Charles ReadeCharles Reade (1814-1884), born at Ipsden, Oxfordshire, was a dramatist and author. His novels were popular, and he was among England's highest-paid novelists. However, many libraries refused to carry his works on the grounds that thy were indecent, such as referring to the pregnancy of an unmarried woman in his most famous work, The Cloister and the Hearth, now recognized as one of the most successful historical novels of the time. Read More Read Less