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In response to
"Feb. I don't know if it's a real thing, it's my brother's thing."
by
TFox
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here's his e-mail about it:
Posted by
TFox
Jan 27 '12, 21:11
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Hello all,
If you are getting this, it is because you are someone who has previously participated in the greatest of annual literary tradition of our time, or someone who I think may want to jump on the train. We are a week away from our fifth annual Dickens Month, and what a year it is. Chuck D's 200th birthday is February 7th of this year and Dickensia is abounding worldwide.
For those new to this, or as a refresher for everyone who has partied in the past:
What is Dickens Month?
The first book you start in February is a Dickens book. They take about a month, most of em are a little long. I always go over, but generally, a month is good.
Ummm, thats it?
Yep. Simple.
Do I get some excellent free stuff?
Previous years, no. This year and subsequent years, yes! Dana (who many of you may know, or whose art you may remember from such things as my wedding invites) has designed some excellent Dickens Month 2012 bookplates which I will mail for free to anyone who says they are participating this year. The attachment is the image, she did a killer job. (If you want to see any of her other stuff, her company's webpage is twohappyapples.com ). Also, if you are Kindled or Nooked or iPadded at this point, all these things are free in digital version. So there is that free stuff too.
Will there be cocktails?
Sure. For anyone in the city, I'll organize something for early March. Probably somewhere that is either dark wood paneled, or serves old fashioned cocktails. Either seems appropriate.
Well, what are you reading this year, Bob? What should I read?
Great question. I don't know yet. My goal for Dickens Month this year is to have at least one person involved reading each of Dickens fifteen novels (not including the non-fiction and christmas stories, etc). I am going to wait until I hear whatever everyone else is going after and fill in whatever blank may need to be filled. Guessing this will be Little Dorritt, but who knows. I have read 7 of these things so far, and it looks like I will be crossing over the halfway point this year. I'll put a couple of sentences on each of the ones I read before as well as who I would recommend it for at the bottom of this email.
OK - so, lets go! If you would like to participate this year, awesome. Shoot me an email back whenever, let me know what you are thinking about reading. Shoot me our Jean Ann your address (we are co-organizing), and we will mail you one of the bookplates.
Pumped, clearly.
- Bob
PS style notes:
- Please forward to anyone who you would think would be interested. Free bookplates for all! Just have them email me.
- As always, everyone is BCC'ed (egregious reply alls: skipping out on bills at the bar is about the only way to get your friends to turn on you faster)
- I plan on sending two more emails to this list of people, one on Dickens birthday to say how many people we have signed up, and one at the end of Feb/early march to organize cocktails. If you want off the list, just let me know.
- Also, for those in the city, there is a great little exhibit at the Morgan Library of Dickens things. A visit there is worth it just to see the building if you never have, but the Dickens stuff is also great. Here is the link.
What I have tackled:
A Tale of Two Cities
Summary: Best of times, worst of times. Some drama at a personal level with the backdrop of the French Revolution. Really just an incredible story.
Recommended for: First timers. Arguably his best work, and at 350 or so pages, almost definitively his shortest.
Great Expectations
Summary: Boy meets girl. Girl blows off boy. For a while. There is also some gentlemanliness and a crabby old lady. And an excellent South Park episode that walks through the whole book which you will love if you choose this.
Recommended for: Anyone who has had those first two sentences happen to them, as written or in the inverse.
Oliver Twist
Summary: Orphan wants more food. Meets some pickpockets. Questionable results.
Recommended for: Those who want to 'get' all the "Can I have some more?" quotes bandied about in movies/tv/otherbooks/etc. Also juveniles, as there is literally a character who goes by "Master Bates".
Martin Chuzzlewit
Summary: I read this because it is the only novel that sets foot in America. The plot is not my favorite, but the satire of Americans through a Brit's eyes at the time is hilarious and a lot of it still rings true.
Recommended for: Anyone with a patriotic streak going now. That's what hooked me to it.
Bleak House
Summary: An unending court case brings about 50 characters together in different ways and ruins many of them. A lot of literary people consider this his "best" (which means that it is the longest and the most complex).
Recommend for: Those who are on at least their third one of these. Its excellent, I loved it, but holy god, it's a humdinger of a book and a lot to get through.
The Old Curiosity Shop
Summary: An old man has a granddaughter and a problem with money and his own impulses and some lenders. This has probably my favorite scene in any of these books in it, but is not my favorite in total. Good, but not the fave.
Recommended for: Sentimentalists, maybe? Anyone wanting to read about money lending and its woes in centuries past as a comparison to current situations at home and abroad? Maybe?
The Pickwick Papers
Summary: Four guys travel around England getting hammered and mingling with locals to learn about British culture. All satire.
Recommended for: Anyone generally stressed out who wants some lighter fare.
What are the other ones?
Nicholas Nickleby
Barnaby Rudge
Dombey and Son
David Copperfield
Hard Times
Little Dorritt
Our Mutual Friend
The Mystery of Edwin Drood
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