William Makepeace Thackeray (1811–1863) wrote sharp, witty novels that exposed the greed, ambition, and pretensions of Victorian society, with Vanity Fair standing as his most celebrated work. Born in Calcutta, India, he grew up in England and turned to writing after losing his inheritance, quickly making a name for himself with satirical essays and serialized fiction. He filled his stories with vivid characters, from the ambitious Becky Sharp to the earnest Arthur Pendennis, and he used humor and irony to reveal the flaws of social climbing and shallow respectability. Alongside Charles Dickens, Thackeray shaped 19th-century English literature, leaving behind novels such as Pendennis, The Newcomesy Henry Esmond, all of which showcased his eye for detail and moral commentary.