Reade (1814-84) was an English novelist and dramatist best remembered for The Cloister and the Hearth (1861). Having already gained success as a dramatist, he made his name as a novelist with the publication of this work in 1856, written with the aim of reforming abuses in prison discipline and the treatment of criminals. The novel was adapted for the stage receiving great acclaim when it opened in 1865, and several film versions have been made.