@Pavlov 1st student: "Great Scott! I can't remember who wrote Ivanhoe!" 2nd student: "I'll tell you if you can tell me who in the Dickens wrote David Copperfield!"
I hate Dickens's writing. I've tried and been forced to try, time and again. Something about it drives me away. I can understand why he is so popular, but it's just not for me.
@simplersimon He was paid by the word, and it shows. I couldn't stand Dickens when I was taking my American lit courses in college. Such turgid writing...
@simplersimon I think he was usually published in serial form - by the chapter - in magazines, as was A Conan Doyle. And books were a bit of a luxury, so each home wasnt full of them. And the novel was a newer art form, fewer of those, less to compare with. (No Dan Brown, no Twilight, no James Patterson). No competing film, tv, internet.
In a magazine you only had to cover a chapter, and these were often read aloud, in social or family gatherings. By the time the next issue came out, you were ready for it.
I've done Xmas Carol, Copperfield, Nicholas Nickleby, Two Cities. Tried to get into Great Expectations several times, always hated the early chapters for some reason, and gave up.
Curiosity Shoppe was so popular over here that when the magazine issue containing the final chapter arrived (by ship at NYC), readers tried to break thru wharfside barriers to get it.
Charles Dickens walks into a bar and orders a martini. The bartender asks, “Olive or twist? ”
@Pavlov that is terrible
@Pavlov
1st student: "Great Scott! I can't remember who wrote Ivanhoe!"
2nd student: "I'll tell you if you can tell me who in the Dickens wrote David Copperfield!"
'Rarnaby Budge' by Charles Dikkens.
@KDemo Dammit. Came in to say "What about 'A Sale of Two Titties' ? "
Maybe I should try W.H. Smiths
@KDemo Not "Knickerless Nichelby?"
Never read any books by Charles Dickens.
@FroodyFrog stop telling me what not to do.
@cation
Fair point.
*I've never read any books by Charles Dickens.
@FroodyFrog Did you not go to school?
@pitamuffin
I did, but they never covered books by Charles Dickens.
@FroodyFrog so they took off the dust jackets? That's strange.
@mcanavino
Not just that, but they made the books invisible.
@FroodyFrog Cool fact: I have read every Dickens novel.
Coooooooonsider yourself at 'ome!
Consider yourself one of the family...
Nevermind, it was a Mark Twain book I was thinking of.
I've actually read all of the above. It's sad that most of them all mush together in my brain.
But seriously, how can you not vote for A Christmas Carol, even if you're sick of its overuse?
@smyle Yep, that's the one I voted for. But I was torn between it and Oliver. Ghosts and curmudgeons or orphans and criminals - so hard to choose.
I hate Dickens's writing. I've tried and been forced to try, time and again. Something about it drives me away. I can understand why he is so popular, but it's just not for me.
@simplersimon He was paid by the word, and it shows. I couldn't stand Dickens when I was taking my American lit courses in college. Such turgid writing...
@sanspoint What college assigned Dickens in an American Lit course?
@timgove English lit. I couldn't brain yesterday.
@simplersimon
I think he was usually published in serial form - by the chapter - in magazines, as was A Conan Doyle. And books were a bit of a luxury, so each home wasnt full of them. And the novel was a newer art form, fewer of those, less to compare with. (No Dan Brown, no Twilight, no James Patterson). No competing film, tv, internet.
In a magazine you only had to cover a chapter, and these were often read aloud, in social or family gatherings. By the time the next issue came out, you were ready for it.
I've done Xmas Carol, Copperfield, Nicholas Nickleby, Two Cities. Tried to get into Great Expectations several times, always hated the early chapters for some reason, and gave up.
Curiosity Shoppe was so popular over here that when the magazine issue containing the final chapter arrived (by ship at NYC), readers tried to break thru wharfside barriers to get it.