Boots at the Holly tree inn,

by Charles Dickens

"Boots at the Holly-Tree Inn" was first published by Charles Dickens in 1855, and is the story of a traveller who finds himself snowed in for a week at the Holly-Tree Inn. he entertains himself by recording the stories he hears from the other lodgers and staff. This edition contains 15 illustrations.

Nook

First published August 18, 2013

About the author

Charles John Huffam Dickens (1812-1870) was a writer and social critic who created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era. His works enjoyed unprecedented popularity during his lifetime, and by the twentieth century critics and scholars had recognised him as a literary genius. His novels and short stories enjoy lasting popularity.

Dickens left school to work in a factory when his father was incarcerated in a debtors' prison. Despite his lack of formal education, he edited a weekly journal for 20 years, wrote 15 novels, five novellas, hundreds of short stories and non-fiction articles, lectured and performed extensively, was an indefatigable letter writer, and campaigned vigorously for children's rights, education, and other social reforms.

Dickens was regarded as the literary colossus of his age. His 1843 novella, A Christmas Carol, remains popular and continues to inspire adaptations in every artistic genre. Oliver Twist and Great Expectations are also frequently adapted, and, like many of his novels, evoke images of early Victorian London. His 1859 novel, A Tale of Two Cities, set in London and Paris, is his best-known work of historical fiction. Dickens's creative genius has been praised by fellow writers—from Leo Tolstoy to George Orwell and G. K. Chesterton—for its realism, comedy, prose style, unique characterisations, and social criticism. On the other hand, Oscar Wilde, Henry James, and Virginia Woolf complained of a lack of psychological depth, loose writing, and a vein of saccharine sentimentalism. The term Dickensian is used to describe something that is reminiscent of Dickens and his writings, such as poor social conditions or comically repulsive characters.

On 8 June 1870, Dickens suffered another stroke at his home after a full day's work on Edwin Drood. He never regained consciousness, and the next day he died at Gad's Hill Place. Contrary to his wish to be buried at Rochester Cathedral "in an inexpensive, unostentatious, and strictly private manner," he was laid to rest in the Poets' Corner of Westminster Abbey. A printed epitaph circulated at the time of the funeral reads: "To the Memory of Charles Dickens (England's most popular author) who died at his residence, Higham, near Rochester, Kent, 9 June 1870, aged 58 years. He was a sympathiser with the poor, the suffering, and the oppressed; and by his death, one of England's greatest writers is lost to the world." His last words were: "On the ground", in response to his sister-in-law Georgina's request that he lie down.

(from Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐

[Anderson Rearick III · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Boots" is the second chapter of Dickens' larger Christmas work The Holly Tree Inn. The second chapter has little to do plot-wise with the first and last chapters except that the narrator--who becomes snowbound while fleeing from a broken heart in chapter one and finds it after the snow is cleared in chapter three--is the receiver of the middle story. The middle story is narrated by Boots a servant who tells an unusual Christmas tale supposedly given to him (or in fact is him,) of another servant name Cobbs. Cobbs describes a adventure of two small upper class children who for love of one another attempt to elope. They bring him into their confidence and expect him to serve, but while he watches out for them, he does so out of love. He in fact returns them to their families but actually feels twinges of guilt for betraying their confidences. It's an interesting study of class connection filled with Dickens ear for the speaking patterns of various classes. The interaction of classes is also a dawning experience for the primary narrator who in chapter one is exposed to all sorts of horror stories in print (including a prototype of Sweeny Todd) but does not hear a story of selfless loss until he invites a servant to sit with him and chat.