Charles Dickens discussion

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message 1: by Connor (new)

Connor Kinkade (connork) | 226 comments Mod
We are currently reading The Old Curiosity Shop.


message 2: by [deleted user] (new)

OK!


message 3: by Brenda (new)

Brenda hooray!


message 4: by Connor (new)

Connor Kinkade (connork) | 226 comments Mod
You're ALIVE!!!!!!!


message 5: by [deleted user] (new)

HEY!!! YOU HAVEN'T BEEN ON IN FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


message 6: by Brenda (new)

Brenda I've been super busy and didn't get a chance to read Bleak House. That book was just too mentally demanding for what little spare time I have right now.


message 7: by [deleted user] (new)

Sorry! Its a great book!


message 8: by Connor (new)

Connor Kinkade (connork) | 226 comments Mod
Brenda wrote: "I've been super busy and didn't get a chance to read Bleak House. That book was just too mentally demanding for what little spare time I have right now."

Lol. Same here. I've been pretty busy too and haven't read much. I think I've got more time on my hands now, but I don't enjoy Bleak House so far. ;(


message 9: by Brenda (new)

Brenda I'm sure it is! And I'll read it eventually. I really liked the 2005 mini-series of it. You should check it out sometime. See how closely it it follows the book.


message 10: by Brenda (new)

Brenda Connor, it's pretty complex...


message 11: by [deleted user] (new)

I'm 57% through! :D


message 12: by Brenda (new)

Brenda E, through Bleak House?


message 13: by Brenda (new)

Brenda Are you going to read two books at one?


message 14: by Brenda (new)

Brenda once


message 15: by [deleted user] (new)

yep! Yep! and well, how am I supposed to answer the third one?


message 16: by Brenda (new)

Brenda 'once' was just to replace my mistype of 'one'. No answer needed. :) And good luck reading both of Dicken's book at once! One set of characters to keep track of is hard enough for me! I can read multiple books at one time but they have to be about very different things and written in a very different voice.


message 17: by [deleted user] (new)

I'm reading two 1000+ page books by classic authors from 1800s in England. :) They're VERY different!


message 18: by Connor (new)

Connor Kinkade (connork) | 226 comments Mod
What's the other one?


message 19: by [deleted user] (new)

The Complete Sherlock Holmes.


message 20: by Brenda (new)

Brenda E, I LOVE Sherlock Holmes! And you're right, those are two VERY different types of reading.


message 21: by [deleted user] (new)

What genre is Bleak House?


message 22: by Connor (new)

Connor Kinkade (connork) | 226 comments Mod
Classic, Historical Fiction, Literature, and stuff like that.


message 23: by [deleted user] (new)

oh


message 24: by Brenda (new)

Brenda Technically: literary fiction. Now a classic.


message 25: by [deleted user] (new)

:^D


message 26: by Kathy (new)

Kathy (cal506) I'd also call it social satire. Boy, did Dickens hate lawyers. And do-gooders. And the aristocracy.

The book is at least twice the length of modern novels. Did he get paid by the word?


message 27: by [deleted user] (new)

:) I wouldn't be surprised seeing how long it is!


message 28: by [deleted user] (new)

Well, i don't blame him for hating lawyers. He lived in poverty half his life.

and now i have to ditch bleak house and read the curiosity shop? lol...i feel dumb.


message 29: by Connor (new)

Connor Kinkade (connork) | 226 comments Mod
lol. I'll just finish Bleak House and read this one later.


message 30: by [deleted user] (new)

Good idea...


message 31: by Connor (new)

Connor Kinkade (connork) | 226 comments Mod
Then I'll be behind in the June book. :/


message 32: by [deleted user] (new)

I'm just reading 3 books at a time.


κίρστεν (Kirsten) (kirsten_j) | 18 comments Kathy wrote: "I'd also call it social satire. Boy, did Dickens hate lawyers. And do-gooders. And the aristocracy.

The book is at least twice the length of modern novels. Did he get paid by the word?"


Dickens' books were all published bit by bit in newspapers and magazines. So.... not exactly by word... ^^

He reaaally hates beadles. =P There's a pretty long passage in Bleak House about how useless beadles are and how everything they do is in fact someone else's job so they're just getting in the way. ;-) Plus the charming beadle in Oliver Twist...


message 34: by [deleted user] (new)

I haven't read Oliver Twist yet. :(


κίρστεν (Kirsten) (kirsten_j) | 18 comments Eh. Well mom tells me that it's funnier to read as an adult. When I read it several years ago, I thought it was just kinda depressing. Guess I really missed something. ;-)


message 36: by [deleted user] (new)

:) Guess so. I should get it on my kindle...


message 37: by Marna (new)

Marna Bynum OK, so I'm a little confused. The group is reading The Old Curiosity Shop during May? What's planned for June? I read the nominations, but never saw any polls posted.


message 38: by [deleted user] (new)

I don't know. Is there a nomination thread?


message 39: by Marna (new)

Marna Bynum Yes, there are discussion threads for nominations. And I just found the polls (I'm still learning all the available tools on Goodreads).

I'll probably skip the May book, but will join in for the June book.


message 40: by Connor (new)

Connor Kinkade (connork) | 226 comments Mod
Okay! I might too.


κίρστεν (Kirsten) (kirsten_j) | 18 comments So what ARE we reading for June?


message 42: by Connor (new)

Connor Kinkade (connork) | 226 comments Mod
Oliver Twist and Continuing The Pickwick Papers.


message 44: by Connor (new)

Connor Kinkade (connork) | 226 comments Mod
Wow! late response!


message 45: by Javier (new)

Javier (jbenigo) | 2 comments Hi everybody!!!
Regarding Pickwick Papers, which I consider one of his best novels, have anyone read about this paralelism some experts find with the novel "Don Quixote" from Cervantes?
I read a good article about it, and having read both novels three times, I really find some points of similarity..
What do you guys think?


message 46: by Barbara (new)

Barbara (alaskaell) | 4 comments I remember attending a lecture, oh so many years ago, concerning this. Of course I don't remember much of it, except the speaker pronounced "Quixote" as "Quix-oat," instead of the Spanish pronunciation of "Key-o-tay." Unfortunately that is about all I can remember about the lecture. Found out later he pronounced it the British way.

I need to re-read both to refresh my memory.


message 47: by Connor (new)

Connor Kinkade (connork) | 226 comments Mod
Javier wrote: "Hi everybody!!!
Regarding Pickwick Papers, which I consider one of his best novels, have anyone read about this paralelism some experts find with the novel "Don Quixote" from Cervantes?
I read a..."


I haven't read either novels. I plan on reading Don Quixote soon though.


message 48: by Javier (new)

Javier (jbenigo) | 2 comments Connor wrote: "Javier wrote: "Hi everybody!!!
Regarding Pickwick Papers, which I consider one of his best novels, have anyone read about this paralelism some experts find with the novel "Don Quixote" from Cervant..."


Well, here in Spain we consider it the best novel ever, and I totally agree.
Anyway, which is your Dickens favourite novel? Would it be Great Expectations?

Tx


message 49: by Kevin (new)

Kevin (KTressler) | 15 comments Javier wrote: "Hi everybody!!!
Regarding Pickwick Papers, which I consider one of his best novels, have anyone read about this paralelism some experts find with the novel "Don Quixote" from Cervantes?
I read a..."


I can certainly see that and agree there are multiple parallels between the two - the episodic adventures on a trip, the idealized ways of life, the encounters with situations that aren't as big as they seem, the lowly side kick (although I believe Sam Weller is a much better character than Sancho). Another thing is that Dickens loved the adventure novels as a young boy, and Don Quixote was among those in the family (his father's) library.


message 50: by Deity World (new)

Deity World (deityworld) Brenda wrote: "E, I LOVE Sherlock Holmes! And you're right, those are two VERY different types of reading."

I’ve been reading those books too I’m currently on the last 9th book


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