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Dickens's England: A Travellers' Companion
Shows and describes places in England associated with Charles Dickens's life and fiction, including homes, churches, monuments, taverns, hotels, theaters, and parks
- GenresReference
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1986
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 14, 2012
First, despite 5 stars, a criticism.
Given the fact that those who chose to read this book have certainly read most if not all, Dicken's work, and probably own them, was it so necessary to have so many lengthy extracts?
On some pages these quotes exceed the authors text, which itself carries additional single sentence quotes. An aide memoir to help one recall a relevant situation is helpful, copious quotes look like padding.
Nevertheless, if you are a Dickens fan this is a book to read.
Starting with the authors short preface there is an interesting chronology of Dickens life, an outline map of the UK with an inset of the Thames and on the next page an outline of London. These are marked with the locations of places mentioned in his novels, together with conjectured locations of his renamed towns or places.
The larger proportion of the book is a gazetteer of these locations with additional text and extracts! Accompanied at times with relevant illustrations. It is a shame that many places that sound interesting are marked ( now gone ) !
It was not clear to me whether the author was using his own guesswork to prove fictitious locations were based on specific places culled from Dickens own travels, or whether from previously published ' proof ' .
I was surprised to see, for example, that Amesbury and in particular the George Hotel in Amesbury, was the model for the village and the Blue Dragon Inn in Martin Chuzzlewit. This contention was based on Dickens own visits to the area.
I have stayed in Amesbury and often booked in at the George and have never seen any intimation from the owners of a Dickens connection via this novel. A little surprising if you take into account how many places are eager to inform people that that such and such a well known person was born/lived/slept/died, here!
The final section is a list of the novels with locations itemised to each.
So apart from the one complaint is it worth buying? Well I borrowed the review copy from the library, I've now ordered my own copy.
Anyone sitting down to read a Dickens will want a copy of this beside them as a reference and addendum
Given the fact that those who chose to read this book have certainly read most if not all, Dicken's work, and probably own them, was it so necessary to have so many lengthy extracts?
On some pages these quotes exceed the authors text, which itself carries additional single sentence quotes. An aide memoir to help one recall a relevant situation is helpful, copious quotes look like padding.
Nevertheless, if you are a Dickens fan this is a book to read.
Starting with the authors short preface there is an interesting chronology of Dickens life, an outline map of the UK with an inset of the Thames and on the next page an outline of London. These are marked with the locations of places mentioned in his novels, together with conjectured locations of his renamed towns or places.
The larger proportion of the book is a gazetteer of these locations with additional text and extracts! Accompanied at times with relevant illustrations. It is a shame that many places that sound interesting are marked ( now gone ) !
It was not clear to me whether the author was using his own guesswork to prove fictitious locations were based on specific places culled from Dickens own travels, or whether from previously published ' proof ' .
I was surprised to see, for example, that Amesbury and in particular the George Hotel in Amesbury, was the model for the village and the Blue Dragon Inn in Martin Chuzzlewit. This contention was based on Dickens own visits to the area.
I have stayed in Amesbury and often booked in at the George and have never seen any intimation from the owners of a Dickens connection via this novel. A little surprising if you take into account how many places are eager to inform people that that such and such a well known person was born/lived/slept/died, here!
The final section is a list of the novels with locations itemised to each.
So apart from the one complaint is it worth buying? Well I borrowed the review copy from the library, I've now ordered my own copy.
Anyone sitting down to read a Dickens will want a copy of this beside them as a reference and addendum
February 28, 2024
As a Dickens devotee, I came across this book in a second hand book shop and instantly realised that it gave an insight into the characters and locations in all his novels.
I hadn’t been aware that he had travelled so extensively throughout England to give him such background knowledge in preparation for the writing of his novels.
I hadn’t been aware that he had travelled so extensively throughout England to give him such background knowledge in preparation for the writing of his novels.
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September 21, 2017823.8 LYN
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews