All about Dickens! (part II)

[birdienl]

As most of you will probably know, last Tuesday was the 200th anniversary of Charles Dickens birth. I wanted to make a post to celebrate this fact, but real life got in the way. Also, I haven't had the time to write a book or adaptation review, but luckily there is the [Poll #1817751]

One last question and I'll leave you alone for today: on my to-be-read list of the last few years I had a line saying: 'Read at least one novel by another classical author'. With 'another' I meant, some author other than 'the big six' ;-): Austen, Brönte, Gaskell, Dickens, Hardy and Eliot. I filled this reading resolution so far by reading classic children/youth literature from Louisa May Alcott and Frances Hodgson Burnett. Very good and entertaining reading, but I'm ready to broaden my horizon and try other classic authors. So please,  recommend away! I'm looking forward to all your suggestions!

Comments

[litlover12.livejournal.com]

Edith Wharton! It's her 150th birthday this year, and she's one of my favorite authors. "The House of Mirth" is my favorite; "The Age of Innocence," "The Custom of the Country," and "Old New York" (short stories) are all very good.

I liked the meme and your answers. (As for "Mrs. Dickens's Christmas," why some people think a person's birthday is a great time to bash him is beyond me! He wasn't perfect, but it would be fairer to have a balanced look at his flaws than an hour of flat-out bashing. Gaylor Arnold did a very good job of this in her novel "Girl in a Blue Dress.")

Glad you're reading two Dickens this year! I wonder if you'd consider doing the Dickensblog readathon, so you can raise money for charity as you read? It's a very Dickensian thing to do, I think. :-) Details here: http://dickensblog.typepad.com/dickensblog/2012/01/happy-dickens-year.html

We've only got two readers and could really use more! Let me know if you're interested, and I'll help in any way I can. :-)

[birdienl.livejournal.com]

I've read about your readathon on the Dickensblog ofcourse, but I don't know who I could interest in sponsoring me for such a cause. It's hard to interest people here in The Netherlands, as Dickens is not such a big name.

Edit Wharton, I must say I'm a bit scared to start her novels. I have seen some of the adaptations of her works and they always seem so depressing. But that was over 5 years ago, so maybe I'm 'mature' enough now to try again!

[litlover12.livejournal.com]

Well, I'd sponsor you, for one. :-) But no pressure. Do whatever you're comfortable with.

Wharton's novels ARE sad, but they're so good that I think they're worth it. You might try "The Custom of the Country," which is a satire and so has more humor than many of the others.

[birdienl.livejournal.com]

Oh thanks for the offer! I'll think about it. I thought about sponsoring myself, but that's a bith weird don't you think? Maybe I could sponsor you in return.

Thanks, I'll keep that title in mind

[litlover12.livejournal.com]

That would be cool!

[birdienl.livejournal.com]

Oke, let's go for it! How do I proceed now?

[litlover12.livejournal.com]

First, you pick your charity from the list on this page, and set up a fundraising page. Let me know if you need any help with that!

http://dickensblog.typepad.com/dickensblog/2011/12/the-dickens-bicentennial-charity-fundraiser.html

[birdienl.livejournal.com]

Well, it took a while, but I set up a fundraising page for the Great Ormond Street Children's hospital here: www.justgiving.com/birdienl

[litlover12.livejournal.com]

You are awesome!!! I've just sponsored you.

And here's my page: http://www.razoo.com/story/Dickens-Fundraiser-Somaly-Mam

Thank you! *hugs*

[birdienl.livejournal.com]

Thanks very very much!

I also sponsored you!
Which books are you planning to read this year?

[litlover12.livejournal.com]

Thank you for your donation!!

I'm reading "Selected Short Fiction," "Sketches by Boz," and "Selected Journalism." I just finished reading all the novels, so I had to branch out. :-)