Status Updates From Sketches by Boz

The River might be one of the funniest things Dickens ever wrote!

So many stories also involving fairs and theatres—reminds me so much of certain episodes from Nicholas Nickleby and The Odd Curiosity Shop!

Such INCREDIBLE wit, humour, and social observation and commentary in these, especially Hackney-Coach Stands!! 😂😂😂

Chapter 6–another sad one, that talks about he story you can read in the clothes one finds in a used clothing store 😭. Reminded me of the six-word story: “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”

Scotland Yard—a terrific and poignant reflection on the inevitability of change.

Our Next Door Neighbour—OK, I am 💯 aware of just how manipulative and sentimental this one is, but it simply doesn’t matter—it’s so devastating and heartbreaking!!!

Whew! It’s undeniable that Dickens is a master at the dismal portrayal of poverty. 😭

Dickens’s comedic genius is unparalleled in Victorian writing!! 😂😂😂

Now that my reread of the novels of Jane Austen is complete, I’m starting a reread of all of Charles Dickens’s published works, via audiobook this time! 🎉❤️ These early stories and journal articles already embody Dickens’s trademark wittiness, incisive social commentary, and eccentric characters! I love them so much, and I think they are a great place to start with his work, in their bite-sized morsels!

Reading for a year-long book club series “Dinner with Dickens” held by Bryanna at pile of books in Zurich :)