The year long celebration of what would have been Charles Dickens 200th birthday, has so far been extremely enjoyable. We have had some great new adaptations of his work by the BBC both on T.V. and Radio. Today is finally his anniversary and my favourite snippet I heard on the radio was – “Charles Dickens was mobbed like the Beatles were in the 1960s when he visited America”.
On a personal note, I have always found Dickens writings somewhat dour and depressing, but all this attention has given me a new appreciation of his work and therefore I will be digging out one of his books to read. Which story would you recommend I read?
If you have been inspired to read one of his books you can view our current selection here.
I think you should read ‘A Christmas Carol’ – it is by far my favourite and I read it every Christmas.
I think Pickwick Papers – just because I like Mr. Pickwick and his sayings e.g. “Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen nineteen six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery!” So true…
Great Expectations – terrified me as a child and left a lasting impression
Sorry, this quotation is from David Copperfield´s Mr. Micawber. Another great read! But I prefer Great Expectations, and -not so well known- try Barnaby Rudge with a slight Walter Scott-ish appeal. Best wishes
I think you should read Little Dorrit, thats my favourite.
I think the “annual income” quote is from David Copperfield, is it not? Mr. Micawber. Very sage advice, all the same.
Am I allowed two? I agree with Chris Tomaszewski regarding Great Expectations – so atmospheric and so true of the flaws of all of us.
My other is David Copperfield. The characters are so well drawn, I just loved “Barkis is willin”!
Dickens is also very comical and funny. I remember reading a passage from Our Mutual Friend on the train while commuting to work one day and being helpless with laughter, to the consternation of my fellow passengers. (The bit where Mr. Podsnap is entertaining a Frenchman in his house and endeavouring to impress him with the obvious wealth of London).
It’s the BBC who always make him seem to dark and depressing – they always excise the humour from his novels when they televise them.
Remember you are on a journey with Dickens – the story may be about one character but the surrounding characters and incidents are always interesting. Try ‘Nicholas Nickleby’ – a young man finding himself, a career, fighting evil and finding good – mixed up with London villains, a theatrical troupe, vain and silly creatures, a scatty (and talkative) mother, a villainous schoolmaster (and his almost impossible to describe wife and daughter), an honest farmer, an invalid, good and charitable tradesmen, evil aristocracy, a laughable dress making business, an engraver to list but a few. What a wonderful crew to read about during your journey with Nicholas and Smike!
Aha! Well done for spotting the deliberate mistake – Mr. Micawber it was! But I still recommend Pickwick Papers as well as David Copperfield!