"While the 1980 book was being serialized in the Sunday Times, Charles attacked it through the Observer"

This quote is referring to a particular occasion in which a book from 1980 was being released in installments in the Sunday Times newspaper. During this time, a man named Charles introduced an attack versus the book through another newspaper called the Observer. It is uncertain what the nature of this attack was or why Charles felt the need to slam the book. However, it is possible that the book was controversial or received negative attention, prompting Charles to publicly voice his disapproval. This quote highlights the power of media and how a single person's opinion can influence the understanding of a piece of literature.