Sunday, February 5, 2012

BW6: D is for Dickens

Charles Dickens - February 7, 1812

A wonderful fact to reflect upon, that every human creature is constituted to be that profound secret and mystery to every other.  ~  Charles Dickens

 Happy 200th Birthday

In honor of Charles Dicken's birthday, me thinks we should read some Dickens.  I took a film and literature class a couple years back in which we compared and contrasted the book "Great Expectations" to the 1947 version of the film.  I quite enjoyed both and had fun picking out the differences in the film. The drama was so much more intense in the film version. If you watch the movies of Dickens' books, I highly recommend the earlier versions in black and white.  I prefer the old films over the new versions any day.  So much more intense.  Years and years ago I watched "Oliver Twist" and remember it scared the heck out of me and made me really sad,  but never read the book.  Now that I'm older and can appreciate the classics more and since we have the book on our shelves and Oliver Twist is #5 in Susan Wise Bauer's list of fiction to read in "Well Educated Mind" I'm just going to have to read it.  All of Dickens fiction, nonfiction, plays and short stories are available on line here, here and here.   

I challenge you to read one of his stories this month in honor of his birthday.   


ShaReKay of Lost in Kudzu is going mad for Dickens this month. Head on over to her blog and join her in reading "Bleak House" first.


Laura's Reviews who is hosting the 2012 Victorian challenge has dedicated the month of February to Charles Dickens. Be sure to check out her blog and see what everyone is reading. 


Check out the events here and here and here that will be taking place worldwide in honor of his 200th birthday.


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Get ready - We're going start "Moby Dick" by Herman Melville next Sunday.  Get a head start by reading "Why Read Moby Dick" by Nathaniel Philbrick.  It will give you interesting incites into the background of the story.
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Link to your most current read. Please link to your specific book review post and not your general blog link. In the Your Name field, type in your name and the name of the book in parenthesis. In the Your URL field leave a link to your specific post. If you have multiple reviews, then type in (multi) after your name and link to your general blog url.

If you don't have a blog, tell us about the books you are reading in the comment section of this post.

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42 comments:

  1. FaithFebruary 5, 2012 at 4:19 AM

    Our current family read aloud is A Tale of Two Cities. Wonderful story!

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  2. PatriciaFebruary 5, 2012 at 7:21 AM

    Can you say you are a reader if you haven't read Dickens? Maybe, but I am not entirely sure. My book for this week is by a friend of Dickens ... Wilkie Collins worked for him at one time. I have to admit that I read this last month, but as I have not finished a single book this week I fell back to one of the 11 I read in January. The reason for no books this week ... I am in the middle of Moby Dick (separate from your read along). It is good but beware - it is not easy.

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    1. Robin MFebruary 11, 2012 at 5:01 PM

      I have The Moonstone on the shelves. Will get to it eventually!

      Delete
  3. The BookwormFebruary 5, 2012 at 8:25 AM

    Oops! I somehow managed to add links to both last week's review (again!) and this week's.

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  4. UnknownFebruary 5, 2012 at 8:59 AM

    I'm linked up for this week. I don't do reviews of the books, but I linked up my challenge page.

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  5. S.February 5, 2012 at 9:58 AM

    You linked me! Awesome! Thanks Robin :)

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  6. MonicaFebruary 5, 2012 at 2:31 PM

    Finished books 6, 7, & 8 this week. #6 was "The Trouble Begins at 8" - a very witty & entertaining biography of Mark Twain by Sid Fleischman. Book #7 "Homeschooling with Gentleness" by Karen Andres - a short, sweet read. Book #8 "Unschooling Rules - 55 Ways to Unlearn What We Know About School and Rediscover Education" by Clark Aldrich. I agree with most of what he says - except the part that video games have as much value as reading. Booooo! So excited about Dickens. I had him on my list of books to read - so now seems to be the perfect time. Now to pick which book......

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  7. Tina DC HayesFebruary 5, 2012 at 5:50 PM

    Happy Birthday to Charles Dickens!!

    I reread "Great Expectations" and "A Tale of Two Cities" last winter and loved them. (My first go at the former were as a high school freshman, at which time I HATED it, probably because I was forced to drag it out over the whole first semester.) My favorite Dickens work has to be "A Christmas Carol".

    I'm going to take your challenge and read "Oliver Twist" this month. I've never read it before, but will load it on my Kindle tonight. :)

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  8. KeithFebruary 5, 2012 at 6:09 PM

    Moby Dick, eh? I read that back in 2010, the first time I did the challenge. Here's a link to my review:

    http://the52booksin52weekspersonalchallenge.blogspot.com/2010/03/week-8-sort-of-moby-dick-herman.html

    My professor said you should read Moby Dick at least once a year. It's been two years and I still have a copy, so maybe I'll follow along.

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    Replies
    1. Robin MFebruary 11, 2012 at 5:06 PM

      Thanks for the link to your review. Enjoyed reading your thoughts about it again. Now off to check out which version I downloaded.

      Delete
  9. JeanFebruary 5, 2012 at 8:37 PM

    Good idea! I will read The Old Curiosity Shop this month.

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  10. JaneFebruary 6, 2012 at 6:35 AM

    Have a couple others in progress, but must celebrate Charles Dickens' birthday too! Not sure about Moby Dick but I might give it a try! He's still very much alive on Jeopardy :)

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    Replies
    1. Robin MFebruary 11, 2012 at 5:09 PM

      Jeopardy? Really! Been a long time since I've watched it. Dive on it and give it a go.

      Delete
  11. JaneFebruary 6, 2012 at 6:48 AM

    Re: Dickens, check out the Wall Photo on today's "Book Riot" https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=338074149557541&set=a.278926555472301.76091.278916238806666&type=1&theater

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  12. Susan WFebruary 6, 2012 at 6:09 PM

    Currently reading Brotherhood of the Wolf by David Farland

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  13. JaneFebruary 7, 2012 at 12:48 PM

    Here's more -
    Time Entertainment's Blogging Dickens' Novels

    http://entertainment.time.com/tag/top-10-charles-dickens-novels/

    and PBS Masterpiece' "Great Expectations" in April

    http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/greatexpectations/index.html

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  14. CarylFebruary 8, 2012 at 8:05 AM

    I love the idea of reading a Dickens this month, but looking at my TBR stack, I don't think I'll get to him. I have a friend that reads a Dickens novel every winter. I watched a movie version of A Christmas Carol with my 12yo daughter in December, and I've been thinking about reading the novel with her in December 2012. It was neat to hear her thoughts on the story.

    In 52 Books news, I'm catching up with my reviews! I hope to post my Book #6 in the next day or two. :)

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    Replies
    1. Robin MFebruary 11, 2012 at 5:11 PM

      Sounds like a good idea. My son's been wanting to read it as well.

      Delete
  15. Teena in TorontoFebruary 8, 2012 at 8:40 AM

    Just finished lucky #13!

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  16. Ally February 8, 2012 at 10:34 AM

    I have one a Dickens Novel on my Kindle and I may read it next or next week. It will be fascinating to read reviews on here.

    Ally ( Was Paul now Ally, now have a pen name.)

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  17. Ally February 10, 2012 at 4:41 AM

    I'm reading David Copperfield now but it may take me all month to read ! It's quite big !

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    Replies
    1. Robin MFebruary 11, 2012 at 5:17 PM

      I know. That's one I'll tackle another month.

      Delete
  18. SharonWFebruary 10, 2012 at 2:44 PM

    Well, I just finished reading - and blogged about - Catherynne Valente's Book of Dreams. (Short review: hated it. More at http://newpillowbook.wordpress.com/2012/02/10/52-books-52-weeks-the-book-of-dreams/)

    I don't think there's much by Dickens that I can make time to read in just one week. Maybe Hard Times? That's short, but I've already read it and didn't like it much. Christmas Carol is short and great, but I've read it too. Maybe I'll tackle Barnaby Rudge again, and give myself a couple of weeks....

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    Replies
    1. Robin MFebruary 11, 2012 at 5:18 PM

      Actually have the whole month to read Dickens.

      Delete
  19. Teena in TorontoFebruary 10, 2012 at 8:54 PM

    Just finished #14.

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  20. Teena in TorontoFebruary 11, 2012 at 12:23 PM

    Just finished #15.

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  21. Meghan @ Crazy Casa KFebruary 11, 2012 at 8:18 PM

    Finished reading Bossypants by tina Fey this week - really needed the comic break...though she's no Dickens :)

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  22. Carol Ann WeaverFebruary 14, 2012 at 7:21 AM

    I had David Copperfield on my Kindle already, and it is on my 100 Great Books list (http://carolhomeschool2.blogspot.com/p/100-great-books-list.html), and I needed a happy ending kind of book since I have been reading all tragedies (accidentally) this month! LOL!

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  23. Carol Ann WeaverFebruary 14, 2012 at 7:24 AM

    By the way, I love reading the book and then watching all the film versions, comparing and contrasting. I did this for many of the literature classes that I taught to middle/high schoolers! They loved it! I recently watch the old version of David Copperfield, and I am chomping at the bit to watch the Maggie Smith version now!

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Thank you for your kind comments.

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