Today I was thinking about which fat Dickens novel I'd like to re-read next, after the spring semester ends. "Martin Chuzzlewit!" I said to myself. It's the only novel that's partially set in the US, and its biting observations about American culture still resonate. I read it for the first time in 2001, not long after our return from two years in the UK, and I am curious to see how my memories hold up. Plus it's an interesting time in which to reflect on outsiders' perceptions of the wacky ways we do things here in the US.
"Oh!" said my brain to itself, "let's spread the word right away! How many people will want to join in? We could make a hashtag: #FAMDRAL, for Fourth Annual May Dickens Read-Along!" And then I thought realistically about the number of people who will probably want to re-read a 900-page novel that I myself have classed in the bottom tier of Dickens novels, and I had to laugh at my enthusiasm.
But hey-- if you are pining away to learn more about the Dickensian perspective on US quirks and redemption through illness and Victorian midwifery, you have 3.5 months to deal with your current reading backlog. I know you won't want to miss a minute of the #FAMDRAL party.
At the top of my own pile is a brand-new book called Class. The Times reviewed it this week and I bought it impulsively. The main character is increasingly unlikable and yet I do not want to see the trainwreck I fear awaits her. It is crisply written, packed with on-target zingers about mommy-wars nonsense and subtle flavors of racism, but it is also pretty depressing. This character won't stop telling lies, though, and I almost can't deal with it. (My reaction reminds me of the way I felt about Eligible. People on the internet had all kinds of complaints about that book; I liked it except for the lies. I hate it when characters I'm supposed to like keep telling lies.)
I am bracing myself to find out what happens. Something I appreciate about Dickens: you're never expected to root for a person who lies habitually. There, I bet that filled you with firm resolve to join me in May. (I bet Tracy, who may not have forgiven me for persuading her to tackle Bleak House three years ago, is pretty sure what she's not reading in May.)
I have no need to forgive you, even if Bleak House remains on my Kindle waiting for those moments where I sigh and slog through a few more pages... I just wonder again and again why it is one of your top Dickens novels. have I already told you I recently read a paragraph to my daughter, who sighed at how wonderful it sounded and wondered why I don't love it??? what is wrong with me???
that said, no... I will not be adding another Dickens novel to my to-be-read list, especially while I am still reading Bleak House. I am strong-willed and stubborn and I will overcome...
Posted by: Tracy | January 22, 2017 at 04:04 PM
Jamie, I'm chuckling over the timing of my seeing this post in my Feedly. It's early morning here and I just spent an hour not reading, but rather tapping through the bazillion galleys on my Kindle, trying to decide *what* to read. I have the worst option paralysis when it comes to books.
Then Scott (that angel) brought me a mug of caffeinated hot cocoa and I sat up, sighing, feeling I'd wasted a precious reading hour. The thought in my head was: I'm 48. I can't afford to waste ANY reading hours. I mean, I still haven't gotten through all of Dickens!
Which made me remember that last year I set up Daily Lit to send emails three days a week containing installments of classics I hadn't gotten around to yet. I've tried Daily Lit before, and what always happens is: either I get about a week into a book and then start saving the emails for later, which means never; or I get sucked into the novel and wind up abandoning the installment plan and just plain reading the book. :) I read a lot of Twain that way in 2015. So this morning, about thirty seconds before I opened Feedly, I thought: maybe I should do a Dickens Daily Lit project?
And then boom, this post. :)
I've never read Chuzzlewit. For that matter, I (like Tracy) have never made it through Bleak House, either. I'm going to go see what Dickens is available via Daily Lit because those email chunks really are a good way to get me rolling on a big reading project. (Unless they aren't.) ;)
Your remarks on Dickens's biting observations of American culture reminded me of the story about a very young Kate Douglas Wiggins's biting observations of Dickens's work--to his face. Do you remember that? Very old post on Bonny Glen: http://melissawiley.com/blog/2005/12/23/snuggling-up-to-genius/
*****
“Well, upon my word!” he said. “You do not mean to say that you have read them!”
“Of course I have,” I replied. “Every one of them but the two that we are going to buy in Boston, and some of them six times.”
“Bless my soul!” he ejaculated again. “Those long, thick books, and you such a slip of a thing!”
“Of course,” I explained, conscientiously, “I do skip some of the very dull parts once in a while; not the short dull parts, but the long ones.”
He laughed heartily. “Now, that is something that I hear very little about,” he said. “I distinctly want to learn more about those very dull parts..."
****
The whole story is so funny. :)
And this comment is so long I should have made it a post!
Posted by: Lissa | January 23, 2017 at 10:03 AM
Love the story, Lissa!
It occurs to me that it would be much more sensible to encourage people to read the Dickens of their choosing in May. I'll read Martin Chuzzlewit and blog about it as I go, but maybe there are folks out there who would prefer to tackle Tale of Two Cities or something instead.
Posted by: Jamie | January 24, 2017 at 08:16 AM
I will join you and Martin C.!
Posted by: Kerry | January 25, 2017 at 10:56 AM
So far so good with Martin Chuzzlewit (I hadn't ever heard of it!) for me ... downloaded it on the kindle and have read the first couple of chapters and am taken so far ... i know you say May, but I never know, with my brain, when I'll be able to do lots of reading, and when I won't, so I figure a head start is a good thing :-)
Posted by: Ellie | January 25, 2017 at 02:50 PM
May is a long way away and I have a bunch of books on my piles. But maybe, maybe I'll have a little space for some Dickens. Though it's tempting to just re-read Bleak House. I was just citing Mrs Jellyby today to a friend. But maybe MC needs to be sampled.
Posted by: Melanie B | January 26, 2017 at 08:32 PM