Oh Dickens - I do love you! Dickens is one of the authors that I consistently reread. And I agree - every time I read where Pip looks down on Joe it is just heartbreaking.
I've only read two of Dickens's novels so far, Great Expectations and Bleak House. The second is not only my favourite Victorian novel but also one of my all time favourites. I have to agree with you on the opening passage, it's simply brilliant!
I had a "hard time" with Hard Times... I'll see myself out lol. I read it last Victober and I barely remember the plot. I remember the dad wanting his children to only learn facts and denied them literature.
I remember how much Em enjoyed Great Expectations. David Copperfield was just an epic masterpiece , LOVED it 😉 It was so interesting to hear all about the Dickens you read and how you felt . Thank you for sharing with us ❤️
What?! Bleak House?! Oh when you were describing this book and it's opening paragraph I felt sure you were describing MY favorite. It's opening is amongst the most quoted and it's last line has been heard and quoted by everyone even those who have never read it. I speak of the 5 star read.... A Tale of Two Cities !! Now I have only read 3 of Dickens books ( Great Expectations, Christmas Story and Tale of Two Cities), but I am intimidated by the size of the other books. Normal times that is not a problem but my reading stamina during this pandemic has been severely stunted. I enjoyed your video today and you got me re interested in approaching more Dickens so thank you.
Literally I’m over half way through Oliver Twist and I love it but yes David copperfield is my favourite dickens and one of my favourite classics so thanks again for that. I love reading more dickens 😊
I had to read great expectations and Silas marner (G. Eliot) in 9th grade. Ugh! I honestly believe my struggle with these authors and the famous “female” books was my introduction to literature in my lousy high school I attended in Arizona (1963-67) So I’m going to attempt another go at Dickens thanks to you. I’m a reader always have been. Large books do not scare me off!! So excited to have found you today!! Happy New Year and I’ll be watching!! Myra. A Texas Democrat!! Yeehaw ✌🏻🤠
I LOVED this video! Totally agree about David Copperfield, that novel is incredible. All the books you mention as being favourites of yours, alongside that one, are books I absolutely love too 😍 Your thoughts about each of the novels you have read are so useful for helping me decide which to read next! 😊
Tom, I love your enthusiasm and passion for the one and only, Charles D.!!! I share it whole heartedly with you, and it's fun when another reader points out why they love a certain author, or a certain book to the extent that you do here. I just read (listened to on audio) The Old Curiosity Shop, and loved it well. I am 100 pages away from finishing Dombey & Son, and love it even more. I agree with all of your reasons why Dickens has captured your heart. My next 2 are going to be Bleak House & Nicolas N. I read Great Ex. in college, and although I loved it immensely, I stopped there and never read another Dickens until just 5 years ago. So, I am sad about that, but also happy that I have so many to look forward to. I have read 7 so far. Cheers to Mr. Dickens for all his unforgettable characters!
I've only read Oliver Twist of his and it took me two years. I hated it so so much, with way too many characters that were useless. But I think I'll give great expectations a chance now.
This made me so happy! I'm crazy for Dickens. I was just contemplating which book to read next. I think I will read Martin Chuzzlewit since you are loving it. Hard Times was my least favorite, but still. Dickens. 💓 This was so lovely! Thank you! ♥️📚
that was fun. thanks tom. i fell in love with dickens reading 'hard times' and went on from there to read all his novels in my thirties, forty years ago now.
One of my reading goals for next year is to finally (finally!) read a proper Dickens novel (I say “proper” like A Tale of Two Cities or maybe Great Expectations. I must constantly remind myself to set a realistic goal lol). I really enjoyed this video; you and Books and Things love Dickens so much that I get caught up in the excitement and I want to impulse buy every Dickens novel I can get my hands on.
Oh yes...Joe is the *best* character, ever! Just thinking about him makes my heart happy! ❤️ I have only just started on my Dickens journey and have read A Christmas Carol (twice) and Great Expectations. I have A Tale of Two Cities, The Pickwick Papers, Our Mutual Friend and Oliver Twist on my shelf and I'm honestly not sure which one to read next. 🤓 After watching and listening to you speak so beautifully about your Dickens reading experience, I now feel the need to add more Dickens to my shelf! 😆 Thank you so much for sharing.
I'm currently reading A Christmas Carol (Mainly on audiobook) and I'm really enjoying it. With Charles Dickens, I seem to enjoy the dialogue more than the description because when Scrooge or his nephew speaks, I find it more gripping and humorous rather than when it's describing how cold it is. I mean, I do like the description, and I find the words that Dickens uses quite interesting, but I mainly prefer the dialogue. Sorry, I'm wanging on a bit here! I'm quite interested about your love of Charles Dickens, @tomreadsthings! What's the main reason you like his books?
I've just finished the weighty Dombey and Son, one of my favourites along with David Copperfield (your fave), Our Mutual Friend (you should read it, next!) and Great Expectations....I'm around half way through his novels I wasn't so keen on A Tale of Two Cities or Oliver Twist.... The Old Curiosity Shop, Hard Times and Pickwick Papers were okay but like you with Hard Times, I don't remember too much about them, I have Little Dorrit waiting then maybe Nicholas Nickelby or Bleak House or even Martin Chuzzlewitt....I'm not going in any particular order.
My first Dickens was Great Expectations, too. I think it was Gr. 9 or 10 (Canadian...I was 14 or 15), it was assigned for English class, and I really enjoyed it! I slogged my way through Bleak House in a Victorian Fic class in Uni, but I'd like to give it another try someday when I'm not reading 2 novels + other academic texts every week (as I was 25 years ago when I was in Uni lol). I do read A Christmas Carol every single year, followed by watching the 1951 Alistair Sim version of Scrooge (UK version, not US version, although my DVD has both). This has been a Christmas tradition of mine for about a decade, at least!
I feel like I'm starting again with Dickens, I've read DC and GE recently, would love to work my way through his books but it's gonna be a project that lasts a few years I feel haha I agree completely with your thoughts on Miss Haversham, icon!
I have Hard Times from a library book sale and forgot to put him on my TBR at all this month! What is wrong with me!? I haven’t read Great Expectation since school so I really need to get back to it.
This was wonderful, Tom! I loved hearing about your journey with Dickens. I’m so excited to continue on with mine and I’m looking forward to hearing your full thoughts on Martin Chuzzlewit. Joe is the love of my life!!
Great video! Hurray for Bleak House, my favorite Dickens so far, (I just love the whole gallery of characters and the mystery surrounding Lady Dedlock) although I still have quite a few to read. I must say that I didn't enjoy Great Expectations or Hard Times much, but loved A Mutual Friend and David Copperfield. I tend to go for Anthony Trollope more than for Dickens nowadays but I'm looking forward to reading more of his novels, especially Dombey and Son and Nicholas Nickleby.
I have a long way to go with Dickens... I started Great Expectations but haven't finished it. 😭 I read a Christmas Carol & currently reading The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Liking it. I think it's considered his "sensational" novel. On my shelf is Hard Times, Oliver Twist & David Copperfield. 😄 Reading goals for 2021... David Copperfield.
What an excellent video! Thoroughly enjoyed this, Tom! Charles Dickens is one of my favorite authors, David Copperfield, Our Mutual Friend, A Tale of Two Cities and Great Expectations being my personal favorites :) Surprisingly, I quite enjoyed Hard Times. I have yet to read Nicholas Nickleby and am very excited to do so after your recommendation 🍂
My first Dickens was A Christmas Carol. I has been part of pop culture and my life even before I read it and one day I decided to read it while going to my grandparents for the holidays. A Tale of Two Cities was my second read by him. Then I read Great Expectations and David Copperfield. Copperfield is my favorite too, so far. I'm reading Bleak House, but it is hard to follow sometimes. I think it could be because I'm reading it sporadically. I don't like not finishing books unless I decide to DNF. I currently have The Pickwick Papers on pause. I like Oliver Twist and the only one, so far, I didn't care for are the short stories. I just bought Hard Times a Vintage edition.
The great cake, read it in Junior High School, yes Joe the blacksmith is a good character. "I am born," David Copperfield is great, can you imagine the cold fish handshake of Uriah? I read Hard Times, can't really remember it, same for The Old Curiosity Shop. Read Bleak House, stay out of court. Go to Oliver Twist.
Hard Times is one of the darkest novels, the horrors of Industrialisation. But the lovely Sissy is to me one of the best characters in Dickens. The last page of the book can reduce me to tears every time I read it. May I ask why is the Pickwick Papers not considered. Not just by you but often left out. It is marvellous. Funny, laugh out loud and wonderful descriptive passages of the countryside. Many memorable characters. I love Sam Weller, and the section when they visited Dingley Dell, and the Pickwickians are Dickens at his best. Sorry small rave. Many many Dickens to read and love. Thanks Tom.
I started Great Expectations when pregnant. Didn't finish it before end of pregnancy so brought it into hospital with me when having my twins. Talk about expectations. Needless to say, didn't open it. While twins were very young, when I read to them I used to read my own books. I didn't finish it then either but I think it was just the wrong time. Will definitely revisit in the future.
So great you are enjoying Chuzzlewit! You mentioned Joe from GE ... my heart is with Tom Pinch ❤️ I continue to use him as my benchmark for a good good human ❤️ Oh god Uriah Heep!! Ever so ‘umble 😉 Looking forward to when you get to A Tale of Two Cities (my number 2 Dickens). And I need to read Sketches by Boz and Nic Nic ... Loved this Dickens discussion. Thanks x
