solbond:
f you feel that "Dickens' " is correct, then the use depends solely on the final letter of the word and not whether it is singular or plural. Would you say " The bus' front wheel had a puncture" ?
I don't understand some of your other comments. Why would an apostrophe make something easier to read and
what could 1990s be misread as?Would Winston have asked, " As what could 1990s be misread?"