The Pickwick Club discussion
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In which members discuss the future of the Pickwick Club
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Also, is anyone interested in reading some criticisms on his works and/or biographies.
I would probably give "American Notes" a try because I have always wanted to read this one, it always having been a dream of mine to visit the U.S., the homeland of the western ;-)As to the Sketches, the Notes on Italy and other non-fictional texts, I feel less motivated, but I don't think that every member always has to participate in every discussion.
Reading A Christmas Carol in December is, of course, a wonderful idea, which I strongly support.
I love reading A Christmas Carol during the season. Have done this a couple of times and thoroughly enjoyed it. I have an audible version narrated by Tim Curry that is just wonderful. I had planned to read the book this past Christmas, but other family things interrupted. I love non-fiction so will try to participate in anything the club does if I ever finish Little Dorrit.
Jonathan wrote: "Okay. I'll go first. One possibility is to begin reading the longer works (Sketches, American Notes, The Christmas Novellas, etc.) in chronological order after we are done with the novels.Also, i..."
This has been such a great period for multiple biographies of Dickens, I would love to add comparative biographies or critics into the mix. I can't seem to stop with one bio, so I now have a small shelf devoted to them! As for critics, G. K. Chesterton's Everyman Prefaces and appreciations are indispensable--brilliant and delightfully opinionated--and would work well as a treat near the end of a group read of a novel. Chesterton on Dickens collects them, and has an intro. by biographer Michael Slater. Of course, many other critical tidbits could be brought in, as side dishes to the main course of the novels. So--I love the idea of bringing in these other documents to give a rounded picture as we read.
Since the official description of this group is "This group is dedicated to reading, discussing, critiquing, and devouring the works of Charles Dickens," it seems that all the works of Dickens eventually should be fodder for our intellectual table (or at least all the works which are affordably available in print or on line). Perhaps it would be an option worth considering to intersperse some of the shorter non-novelistic works with the novels. That would give a break from non-stop novel reading, which might get cloying after awhile, and also those who wanted to skip these wouldn't be tempted to drop out of the group because all the novels had been read, but would presumably return for the next novel refreshed and eager for intellectual jousting.
There is a quite affordable Penguin collection of selected short fiction of Dickens,
with items generally 10 to 20 pages in length which could be slipped in from time to time. This doesn't cover all the available non-novelistic works, but may be a good start.
Not sure where this should go. I don't know how the Moderator feels about non-moderators starting new topics or folders -- some are amenable, others prefer to keep the structure of the group firmly under their control -- but I think two topics might be of interest.
One would be for discussion of and recommendations for biographies of Dickens. There are many out there, and I'm sure some here have read one or more which they could comment intelligently on so for the benefit of other members.
The other would be for discussion of and recommendations for critical works (including Internet resources) about Dickens. There is a background and resources topic for Oliver Twist, but I'm thinking of one that treats of Dickens and his works more generally. There was already a mention of the Chesterton on Dickens work, but there are many, many others out there, and any help in separating the wheat from the chaff might be of interest.
A third possibility is a topic for "Dickens sightings," a place to mention magazine, newspaper, or other articles or mentions of Dickens which come up from time to time, especially but not limited to those on the Internet.
Just a few thoughts as the group starts to develop.
Mod
I don't know how the Moderator feels about non-moderators starting new topics or folders -- some are amenable, others prefer to keep the structure of the group fir..."
The Moderator absolutely invites any member of this group to do anything like that which they feel would enhance The Pickwick Club. I would also like anyone else interested in moderating any of the discussions of the works that we are going to do to help with these sizable tasks. I have not been on GR long enough to know the protocol for soliciting other moderators, but I think that this should serve as on open invitation for anyone interested.
As far as the threads you mentioned, go ahead and make them, as you please. I would like to use the one dedicated to the criticisms to come up with some future group reads, where we can discuss the criticism and the works criticized in one fell swoop. That would be interesting to me.
I also like the "Dickens sightings" idea, which we could possibly expand to include a discussion of words and phrases which he has added to our language. There are several words and phrases which he introduced into the English language, and some of them are still in use. Do you think that goes along with your idea?
I think it'd be interesting to read American Notes right after Martin Chuzzlewit.
Mod
That is pretty fitting. I've only read the first couple of chapters of American Notes, but Dickens' voyage over here is not altogether unlike the one taken by young Martin and Tapley. I think I stopped at the point where Charles was at the home for the blind. EMAN had a good idea of interjecting some short stories between the novels so we don't get bored of reading novel after novel. I'd like to look at his bibliography again and see if we could do something along those lines, but in chronological order.
I think it would be very useful to have a thread on how Dickens shaped the English language, on famous catchphrases of Dickens characters etc. One tends to know bits and pieces but this would give us the opportunity to share our knowledge.Non-fiction is generally not really my cup of tea - except when it comes to history, or philosophy, which is strictly speaking probably no non-fiction, or books on films, famous directors and the western in general. However, I might actually acquire a taste for Dickens biographies if they are discussed in the worthy halls of the Pickwick Club.
Everyman wrote: "Since the official description of this group is "This group is dedicated to reading, discussing, critiquing, and devouring the works of Charles Dickens," it seems that all the works of Dickens even..."Thanks a lot, Everyman, for that valuable hint. This gives me an opportunity to avoid the daily chores at home and instead pay a visit to our local bookshop ;-)
Jonathan wrote: "As far as the threads you mentioned, go ahead and make them, as you please."One might, for instance, open threads not dealing with particular books or particular literary critics' views on Dickens, but with topics like "Dickens and Women", "Dickens and Social Reform" etc, where we can collect our findings and ideas from several novels. However, even here we should avoid spoilers.
That said, I have to admit that I don't even know how to open a thread.
Adam wrote: "Christmas Carol at Christmas is traditional. I would have been reading it anyway. Has anyone in the group NOT read it?"I have read it enough times that I have vowed never to read it again. [g]
Seriously, though, I find it a totally overhyped work and far from Dickens's best.
I was wondering, Jonathan, how easy is it to include the dates in the thread headers for the books we are discussing? For example, Book the First, Chapters First Through Seventh, May 1-7th .I know for all of you who are able to keep up, it might not seem necessary but for those of us who are perpetually behind, it would be a nice, quick reminder to get it in gear, without having to dig up the schedule.
Just a suggestiion ..... :-)
Cleo wrote: "I was wondering, Jonathan, how easy is it to include the dates in the thread headers for the books we are discussing? For example, Book the First, Chapters First Through Seventh, May 1-7th .I k..."
If you included the dates and did it like this - 05/01-05/07, Book the First ... -, the threads would be listed chronologically, which might make it easier to find one's way as the number of threads increases.
Of course, we can always have a - guess what - poll on it ;-)
Tristram wrote: "Cleo wrote: "Of course, we can always have a - guess what - poll on it ;-) ..."Oh my! ;-D Perhaps I should move to abolish all polls ..... or at least polls on polls on polls. Then again, maybe we should have poll on it (oops, did I say that?!) ;-)
Mod
Due to the fact that we already have a poll running, and as it is deemed to be inappropriate to have a poll on top of a poll, lest we should move the one poll out of the limelight and cause another to share its glory, I have taken the liberty of adding the dates to the discussions in anticipation of a favourable nod from the poll which we did not hold. Should it be further required at some later date to please the masses at large or the Pickwickians at small, we may find it necessary to conduct a poll on whether or not altering the discussions in absence of the decision from a poll was wise or unwise. Should it be decided that the abrupt decision was an unwise choice, I will humbly and willingly submit to be called that dreadful term, which we all shrink from in fear of its being cast upon us, as long as it is rapped upon my head only in a Pickwickian sense; for, if this were done in a non-Pickwickian sense, I doubt that I could bear the humiliation and still hold my head up high.
Mod
Honourable Members of the Pickwick Club,since family and other pleasures may sometimes come into the way of opening threads and starting discussions, and since from December on there will be, for the first time, two books being discussed simultaneously, I asked Kim whether she would like to join me as a moderator, and she complied with my request in the most ungrumpy manner imaginable. Kim already carried on the Chuzzlewit discussion during my holiday absence, and so she knows what she is in for ;-)
May I say again that the moderators of this group do not regard it as their prerogative to open threads but wish that any devoted Pickwickian might do so at their own discretion whenever they feel so dispoged ...
Hey, Congratulations Kim! :) Great news!
Jean wrote: "Hey, Congratulations Kim! :) Great news!"Thanks. This will be the first time we've had a moderator who isn't grumpy. :-}
Have you done away with Jonathan, Kim? :D
Jean wrote: "Have you done away with Jonathan, Kim? :D"It's a mystery. I look for him now and then, but no luck. :-}
Congratulations, Kim! I know you'll do a great job :-)
I'm in trouble. Now a certain someone can bring those awesome moderator powers to bear on insulting me. Tristram, you done me wrong!
Everyman wrote: "I'm in trouble. Now a certain someone can bring those awesome moderator powers to bear on insulting me. Tristram, you done me wrong!"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNq532...
Everyman wrote: "Everyman wrote: "I'm in trouble. Now a certain someone can bring those awesome moderator powers to bear on insulting me. Tristram, you done me wrong!"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNq532..."
My dad used to sing this song all the time! Not all these verses though.
Kim wrote: "Jean wrote: "Hey, Congratulations Kim! :) Great news!"Thanks. This will be the first time we've had a moderator who isn't grumpy. :-}"
Bad news for you, Kim. Before I was a moderator, I was as serene and even-tempered as any other teacher. It's moderating that infused me with grumpiness. So beware!
Everyman wrote: "I'm in trouble. Now a certain someone can bring those awesome moderator powers to bear on insulting me. Tristram, you done me wrong!"Well, Everyman, as a person grows with their challenges, we will soon all stand in your shade.
Tristram wrote: "Kim wrote: "Jean wrote: "Hey, Congratulations Kim! :) Great news!"Thanks. This will be the first time we've had a moderator who isn't grumpy. :-}"
Bad news for you, Kim. Before I was a moderato..."
I never thought I'd see the words serene, even-tempered and teacher used in the same sentence. It must be a German thing. :-}
Tristram wrote: "Well, Everyman, as a person grows with their challenges, we will soon all stand in your shade. "Well, some might. You can't, since you're the sun who shines on me and creates the shade.
Everyman wrote: "Tristram wrote: "Well, Everyman, as a person grows with their challenges, we will soon all stand in your shade. "Well, some might. You can't, since you're the sun who shines on me and creates th..."
I thought that by now, all this time hanging out with me would have made you two a little saner. It doesn't seem to be working though.
Kim wrote: "I thought that by now, all this time hanging out with me would have made you two a little saner."Hanging out with somebody who spends six months decorating their entire house for Christmas is supposed to make us sane?
Actually, though, by comparison I suppose anything we could do would look sane.
Everyman wrote: "Actually, though, by comparison I suppose anything we could do would look sane." You would think so, but apparently not.
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The Pickwick Club
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Selected Short Fiction (other topics)Chesterton on Dickens (other topics)
I am planning on us reading A Christmas Carol in December, during which we can take a break from reading the novels in order. Other than that, I wonder how you guys would want to approach his short stories and nonfiction works. Any thoughts? We will probably end up voting on this, so let's gather up some possibilities and then we can bring the matter before the group to vote on. Thanks again, for all of your wonderful participation.