Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist exposed a brutal but commonplace system of child exploitation to Victorian readers. Conditions in workhouses, factories, and child criminal gangs posed lethal and daily hazards to children born to poverty. Several much-needed reforms took place in the aftermath of Oliver Twist's publication. But what were the circumstances of childhood poverty in Victorian London and other English cities? And who were the real Oliver Twists? This book explores how nineteenth century laws and social institutions entirely failed to protect children born to poor and unstable families. Despite a horrible labyrinth of ten-hour workdays, illegal indentures, and forced emigration, however, many children overcame terrible prospects and thrived. Some of these remarkable stories of childhood resilience, innovation, and enterprise have been lost to the general reader. This book brings those stories back to light. AUTHOR: Lynn Hamilton is a writer who divides her time between Louisville, Kentucky and Blue Ridge, Georgia. She is the author of Florence Nightingale: A Life Inspired, The Dalai Lama: A Life Inspired, Gandhi: A Life Inspired, and Clay-foot Titan: An Agenda For Improving Wikipedia. She holds a Ph.D. in English Literature from Loyola University of Chicago where she specialized in the Victorian period. She is the publisher of AnimalRightsChannel.com, a website devoted to saving wildlife and pet welfare. She lives with her husband, Joel Worth, and their companion animals. 30 b/w illustrations