Background, resources, reading schedule

[Linda]

Tristram wrote: "it's just one week and a half to go, and then we'll start with DC."

Yep! I've had my copy of DC waiting here for a month now, so I will be ready. :)

[Tristram]

I am dragging this thread out of oblivion because our polls have shown a slim majority in favour of reading some Sketches. Which, therefore, we are going to do in November. The Sketches are not as hard to get as a copy as other minor works - "minor" only in the sense of not having novel-length - by Dickens, since there is still a relatively recent Penguin edition. If you ask me, they are definitely worth reading because they show early reflections of ideas, motives and characters that you will encounter later in the novels.

Here's November's reading schedule, in the American way:

November 12th - November 18th:

SCENES

16. Omnibuses
17. The Last Cab-driver, and the First Omnibus Cad
18. A Parliamentary Sketch
19. Public Dinners
20. The First of May

November 19th - November 25th:

SCENES

21. Brokers' and Marine-store Shops
22. Gin-shops
23. The Pawn-broker's Shop
24. Criminal Courts
25. A Visit to Newgate

November 26th - December 2nd:

CHARACTERS

1. Thoughts About People
2. A Christmas Dinner
3. The New Year
4. Miss Evans and the Eagle
5. The Parlour Orator

I am looking forward to imaginative Sketches and vivid discussions!

[Mary Lou]

"Sketches" is a collection of articles or essays that each stand on their own - is that right? I started the book once, but didn't get more than a few pages in before being distracted by something else, and never got back to it. So assuming I don't need to be familiar with the sketches the group has already read in order to understand what's happening, I'm in.

[Kim]

Tristram wrote: "I am dragging this thread out of oblivion because our polls have shown a slim majority in favour of reading some Sketches. Which, therefore, we are going to do in November. The Sketches are not as ..."

Well look at that, it's in the normal, I mean American way of dating things! I am impressed.

[Kim]

Mary Lou wrote: ""Sketches" is a collection of articles or essays that each stand on their own - is that right? I started the book once, but didn't get more than a few pages in before being distracted by something ..."

Yes, that's right Mary Lou. Most of them were originally published in various newspapers and other periodicals between 1833 and 1836, then issued in his usual instalments under their current title from 1837 to 1839 - I think. The book is divided into is divided into four sections: "Our Parish", "Scenes", "Characters" and "Tales", and we've been reading each sketch in the order they come in each section - also, I think. They can be read in any order though, I've done it that way already.

If I'm wrong Tristram will let me (or us) know, I hope so anyway. :-)

[Tristram]

As usual, you are right, Kim ;-)

[Tristram]

I only chose the American way of dating things here because for whatever reason I started that way in this thread - and I like things to be harmonious. At least some things.

[Janet]

I'm in too and excited to be reading along with this group on another Dickens project. I haven't read any of the Sketches so may try to read some of them before Nov 12.

BTW, I'm almost 3/4 done with "Charles Dickens and the House of Fallen Women," by Jenny Hartley, and it's absolutely fascinating. I also finally watched "The Invisible Women," which was based on the book of the same name by Claire Tomalin. It was good and I think captured Dickens well.

[Mary Lou]

Jane wrote: ""The Invisible Women," which was based on the book of the same name by Claire Tomalin. It was good and I think captured Dickens well. "

Ralph Fiennes was an amazing Dickens. I wasn't crazy about the film, but he was wonderful in it. I saw an interview with Fiennes and, while actors always gush over their subjects in these interviews, I got the distinct feeling that he truly is a Dickens fan and was incredibly excited about the opportunity to portray him.

[Tristram]

Jane wrote: "I'm in too and excited to be reading along with this group on another Dickens project. I haven't read any of the Sketches so may try to read some of them before Nov 12.

BTW, I'm almost 3/4 done wi..."

Jane,

then I may already welcome you for our next group read. I hope you will find time to participate in our discussions :-)

[Janet]

Mary Lou wrote: "Jane wrote: ""The Invisible Women," which was based on the book of the same name by Claire Tomalin. It was good and I think captured Dickens well. "

Ralph Fiennes was an amazing Dickens. I wasn't ..."

Ralph Fiennes really was amazing. I went into the movie somewhat skeptical, but thought he matched my image of Dickens pretty well--the mania, the energy, but also the melancholoy.

[Janet]

Thanks! Looking forward to the discussions.

[Bionic Jean]

I enjoyed the sets and props in that film! It sounds funny, but I got real a kick out of imagining holding an issue of "Household Words", say, spanking new just like it looked in the film. It was the sort of film where you could immerse yourself in the period feel :)

[Janet]

Jean wrote: "I enjoyed the sets and props in that film! It sounds funny, but I got real a kick out of imagining holding an issue of "Household Words", say, spanking new just like it looked in the film. It was t..."

Yes, I think they did a good job with the sets and props too. I really liked seeing The Frozen Deep in rehearsal. That was my favorite part, actually.

[Bionic Jean]

I was pleased at that part too - thanks for reminding me :)

[Tristram]

In less than two weeks, we will have finished Hard Times, and as usual we might want some time till starting the next novel in order to discuss HT as a whole and also to give some members the opportunity to catch up with the rest. That's why Kim and I decided to throw in five more Sketches for those who cannot get enough Dickens and for whom it would be hard to go through a week without their Dickens dosis.

The reading schedule will be was follows:

31 March - 6 April:

CHARACTERS

6. The Hospital Patient
7. Misplaced Attachment by Mr John Dounce
8. The Mistaken Milliner (A Tale of Ambition)
9. The Dancing Academy
10. Shabby-genteel People

We will start reading Little Dorrit on 7th April then.

[Everyman]

Where is everybody? Are the Sketches really that unworthy of discussion?

[Hilary]

I'm in Ireland and I ought to be asleep. :D
Tristram opened threads for the characters. We did three characters last week and Tristram has opened threads for the next three characters for this week. I have only read Shabby Genteel People this week but have yet to comment ...

[Hilary]

Everyman, perhaps you didn't get the notification. It's under the heading Chapter 10 'Shabby ...'

[Mary Lou]

Have I been reading the wrong ones?? Looks like I read the ones that everyone did last April. Shoot. I can't find the current reading schedule, except on the home page where it says we're doing Sketches but doesn't list which ones. The mind is a terrible thing to lose.

[Hilary]

Hee hee, Mary Lou! Love your 'mind' comment! I hope that you have found the right thread now! :-)

[Tristram]

Hi everyone,

as Hilary said, the new threads are named "Characters, 6-9" and "Characters, 10: Shabby-genteel People", "Characters, 11: Making a Night of It" and "Characters, 12: The Prisoners' Van". They can all be found in the folder "Sketches by Boz".

Mary Lou, I think, like you, that we have already read some of the Sketches; maybe it was at the beginning of the year. But I couldn't find any threads relating to these sketches and so I thought we might just pick up reading where our last threads stopped. Luckily, Dickens is an author who rewards second and third readings ;-)

The reading schedule can be found under the heading "Proposal for a Reading Schedule in Autumn 2016", which is in the "General" folder.

[Bionic Jean]

Thanks for clarifying this Tristram. I was getting very confused. Perhaps I'm still in shock from A Tale of Two Cities - parts of this I had to steel myself to read!

[Mary Lou]

Thank you, Tristram -- I think I missed that thread since it came out while you were reading A Tale of Two Cities, which I skipped. So it looks as though we're currently reading the 10-12 Character sketches. I'll try to jump in! I'll also scan my bookshelf in the hopes that one of the volumes there contains "Hunted Down" and "George Silverman's Explanation" (can't wait to hear what old George comes up with!)

[Linda]

I just picked up my Sketches book from the library last night as I had to wait for it to arrive from another library - it's a weighty little book! This is the first time I will be reading some sketches.

I know you gave a link to read the sketches online, Everyman, but I would much rather read from an actual book. Plus, I haven't had much quality computer time lately!

Now, I'm off to figure out which ones we are reading...

[Mary Lou]

Linda wrote: "Now, I'm off to figure out which ones we are reading... "

Nov. 3-9 Sketches by Boz: Characters, 10-12
Nov. 10-16 Sketches by Boz: Tales, 1 “The Boarding-house”
Nov. 17-23 Hunted Down
Nov. 24-30 George Silverman’s Explanation

[Linda]

Thank you, Mary Lou! :)

[Everyman]

Linda wrote: "I know you gave a link to read the sketches online, Everyman, but I would much rather read from an actual book. ."

So would I, but when the book isn't available . . .

[Linda]

I'm just popping in to say that although I've been slowly making progress on the current Sketches, I haven't had much time for reading and posting. I'm in the middle of "The Boarding-House". Each night I think I will finish, and then I end of falling asleep after three pages or so! Not that I'm not enjoying the tale, but instead I've just been swamped at work and home.

Oh, and also, I finally found and purchased at a used bookstore a collection of Dickens' short stories which contains the two that we will be reading in the second half of November. It also contains several Christmas stories. :)

[Mary Lou]

Linda wrote: "I end of falling asleep after three pages or so! "

This is my problem, too, Linda! If I don't have an audio version to listen to on my commute, it takes forever to finish anything because I always fall asleep when I try to read in the evenings. You're lucky to get through three pages - I usually don't last that long. In fact, I've already started "Hunted Down" in the hopes that I'll be able to get finish it and join the discussion before everyone's already moved on to the next one.

Re: your bookstore purchase, I have to admit to the group that I've become a Dickens hoarder. I work in a library, and we accept donations for our ongoing book sale. Almost any time there's a Dickens donated, I snatch it up. (Who gets rid of Dickens?? Regrettably, far too many people.) I've got several shelves dedicated to him, with multiple copies of most titles. But the good news is (remind me to share it with my long-suffering husband), when I looked to see if I had copies of "Hunted Down" and "George Silverman’s Explanation" I was delighted to realize I had not one, but several books containing those stories. Life is good. :-)

[Peter]

Linda, Mary Lou

All secrets about your Dickens book collections are safe with us. No worries about nodding off while reading. I'm sure it is your mind just telling you that it's more fun to read the same parts more than once.

[Mary Lou]

Peter wrote: "No worries about nodding off while reading. I'm sure it is your mind just telling you that it's more fun to read the same parts more than once. "

I love the way you spin things. :-) I don't know if it's more fun, necessarily, but I do find I remember things better after I've read them three times.

[Linda]

Peter! :)

Mary Lou - I'm smiling at your multiple copies of Dickens. It sounds good to me! Sometimes one copy looks nice on the shelf, but a different copy feels nicer in the hand and to actually read. They each have their strengths, right? :)

I'm still in the process of gathering my Dickens collection (first copy of each) as I read through the novels with the Pickwicks. I also just purchased at the dollar book sale at my son's Holiday Bazaar, a copy of Oliver Twist and also Dickens' Fur Coat and Charlotte's Unanswered Letters: The Rows and Romances of England's Great Victorian Novelists. I'm curious if anyone has read this latter book, I read Daniel Pool's What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew: From Fox Hunting to Whist—the Facts of Daily Life in 19th-Century England and enjoyed it, so hopefully this new book has some interesting information in it as well.

Oh, I was proud of myself for staying up longer than 3 pages last night! I actually finished The Boarding House and have moved onto the next tale. Now, to find time to dive into the posts here about the tales.

[Tristram]

Hilary,

your statement about having a whole shelf dedicated to Dickens just opened an old wound with me. Well, only one and a half years old: When my son and I went to a book sale at the university, somebody was offering to sell a 21-volume Oxford Illustrated Edition of the works of Charles Dickens, all in hard cover! Since we did not go there by car but had taken the tramway, my first impulse of buying the whole lot was checked and I bought two volumes of shorter tales and articles, plus some other books by Smollett and Trollope. Then we went to some other booths, and the memory of those other 19 books and the collection being torn asunder was doing some drilling work in the back of my mind, and finally my hands started itching and I went back to the first seller, only to find that someone else had bought those 19 books in the meantime.

It's definitely better never to have your first impulse checked when buying books, or maybe to always go to a book sale in your own car. One of those two books I bought actually contains the two short stories we are going to read, so that's another reason why that sad story of Love Lost comes to my mind.

[Tristram]

Linda,

I know exactly how you feel about reading three pages and then falling asleep. It's probably also something to do with autumn and with a heavy workload, at least that's how I would explain it to myself. I have actually the same problem right now, and I am reading a book that absolutely thrills me: The Shadow of Ashlydyat. So don't worry.

Thanks for the "Fur Coat" tip, by the way. Now I'll have to try and get a good copy of that book.

[Haaze]

I thought that everybody owned multiple copies of Dickens!!!! ; -) Ok, ok, I'm guilty as well. I can't help it!

Lovely story about the 21 volume set, Tristram. I'm sorry that you didn't follow your impulse to purchase it in the first place. However, it is natural to check that impulse in the light of carrying 21 volumes on the tram or in the rain or walking home etc. Besides, is there enough room on the shelves at home? I came across a wonderful set of George Eliot's works at my favorite used bookstore a couple of months ago and fortunately acted on the impulse. Yes, multiple copies in my library as a consequence, but it is well worth it:
https://www.goodreads.com/photo/user/...

I purchased a (seemingly) great set of Dickens (Harper edition - 40 vol) on e-bay a couple of years ago. Unfortunately, it was damaged by tobacco smoke - they reeked. Old sets from e-bay is a gamble! I had to get rid of them as I couldn't stand the smell while reading the volumes. I guess my point is that if one comes across books/sets in "real life" thereby being able to assess the quality (not falling apart into dust or reeking like an old cigar) one should act on it if the price is right. I guess one will always figure out a way to transport them if one is desperate enough? :)

[Bionic Jean]

Such a poignant story Tristram.

I had a bit of a quandry like we're all finding a couple of years ago - how many to buy. So I decided to just get one nice "example" copy of each different (old) edition I find, (ie various works) especially if it has different illustrations. And I have the Centennial Dickens (complete works, 20-odd volumes) published by Heron, which are lovely books though not valuable. If I ever see one in large print I snap it up - but this is Dickens we're talking about, so most are too long to make it into Large Print.

What I actually read is ... Kindle LOL!