A Random Bit From My Life

Check out these Old Curiosity Shop themed dishes I was gifted yesterday! The set isn't complete (I'm missing the clock plates) and a few were chipped, but they were perfect to use for dinner during my book club's meeting last night. And timely too! We met to discuss Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist. As always we had a delightful time of discussion and enjoyed some excellent food.

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

372 pages
Published in 2004 by
Barnes & Noble Books
New York, NY
(Originally published in 1859
by Chapham & Hall, London, England)

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way -- in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only." (Book 1, Chapter 1, pg 7.)

For years I have wanted to read A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, but just never made the time. And then, at the end of last year I determined I would not put it off another year, I would have the book read before the end of 2011! I asked the ladies in my book club if we could add it to our list of upcoming books to read, to which they readily agreed. This done, I started the book at Christmas with hope of having it read well before the scheduled time to discuss. Unfortunately my first attempt didn't turn out too well... I was sick over the holidays, under a lot of stress at work, and as a result completely unable to grasp what I was reading. So I set the book aside and waited a few weeks. At long last I picked it up again with new determination. And this time I succeeded!

The Plot:
A Tale of Two Cities is a historical romance written by one of English literature's best authors. The story is split between London and Paris during some of history's most explosive years -- the years leading up to and during the French Revolution and the "reign of terror." It is not only a tale of two cities, but it is a tale of two life choices -- the choice between good and evil, between compassion and tyranny, between selfless love and selfish hate. It is a powerful story of life.

My Thoughts:
A Tale of Two Cities is really told in the form of three sub-books. Book One: Recalled To Life sets the foundation of the story and as such does begin a little slow, but there are details here that become important to the reader much later in the book. While reading this part I found myself bogged down and felt clueless as to what was going on in the book. So, rather than give up I turned to Cliff Notes whenever I didn't understand a chapter or a scene, which greatly helped me get my reader's "feet" under me. So that by Book Two: The Golden Thread I was confident in what I was reading. It is at this point in the book that the story picks up the pace and the reader begins to see where the overall story is headed. This is also the portion of the book where Dickens focuses heavily on both the historical detail and the character development. Again, important details are tucked into the story that prove valuable in Book Three: The Track of a Storm. From this point on I could hardly put the book down, this is the climax of the story when all the details start to come together like pieces to a puzzle and at the very end the reader is left with the picture of the supreme sacrifice of selfless love and a powerful lesson for life.

A Tale of Two Cities is probably one of the best pieces of literature I have ever read. Yes, it's true and I am not alone. There were a dozen ladies at our book club discussion ranging in age, personality, and background, but every single one of the ladies read and loved A Tale of Two Cities. Yes, it is can be a difficult read, especially if you are unaccustomed to Dickens or 19th century literature, but it is a worthy read and one that every person should read.

I confess, if it wasn't for the ladies in my book club I do not know if I would have ever given Dickens a real chance. As a teenager I found him boring and too wordy for my liking. It was not until the book club read Great Expectations a few years back that I changed my mind. I joke now that I had no great expectations for Dickens, but that thanks to the ladies' encouragement I was able to finish the book and was thrilled to discover how wrong I had been. Since then I have gone on to read and enjoy Bleak House, Little Dorrit, and now A Tale of Two Cities.

So that brings me to you. If you have never read A Tale of Two Cities I exhort you to add it to your reading list for this year (or next). If you are like I was and have given Dickens a chance, but gave up, then I encourage you to give him another try. His writing is rich and will make you a better reader for the time you invest.

Here are some suggestions I have found helpful that might work for you:

1. Track down a copy of Cliff Notes or Spark Notes for the book you wish to read. No, this is NOT cheating, so long as you use it to aid with your reading of the actual book. While paperback copies of Cliff Notes are available in book stores, I find the free online versions to the best for my reading. The chapter summaries alone have helped me work through and appreciate some of the more difficult chapters in classic literature like A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens or The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky.

2. Watch a good film adaptation. I'm not normally a fan of watching a movie before reading the book, but in some cases I think it's very valuable. I watched the 2005 Masterpiece Theater adaptation of Bleak House before I tackled the book and found it very helpful as I was then able to keep the plot threads, characters, and dialogue clear in my mind. I've yet to see any adaptation of A Tale of Two Cities, but I have been told the 1935 version with Ronald Colman is excellent and true to the book and that the 1980 version with Chris Sarandon is likewise good.

3. Listen to an audio version. I've been told that one of the best ways to read a difficult book is to have it read to you. Instead of stumbling over difficult words or being distracted by foot or end notes the listener can sit back and let their imagination go as they listen to the story unfold. While Cliff Notes or Spark Notes are probably better for the visually minded, the audio version is generally better for those who learn best through audio. I am a visual person so I often find myself distracted while listening to audio books, but for those who are more audio-minded an audio book can take you places you would never go if you had to read on your own.

4. Find a group that is interested in reading the same book as you, purpose to read it (alone or together) and then plan to discuss what you liked or didn't like and what you learned.

5. Last but not least, have patience. Reading classic literature often takes time. It's rare for readers to be able to rush through reading a classic as might be done with a piece of modern fiction. I liken reading classics to eating a steak vs. modern fiction, which is like a bowl of soup. Eating a steak requires time. You have to cut small pieces, chew them and then swallow, while soup requires only scooping a spoonful and swallowing it. When reading a classic, don't put unneeded pressure on yourself; pace your reading. And don't feel bad if it takes you a lot longer to finish than other books you read.

Reading is really like anything in life. There is a learning curve. It takes time, practice and determination, but if you desire you can learn to read any book you pick up and often you will find that you surprise yourself with what you end up enjoying.

Good luck and happy reading!

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Related Links:

Kindle: A Tale of Two Cities ($0.00)

Project Gutenberg: A Tale of Two Cities (ebook)

Lit2Go: A Tale of Two Cities (audio book with lessons)

Librivox: A Tale of Two cities (audio book)

Cliff Notes: A Tale of Two Cities

Spark Notes: A Tale of Two Cities

Book Reviews: Books by Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens Literature

Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens

859 pages
Published in serial form December 1854-April 1857
Reprinted: Penguin Books, 2009

I did it! I've finished Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens! And a worthy, though very long read it was!

The Plot
As is the case with most of the novels written by Charles Dickens there is one main plot and there are many subplots within a story. There are also one or two main characters and a host of supporting characters and extras. Little Dorrit is no different. I hesitated to write a summary of Little Dorrit as there are so many subplots to the main plot. In the end I decided to stick with the summary given by the publisher:

"When Arthur Clennam returns to England after many years abroad, he takes a kindly interest in Amy Dorrit, his mother’s seamstress, and in the affairs of Amy’s father, William Dorrit, a man of shabby grandeur, long imprisoned for debt in the Marshalsea. As Arthur soon discovers, the dark shadow of the prison stretches far beyond its walls to affect the lives of many, from the kindly Mr. Pancks, the reluctant rent-collector of Bleeding Heart Yard, and the tipsily garrulous Flora Finching, to Merdle, an unscrupulous financier, and the bureaucratic Barnacles in the Circumlocution Office." (Summary courtesy of the publisher)

Little Dorrit as a story covers many things. It is considered one of the best satires on poverty, riches, and imprisonment. It is also about the journey of self-awareness: how do you see yourself and your circumstances and how do your circumstances (both good and bad) impact who you are, who you become, and how you treat those around you? Little Dorrit is also a love story -- love lost and love found. Last, it is a mystery. From the start of the novel the mystery is woven and the threads aren't tied up until close to the very end in typical Dickens fashion.

My Thoughts:
I loved Little Dorrit. It was a great read. And I won't deny that it is a long and at times a laborious read, but it was still a great read. At 859 pages and written in 19th century English with multiple characters, story plots and threads for the reader to keep track of, Little Dorrit is no potato chip novel... It's more like a steak. With slow and careful chewing one can finish the "steak novel" and will feel a lot more fulfilled as a reader than those living solely on a diet of "potato chip novels." Nor can one survive solely on a diet of "steak novels" -- a diet with something lighter is definitely required from time to time. At least, that is my opinion.

Without a doubt Dickens was a phenomenal writer. The fact his novels are still in print 150 years later is a testament to that fact. By why is he so phenomenal? His novels speak biblical truth without being the least bit preachy. Lessons are taught in entertaining and lasting stories. (Sometimes they are even applicable to modern times and events.) The plots are thick and rich with detail and social commentary. His characters are unique, entertaining, quirky, lovable, and even at times despicable. His prose paints vivid pictures of people, places, and things. It is no wonder that the writings of Charles Dickens are considered classics. It isn't just because they were written over 150 years ago, it is because they are well-formed, well-written works of art.

My Summary:
On a scale of 1-5, 1being horrible and 5 being excellent it should be no surprise that I rate Little Dorrit a 5. I loved this novel and am pleased to have it included in my personal library. I encourage readers everywhere to give Dickens a chance. His books are not snack reading. They are the entree. They might seem a lot to take on when the book is first opened, but a reader, with time and practice they become easier to read, understand, and enjoy.

A House to Let by Charles Dickens, Elizabeth Gaskell, Wilkie Collins & Adelaide Anne Procter

102 pages
First published 1858, reprinted 2004
Indy Publish
Boston, Massachusetts

Some time ago my friend and fellow bibliophile, Alison, and I were searching online for future reading ideas. She stumbled upon a little known book titled A House to Let which was co-authored by five authors, among the most notable of the five were Charles Dickens, Elizabeth Gaskell, and Wilkie Collins. Intrigued I put the book on my list to read one day... That day finally came. At the May meeting of my book club both A House to Let and Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens were selected as our reads before the next meeting in July.

A House to Let was first published in 1858 in an edition of Dickens' Household Words magazine. The story is split up in six chapters or segments. And with the exception of the first and last chapters, which were co-written by Dickens and Collins, each chapter was written by one of the five authors. Gaskell wrote the second, Dickens the third, Procter the fourth, and Collins the fifth, with Dickens handling editing for the entire novel. Apparently the story was enough of a success and enjoyment to write to encourage the group to join forces again and co-write The Haunted House in 1859.

At 102 pages, A House to Let is a short novel told in the first person by an elderly spinster named Sophonisba (a.k.a. Sarah), who has moved in across the street from a run down and abandoned house. Sophonisba's interest is sparked when she learns that the house, shrouded in mystery, has not been let for years and will never let. With the aide of an old admirer, Jabez Jarber, and her devoted servant, Trottle the research and sleuthing begins and by the end of the story the mystery is solved and things are put right in typical Dickens fashion. Throughout the story various characters, stories, and possible solutions to the mystery are submitted to Sophonisba, including stories of romance, tragedy, epic poetry, suspense, and swashbuckling adventure.

Overall I enjoyed A House to Let. I admit, I did find it a little slow at first, not because of the wording, but because I had no idea what I was getting into (the used copy I bought turned out to be a different edition than I expected and it didn't include a description or introduction to the story on either the inside or outside of the cover). Nevertheless, if the reader is persistent the story does pick up and reward the reader in the end.

On a scale of 1-5, 1 being horrible and 5 being excellent I would rate A House to Let a 3.5. I really enjoyed the story. I think it was a fun read, especially considering the number of celebrated authors involved in its creation. But I don't think it was said authors' best work. Still, if a reader is curious to read something by Collins, Dickens, or Gaskell, but is daunted by the length or wording of their individual novels, this might be a good place to start.

Unfortunately copies of A House to Let are hard to locate. None of my local libraries possessed a copy, so I ended up buying one online from a used bookseller for $3.50. Although it wasn't the edition I wanted, I decided to keep it and it now rests amongst my other Collins, Dickens, and Gaskell novels.

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Note: For those interested in reading one or more of the stand alone novels by these authors I recommend: North and South, Wives and Daughters, Ruth, and Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell. I've only read one by Wilikie Collins entitled, The Woman in White, but it was excellent! As for Dickens, my favorite so far has been Bleak House, but I've heard many wonderful things about David Copperfield and Oliver Twist, and A Tale of Two Cities, I know they are great reads and I plan to read them one day. Oh and, stay tuned for my review of Little Dorrit.

Bleak House by Charles Dickens

Bleak House is a masterpiece of a story. Like most of Charles Dickens' novels the book has a central plot, a lead cast, and many supporting characters that have their own stories carefully woven back and forth with the main plot. The result is a complex and very detailed story -- a classic. That being said, I will attempt to summarize the plot and characters of Bleak House in four points before closing with my overall thoughts of the book.

First, Bleak House is told by two narrators. The first is an unnamed person who relates the story in real time, though not what is thought or felt by the characters, just what is seen and heard. The second narrator is the sweet and lovable orphaned, Esther Summerson. Esther's story is told in the first person and generally in the past tense. Even though the story bounces back and forth between these two narrators there is little to no confusion. Dickens is successful in keeping the story fresh and allowing the reader to learn more than what would be possible with only one of these narrators.

Second, the plot centers around the interminable case of Jarndyce and Jarndyce, which has been plodding on in the English court system for many years and will continue to do so until the end of time as many believe. But there are also some who believe the judgment is coming soon. But unfortunately this belief often leads to an unhappy end. The book’s subplots include love and romance, several mysteries, a murder and a critique of both society and the court system.

Third, the title -- Bleak House -- is also the name of John Jarndyce's home. John Jarndyce inherited the home from a relative who, despairing over his loss of wealth and the never ending court case, committed suicide some years earlier. At the beginning of the book Esther, along with Richard "Rick" Carstone and Ada Claire (both wards in the Jarndyce case) come to live at Bleak House where John Jarndyce is their kind and generous guardian.

Fourth, the "plot" thickens as the reader becomes acquainted with the rest of the lead cast and supporting characters. A few such people include: Sir Leicester and Lady Deadlock, who live at Chesney Wold, a country estate, and who are distantly connected with the Jarndyce case. Then there’s Tulkinghorn, the very loyal and yet menacing lawyer who serves Sir Leicster and inflicts trouble on others; Krook the landlord and keeper of a junk shop who meets with a bizarre death; Nemo, a poor law writer, who dies early in the story shrouded in mystery; Miss Flight, a slightly-crazy woman who keeps birds in cages to be set free on the "day of judgment"; Mr. Guppy, a silly law clerk in love with Esther; Harold Skimpole a "simple child"; Inspector Bucket, the detective who solves more than just a murder; and of course Dr. Alan Woodcourt, Mr. George, and Jo, each who play a special role in the story.

Not only is Bleak House complex, it is also at times wordy. But don’t let that stop you from reading this book, or any book by Charles Dickens. You may wonder how such writing could ever have been so popular, but it makes sense when you take in account the form of the book and the era in which it was written. Almost all of Dickens' books, including Bleak House, were written in serial form with two to three chapters published each month over the course of a year and a half. Read in such small segments and over such a long period of time Bleak House was easily digested and made for great entertainment in an era when there was no electricity or television and readers had longer attention spans and less to distract them.

I took my time reading Bleak House, although I often found myself plowing through chapter after chapter, eager to find out what was going to happen next. In the end, it took me a little over a month to read the book. This may sound daunting to some readers, but for the determined reader this book is worth the time. While I have not read every book by Charles Dickens, I do believe it is safe for me to say Bleak House is not just a masterpiece, it is likely his best work. There are so many elements to the story and the characters are rich both in description and conversation. I loved this story. It was a little work to get through it, but I am proud to have read the book and it will remain a life-long favorite.

For those of you who love classics, love Dickens, or love a good long read I highly recommend adding Bleak House to your personal library.

For those of you who are nervous about reading a 989 page book written in 1853 consider borrowing a copy from your library, or better yet, buy an inexpensive copy that will permit you to take your time reading. It’s ok if it takes you a couple months read, in the end you’ll be glad you did.

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For further aide in reading checkout the following suggestions:

- Watch the movie first. Masterpiece Theatre (PBS and BBC) produced an excellent miniseries based off the book. I watched it last year and it was very well made. The actors, the costumes, the sets -- all where excellent! Having now read the book I can also say the film stayed very true to the book, albeit a few minor details. I normally read a book and then watch the film, but I confess, this is one that I am glad I did the opposite. Having seen the miniseries first helped me keep straight in my mind the numerous characters and their stories while I read the book.

- Another idea is to read a chapter and then read the Cliff Notes for that chapter. By reading them in this order you will not spoil the surprises in each chapter, but will be able to review what you’ve read and see if you’ve missed or misunderstood anything. There were a few times while reading that I did refer to the online Cliff Notes just to make sure I understood the previous chapter correctly.

- Last, a word of caution. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT read the summary on Wikipedia until after you have either seen the movie or read the book. Wikipedia's summary and description include numerous spoilers and it’s a surefire way to spoil the suspense of the book. If you are looking for a good place to find out "Who's who" and your book doesn't include a list, then check out Masterpiece Theater's listing. Not everyone in the book was included in the movie, but almost everyone was. It really helped me when I couldn't remember a name.