welcome cont.

The Dickens Fellowship is a worldwide organization with branches in twenty-three cities in America, as well as branches throughout Europe, in Japan, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. It's said to be the largest literary society in the world. The Central branch in London was founded in 1902, with our branch coming into existence just five years later, in 1907. We celebrated the 100th anniversary of our founding by hosting the Annual International Conference here in Philadelphia in 2007. We now look forward to joining in the world-wide celebration of Dickens’s 200th birthday by planning celebratory events to be held right here in Philadelphia in February 2012.

I personally extend an invitation to all of you who have been touched by the magic of Charles Dickens's words, to join our branch of the Dickens Fellowship and begin a fascinating journey of knowledge; learning about the man who defined the Victorian age in the literary works he left behind. It is from these works and from the extraordinary events of his own life as a journalist and famous author that we fully realize his unique place in the history of civilization.

Yours in fellowship,

Patricia A. Vinci
President