens
Monica Dickens, born in 1915, was the great-granddaughter of Charles Dickens and raised in London.
Her mother's German heritage and Catholicism gave her an outsider's perspective, while her time at St Paul's Girls' School left her restless and rebellious.
After drama school and work as a cook, she channeled her experiences into writing, beginning with One Pair of Hands (1939).
Her stated aim was to entertain and reflect real life.
She married a US naval officer in 1951, moved to America, and adopted two daughters.
A popular and socially engaged writer, she died in rural Berkshire in 1992.
