Thursday, June 28, 2012

I Need a Dickens! Please Help Me to Choose!

          


     My reading life has been woefully neglectful toward Dickens........something that is somewhat of a sore point with my youngest daughter.......the one child of mine who had read most of her Dickens by the time she was 15 years old.


     And she says that A Christmas Carol does not count as having read Dickens.......no matter what I say.


     So about two years ago.....I read my very first Dickens novel.  I chose Bleak House because Willa's oldest daughter had been mentioning it on her blog, or somewhere........and it just seemed like an unlikely place to begin.



Bleakhouse serial cover.jpg


     This week I finished a novel by George Eliot........and I am almost finished with a Thomas Hardy novel.  I was ready to jump into another Eliot.....when I realized I better knock out another Dickens.  This deficiency is much too embarrassing.....especially as I strive to be a well-read-person


      One of the reasons I hesitate to pick a Dickens is the overwhelming task of picking just one, the right one.  And it is such a commitment! I want it to be the right commitment.  I suppose I may well read most of them eventually.......so I could just randomly pick, I suppose, and get a move on.......buuuuuuut, I thought I would come to all of you for help. Let YOU randomly choose for me!


     Sooooooo......please leave your favorite Dickens' title in the comments......and I will choose the most popular.  If there is a tie.......well, I will figure it out then.  I really do forsee a three-way tie between the three people who may comment.  :)

     And, if YOU are woefully behind in reading your fair share of Dickens as well.......join me!  It is time we get a move on!  No more being left out!

     By the way, I highly recommend Bleak House.  It is wonderful!  I  have never read a better paragraph on the description of fog in my entire reading career.  ;)


     Please help me, fellow bibliophiles!!

  Literature Blessings,

                             Chari

22 comments:

  1. I really like Great Expectations

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    1. My dear friend, Robynn! I was just thinking today about waaay back when.....when we read Les Miserables. :)

      you know they are making a movie of the musical??? Looks excellent!

      I cannot wait to see you next month! And please, let me send your Mysterious Benedict Society books home with you!!! :)



      I wonder if we could share a pjone caht before you come up......so we can catch up first??? And just simply visit in person?

      (here's to hoping you ARE my dear friend Robynn! ;) )

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    2. I would love a good phone chat with you before coming up. We are getting very excited to see you.

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    3. pjone caht -- that must be code : ). Or Iphone speak : )?

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    4. Not sure, Willa! It looks like a regular typo. :)

      I will try to call you, Robynn, if I can! You may have noticed from my last post......that I have a bit of company right now.

      ...but I will look for a chance to call.

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  2. While I am not exactly widely read as far as Dickens goes, I have read a half a dozen or so of his novels. My favorite so far is Our Mutual Friend.

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    1. You picked my winner, Amber! Thank you so much for your contribution to my decision.

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  3. Amber....That actually was the book I reached for....but Bleak House bumped it out of the way. :)

    A half dozen is a very good start! :) At least in my opinion! :)

    Thanks for taking the time to comment.

    God bless!

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  4. I am not particularly well-read in Dickens literature, mostly because I can not seem to get past the classic, Tale of Two Cities. I have read it at least a half-dozen times and have shared it with my children as well. I have always loved France and the setting both geographic and historical interest me. Moreover, the personal growth in the characters provides rich material for discussions with teens. Finally, it is a classic piece of literature that many high school students are exposed to. Reading it provides a foundation for discussions with others.
    Today's political shenanigans reminds me of the opening line, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way--. . ."
    I am more and more convinced that we may experience martyrdom (white certainly and maybe red also). The final line speaks to this, "It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known."
    Happy reading-- :) Anne

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    1. Love that story and quote, too, Anne. Thanks for bringing back such great memories! Now I want to reread.... : )

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    2. Thanks for the vote, Anne! I will read "Tale of..." second....


      even though I have not read much of Dickens (okay. Hardly any.)......it is strange that I know so much about him and his novels. I have talked to Willa about this before. What do you call that, Willa? Cultural literacy?

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  5. Bleak House is my absolute favorite so far. I just adore Bleak House.

    After that, though, Our Mutual Friend might be near the top too, so here's another vote for that. I liked David Copperfield and Nicholas Nickleby. I couldn't finish Pickwick Papers though, to my great shame as a Little Women fan.

    I haven't read Great Expectations or Tale of Two Cities since high school and have a sneaking suspicion they will read much differently now.

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    1. I adored Bleak House, too.....so perhaps our tastes will run similar. Our Mutual Friend is already on my Kindle app.....ready to go!

      Thanks for your response, Melanie!

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  6. Can I say two?

    Martin Chuzzlewit and Our Mutual Friend. The first for Pecksniff and the second for the Boffins.

    See you soon!

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    1. It was YOU who put Our Mutual Friend on my mind...and Bleak House as well :).......so I will read it next.

      OF COURSE you can put two!!

      As for Martin Chuzzlewut....I want to get a bit away from the movie before I read that.

      See you next week!!!!!

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  7. Love, love A Tale of Two Cities, the concluding quote just gives me tingles.

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    1. Thank you, Erin, for your comment!

      I am looking forward to the "tingle" :)

      I guess I can feel blessed that I am behind and still have so much great literature to read. :)

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  8. I have to give two... A Tale of Two Cities and David Copperfield. I just started reading Dickens after my son kept wanting to discuss his reading with me. I felt rather behind and started with Copperfield. I can't believe no one ever had me read this stuff! Enjoy! :)

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    1. Melody, thank you for your vote!

      I cannot believe that I have waited this long either!

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  9. No one has voted for "Little Dorrit". I haven't read all Dickens' novels but I did enjoy this one very much. The BBC mini-series was excellent as well. My daughters and I read the book first. Then we spend some wonderful evenings together watching the DVDs which were faithful enough to the original to satisfy us.

    Enjoy whatever book you decide on! There's plenty of choice.

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    1. Sue.......because I really want to see this movie.....Little Dorrit has been on my mind. I think I will read it third. Maybe next spring.

      Hmmmm.....maybe I will read it second......we'll see! So many choices!

      Thanks for the endorsement!

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