Just ordered The Great Charles Dickens Scandal by Michael Slater, and am excited to read it! I haven’t bought a new Dickens-related book in a few months, and there are many new ones.
Sidenote: I work at my college’s library. Every year, the bosses purchase a new book for each graduating student worker to be put into the collection. The choices are based on the student’s interests/hobbies, and dedicated in their name. They selected this book for me — I guess word has gotten around!
A new study claims that Dickens and ‘the worst writer in history’ [Edward Bulwer-Lytton] are indistinguishable. That’s just plain silly.
A new study has found that people really are none the wiser about whether they’re reading a Charles Dickens masterpiece or one of the works of Edward Bulwer-Lytton, billed as ‘the worst writer in history
A letter written by Victorian novelist Charles Dickens documenting his first-ever novel is expected to fetch £400 when it goes up for auction. The beautifully written note accompanied the first-ever bound copy of Dickens’ first novel, the Pickwick Papers. Dated Monday evening, December 11 1837, the letter is written to his friend and later biographer John Forster, offering him a copy of the literature.
Charles Dickens ~ Vintage Post Card
Happy 201st birthday, Mr. Dickens!
Please, sir, have some more cake. (apologies for my atrocious lack of Photoshop skills)
Good to know we’re honoring the great author in a respectful way… *sighs*
The first statue of Charles Dickens will be unveiled in the city of his birthplace in June - defying wishes in his will for one not to be created.
For those readers who are all Christmas Carol-ed out, but still need a little Dickens in their life for the holiday, I give you:
Since A Christmas Carol (1843) was so popular, Dickens continued writing Christmas stories. These are his other four major Christmas books, which contain similar themes to the Carol. Merry Christmas, and enjoy reading!
“Understandably distraught when his beloved cat Bob died in 1862, the writer was eager to keep a visual memory on his desk. One of Bob’s paws was promptly stuffed and adhered to an ivory blade, which was engraved “C.D. In Memory of Bob 1862.”
There is a picture of said letter opener via the link. I’m still not quite sure what I think about it, but it seems entirely like a Chaz thing to do. Didn’t he also have his pet raven stuffed as well?
Was just about to post this article! The Raven Grip was also stuffed, and is now on display at the Free Library of Philadelphia’s Rare Book Department. It’s pretty creepy to see in person (they also have plenty of other Dickens-related holdings).
Charles Dickens branded his own father a ‘jackass’ for his wrecklessness with money, a newly-discovered document reveals.
The great novelist fell out with John Dickens after his father racked up huge debts so he could lead an extravagent lifestyle beyond his means.
Mr Dickens senior regularly used his son’s fame as an excuse to borrow money from his publishers and solicitors, with the author often having to pick up the bill.
Well, that’s an almost impossible question to answer for a Dickens fan! But if I have to choose, I’ll pick Newman Noggs from Nicholas Nickleby. He’s a downtrodden, alcoholic clerk who proves to be the kindest friend to the young protagonist, and helps bring down the corrupt miser, Ralph Nickleby.
Noggs gave a peculiar grunt, as was his custom at the end of all disputes with his master, to imply that he (Noggs) triumphed; and (as he rarely spoke to anybody unless somebody spoke to him) fell into a grim silence, and rubbed his hands slowly over each other: cracking the joints of his fingers, and squeezing them into all possible distortions. The incessant performance of this routine on every occasion, and the communication of a fixed and rigid look to his unaffected eye, so as to make it uniform with the other, and to render it impossible for anybody to determine where or at what he was looking, were two among the numerous peculiarities of Mr Noggs, which struck an inexperienced observer at first sight.
I’ll turn the question back on my followers now — who’s your favorite Dickens character?
To all my followers: if you’re not already a member, you should consider becoming one!
The Dickens Fellowship, founded in 1902, is a worldwide association of people who share an interest in the life and works of Charles Dickens (1812 - 1870).
Charles Dickens.
(writer)
(Thanks to: About.com, Hello Magazine)
