Tag Archives: Charles Dickens

1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die

Jessa Crispin has an interesting interview with Peter Boxall, editor of 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die. I loved what Boxall said at the end: “Having benefited from an extraordinary number of emails and letters as well as … Continue reading

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Sydney Carton: ” a mirage of honourable ambition, self-denial and perseverance”

Re-reading A Tale of Two Cities right now – and this passage struck me. When his host followed him out on the staircase with a candle, to light him down the stairs, the day was coldly looking in through its … Continue reading

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Dickens’ Monsters

More from George Orwell’s essay on Dickens. The fact that Dickens is always thought of as a caricaturist, although he was constantly trying to be something else, is perhaps the surest mark of his genius. The monstrosities that he created … Continue reading

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Orwell on Dickens

I’m in the process right now of reading George Orwell’s mammoth (and unbelievably good) essay on Charles Dickens. It is dense, exciting – and it’s making me want to pick up all of those books again. I re-read Great Expectations … Continue reading

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From Great Expectations

I read this today in Great Expectations: That she had done a grievous thing in taking an impressionable child to mould into the form that her wild resentment, spurned affection, and wounded pride, found vengeance in, I knew full well. … Continue reading

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Reading Great Expectations

My reading of Great Expectations moves along at breakneck speed. Things are getting much more serious now. Pip has discovered who his benefactor has been all of these years, and is having an extended panic-attack about it. One of my … Continue reading

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Re-Reading Great Expectations

I am having such a good time with it that I never want it to end. Not only is it mysterious, and interesting … but also hilarious. I love the “voice” of Pip. There’s one long section when Mr. Pocket … Continue reading

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Commonplace

An excerpt from Michael Schmidt’s great book “LIves of the Poets”. I love this. [William Cullen] Bryant became a big noise in American journalism, a champion of liberal causes, and a catalyst. When [Charles] Dickens arrived in New York, he … Continue reading

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The Perfect Imaginary Dinner

THE AUTHORS Christopher Marlowe. I have a TON of questions to ask that guy. Charles Dickens. Just because I have a feeling that the dude was a blast. He could sit at the head of the table, keep the liquor … Continue reading

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“God bless us … EVeryone!”

Yesterday I drove many many miles to see my dear old friend Brett perform his one-man version of Christmas Carol. He does all of the characters, and he does it as though he is Charles Dickens himself – Dickens used … Continue reading

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