The Most Famous Victorian Author, Then and Now After listening to 10 of Dicken’s best-known novels in abridged BBC Radio full-cast dramatizations, I fiThe Most Famous Victorian Author, Then and Now After listening to 10 of Dicken’s best-known novels in abridged BBC Radio full-cast dramatizations, I figured I was well prepared to enjoy a biography of his life, which is always a fascinating reveal of just how much author’s intertwine their own life experiences and personalities in various characters, along with the people they knew.
As Dickens has always been a famously keen observer of the humanity and Victorian society in particular, this was a perfect book to learn just how his own early experiences of child poverty in the workhouses where his father was thrown into the Marhsalsea Debtor’s Prison in Southwark when he was just a young boy. It colored his entire outlook on the hardships and cruelties of class society in Victorian England, and engendered a lifelong sympathy with the working and poor classes that he would champion throughout his life, even as he achieved success far beyond his humble beginnings and mingled increasingly with the upper classes.
Dickens also shows what a driven and workaholic personality he had, writing constantly and late into the night, sometimes when the muse was upon him, and other times out of financial necessity and the unforgiving deadlines of his weekly installments for the literary journals he contributed to and later ran himself. He also continued to father children with his wife year after year, meaning more mouths to feed and then find places for in society as they grew up.
As he got older, he also fell in love with a much younger actress and split with his wife, further complicating his life. He also discovered that his long-standing talent and passion for impersonations and reading his work was a commercial gold mine, and became one of the first media darlings of the era by doing dramatic readings from his works, including all the various accents and characters, to large and enthusiastic audiences.
Even as his health started to fail from the relentless pace of his readings and writing, he refused to give up or slow down, just another sign of his driven personality. He was a singular and towering figure in the Victorian literary canon, and also a hugely-influential public figure championing for social reforms for the poor and disadvantaged in a age of glaring gaps between rich and poor....more
Another Convoluted Dickens Victorian Melodrama This was my last Dicken’s novel in my admittedly cheeky BBC Radio full-cast dramatizations, which are vaAnother Convoluted Dickens Victorian Melodrama This was my last Dicken’s novel in my admittedly cheeky BBC Radio full-cast dramatizations, which are vastly easier to tackle at 5-8hrs of audiobook, vs the weeks of reading tiny print for 1,000 pages for some of his doorstoppers, keeping track of 30-40 characters and their dozens of subplots and interrelationships. That is simply too much for me, but it probably made sense for Victorian audiences looking forwarding to weekly installments in serial form. This book seemed to be even more convoluted than some of his stories, and though I went to the Wiki entry to try and untangle the full picture, I realized the radio version was just a tiny patch of the full tapestry. So I won’t attempt to discuss the plot at all - suffice to say that I did enjoy the characters and stories that were offered, it has all the classic Dickensian combination of social commentary, melodrama, satire, and his richly embellished writing style....more
Dicken's Shortest and Most Polemical Book This is one of Dicken’s shortest novels, and one a bit heavy-handed in its sledgehammer criticism of capitaliDicken's Shortest and Most Polemical Book This is one of Dicken’s shortest novels, and one a bit heavy-handed in its sledgehammer criticism of capitalist exploitation of factory workers and the concept of Utilitarianism. He is filled with righteous anger at the callous abuse of the wealthy as they dehumanize their workers as just “hands” to be used and discarded as needed in pursuit of profit. It’s still got the various Dickensian villains and heroes/villains, though they are not as fully-formed and complex as those found in his larger works. All told, it’s a book on a mission, which was sorely needed in those early and brutal days of the Industrial Revolution, but doesn’t stand up as well today compared to his better works....more
The Abridged BBC 4 Radio Version Was Perfect for Me - A Sprawling Work in Full This is without question Dicken’s most dense and sprawling novel, with tThe Abridged BBC 4 Radio Version Was Perfect for Me - A Sprawling Work in Full This is without question Dicken’s most dense and sprawling novel, with the clever framing narrative of an interminable and impossibly drawn-out Court of Chancery case, Jardyce and Jardyce, that connects a huge cast of characters over 900+ pages. As I wimped out and opted for a mere taste of this dense masterpiece (and solid doorstopper) via a 5-hour abridged BBC 4 Radio full-cast dramatization, I feel I am not entitled to weigh in (pun-intended) on the full tome itself. In fact, I instead spent a pleasant hour some of my favourite GR reviewer’s thoughts on the book, which are as entertaining or more than the audio version, and provide as much insight at far less time-cost, that I find it too daunting and pointless a task for me to provide a review of my own. Instead, I’ll just say that it was a very interesting listen, but I am glad I didn’t dedicate the full 43 hours for the Full Monty, as I don’t have energy or patience or stamina for that, however worthy an endeavor it might be. ...more
Little Nell, a Heroic and Tragic Heroine of Dickens This was a lesser-known Dickens title to me, but has all the classic Dickensian themes and heroes/hLittle Nell, a Heroic and Tragic Heroine of Dickens This was a lesser-known Dickens title to me, but has all the classic Dickensian themes and heroes/heroines and villains, this time centered on the angelic Little Nell and her Grandfather, who are fighting to stave off poverty after they lose their Old Curiosity Shop to the usurious and villainous dwarf moneylender Daniel Quilip. There is a parallel story of Kip, a young boy who is Nell’s friend and servant, honest and loyal, who gets targeted by the evil Quilip out of sheer malice and jealousy. There are many dramatic twists and turns for the characters, and I imagine the full version was very detail-heavy as most of his novels are, but I listened to the abridged BBC 4 Radio full-cast dramatization, which was dramatically performed and just the right length for my interests. ...more
A Collection of Satirical Victorian Misadventures, Not a Novel This was Charles Dicken’s first work, written at age 24 in 19 installments over 20 monthA Collection of Satirical Victorian Misadventures, Not a Novel This was Charles Dicken’s first work, written at age 24 in 19 installments over 20 months, initially to accompany humorous sketches by well-known illustrator Robert Seymour (who committed suicide after providing sketches for only the first two installments), but Dickens quickly took over creative control and later illustrators were given summaries of each episode to work from. So this is not a novel per se, but mainly a collection of amusing and satirical misadventures by a serious of gentlemen who form the Pickwick Club, exploring various parts of England by coach and getting into various troublesome situations.
It quickly gained great popularity with Victorian readers of all walks of life, and catapulted Dickens to fame and success very early on, and in an era without radio or TV or movies or streaming dramas and internet, it’s easy to see how readers fell in love with the characters and farcical situations and skillful social satire. However, that same content stretched over 800-900 pages or 32 hours in audio format is a quite an exhausting proposition, so I opted for the abridged BBC 4 Radio full-cast dramatization, and having previously read some of his classic full novels, like Oliver Twist, A Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations, Nicholas Nikleby, and David Copperfield, it definitely suffered in comparison, but that comparison is clearly unfair given its a completely different work in structure and intent. Still, I wouldn’t recommend it as an initial foray into Dicken’s canon, best saved only for serious Dicken’s fans and completists. ...more
Dicken's Most Personal Coming-of-Age Tale This is considered Dicken’s most autobiographical novel, and his own personal favourite, likely for that reasDicken's Most Personal Coming-of-Age Tale This is considered Dicken’s most autobiographical novel, and his own personal favourite, likely for that reason. It bears some clear parallels to the story arcs of Nicholas Nickleby, though I actually found Nicholas to be more appealing as a hotheaded and passionate young man who had a strong sense of justice/injustice, whereas David often let the events of life carry him along, and lacked the agency to make his own fate at times, settling for what seemed expected of him, though he did grow through his experiences. It’s a very long and detailed story, and I don’t have the energy to do a full review (and is there any point in that), so suffice to say the abridged BBC 4 full-cast audio dramatization was the perfect format for me to enjoy the story and characters and setting without getting bogged down in the minutiae. ...more
A Classic Tale of Redemption That Inspired a Revival of Xmas Celebrations This is a full cast studio production of the classic tale that has become synA Classic Tale of Redemption That Inspired a Revival of Xmas Celebrations This is a full cast studio production of the classic tale that has become synonymous with Xmas celebrations and inspired a revival of Christmas celebrations in Victorian England. It's a short and simple story in structure, but because of that its appeal and relevance is universal. A wealthy miser named Ebenezer Scrooge lives only to squeeze money from his creditors and accumulate wealth for its own sake, being both friendless and ill-tempered, so very much alone in the world.
When the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future show him the errors of his ways, and that he is headed to a sad and unmourned death, he wakes up to his mistakes and rejoices in the chance to make amends and treat his family and employees with more kindness. It's become done to death in TV specials and dramas, but really, who can deny that the message is absolutely spot-on, in a modern capitalist society that rewards greed and material wealth over generosity of spirit and kindness to others. ...more
A Coming of Age Tale Exploring Class Divisions and Expectations This is an interesting one, all about class mobility and expectations in Victorian EnglA Coming of Age Tale Exploring Class Divisions and Expectations This is an interesting one, all about class mobility and expectations in Victorian England, and what happens as Pip begins life as an orphan adopted by a blacksmith, then comes into an unexpected inheritance that creates "great expectations", transforming him into a gentleman in London, with all the shifting attitudes and behaviors, and how quickly he abandons those people beneath his "station". This includes the wooing of his former childhood infatuation with Estella, a cold but beautiful daughter of the eccentric Miss Haversham, and the sudden change in his prospects as he comes into money from a mysterious benefactor. But the plot gets more complicated as Pip discovers who his benefactor really is, challenging his views on his position in society, and creating some suspense with an unexpected enemy and rival for Estella. As usual, there are copious coincidences in character and plot in true Dickensian style, but again we get a very nuanced if melodramatic window onto Victorian class society, which was well worth it with the expert narration of Martin Jarvis. ...more
A Classic Tale of the French Revolution, But Split Between Paris and London For the longest time I had no idea what this book was about, despite its icA Classic Tale of the French Revolution, But Split Between Paris and London For the longest time I had no idea what this book was about, despite its iconic author, title, and opening lines. But as I have finally got around to exploring Dicken's catalog, after almost a half century alive, I learned that it was not just his usual story set in London. While it certainly contrasts the downtrodden and powerless with the rich and privileged in France, it's plot is far more complex and it spans many swathes of both French and English society as it depicts and contrasts the two societies at a time of great upheaval and change. It features many memorable characters, scenes, and events, and of course the great forces of history are vividly described in Dicken's elaborate prose. I'm glad I finally read it, and probably appreciated it more now than if I had been forced to read it in English class back in high school. ...more
A Classic Victorian Tale of Child Poverty, Crime, and Perseverance This was my very first time reading/listening to Charles Dickens, at age 48, despiteA Classic Victorian Tale of Child Poverty, Crime, and Perseverance This was my very first time reading/listening to Charles Dickens, at age 48, despite his pervasive influence on English Victorian literature and all the film and drama adaptations. I'm glad I waited to sample it in audiobook with the expert narration of actor Jonathan Pryce. It's his renditions of the foppish and arrogant upper classes, and sinister and brutish criminal underclasses, that brings the story and picture of Victorian society to life along with Dickens' vivid and dramatic story. It's one of his shorter novels, and apparently one of his most beloved, along with A Tale of Two Cities and Great Expectations. Since all of his audiobooks are available in the Audible Plus Catalogue, I'll be listening to them all in the winter months here in England, seems the perfect time to delve into his literary world....more
An Attempt to Strip Away the Sordid Myths and Examine This Notorious Family in their Historical Context This is a fairly short audiobook series of lectAn Attempt to Strip Away the Sordid Myths and Examine This Notorious Family in their Historical Context This is a fairly short audiobook series of lectures that attempt to strip away all the sordid and salacious tales of debauchery, murder, incest, orgies, corruption, scheming, duplicity, and general abuse of power that the Borgias are infamous for. Since I had never studied up on them, this was my first exposure to the details of the most (in)famous of them, Rodrigo Borgia (who became Pope Alexander VI, who was both a brilliant stateman, ruthless politician, and insatiable indulger in carnal pleasures; his bloodthirsty son Cesare Borgia, most vicious of all the Borgias, and Lucrezia Borgia, the daughter and sister who was rumored to be as ruthless as her male counterparts and also had incestuous relations with them (portrayed in a plethora of books, films, and dramas), but which Mr. Landon seeks to dismiss as baseless gossip arising from the Borgia's many, many enemies and rivals (often with good cause, granted).
He is quick to admit that even discounting many of the most outrageous stories and accusations, the Borgias where certainly a ruthless, cruel, and manipulative bunch, but that they were not so vastly different from their contemporaries, only more obvious and ostentatious in their extravagances, which may well have produced so many detractors and defamers. So while it is not an apologia as such, it certainly is the author's mission to put their behavior in historical context.
This was a good intro to the subject, though perhaps lacking in depth, so ideal for someone with casual interest who can go on to delve further into the Borgias and their historical period of great change and violence and creativity....more
Definitely the weakest entry - the franchise was getting tired by this point This was the last of the Sherlock Holmes collections, and definitely the oDefinitely the weakest entry - the franchise was getting tired by this point This was the last of the Sherlock Holmes collections, and definitely the one that felt a bit tired and going through the motions, though still skillfully done. It just felt as though Doyle needed to churn more stories out to please his fans and generate some income, a situation not confined to modern authors, and still a far more enviable situation that the starving artist who receives no recognition at all. The stories also seems quite dark and more unpleasant in parts, so really only stuck this one out as it was the last in Stephen Fry's Definitive Collection, which in its 71hrs entirety remains the most impressively done audiobook I've experienced to date....more
The Penultimate Collection of Stories: A Mixed Bag This collection of Sherlock Holmes was published in 1917, consisting of previously published storiesThe Penultimate Collection of Stories: A Mixed Bag This collection of Sherlock Holmes was published in 1917, consisting of previously published stories, and is structured as reminisces by Dr. Watson about some of Sherlock's earlier adventures after Sherlock is already retired in country seclusion in Sussex. Coming out as it did during the latter part of WWI, came out during a very different world of the gaslight and carriages of Sherlock's Victorian times, and much darker. The titular story, His Last Bow, is actually a WWI spy story involving Sherlock coming out of retirement to match wits with a German spy, bringing him closer to the concerns of that tumultuous event.
Unlike past stories, some are actually told from Sherlock's POV or in third person, and I thought the quality of the stories was far less consistent than past collections. Considering that Doyle wrote 56 stories featuring the legendary sleuth, it's hard to fault him if some are not quite as memorable as others. Still, about half the stories were up to the normal high standards, and well worth reading for the Sherlock completist, thought not as an entry point....more
The 4th Full-length Holmes Novella; not At the Top but A Solid Story Nonetheless The book follows the same structure as Doyle's 1st full-length story oThe 4th Full-length Holmes Novella; not At the Top but A Solid Story Nonetheless The book follows the same structure as Doyle's 1st full-length story on Sherlock Holmes, A Study in Scarlet. This one is a fairly intriguing murder/suicide mystery set in a country home, with Holmes and Watson on the case. Again the first half of the story is an extended crime investigation, with the second half switching locations completely to a very rough and lawless mining town in the US dominated by a criminally-murderous group of Freemasons called the Scourgers, and just like A Study in Scarlet, Holmes and Watson are completely absent. Also unlike that story, I found this flashback story a lot more hard-boiled and interesting than the tale of love and jealousy in the desert among sinister Mormons. However, it remains a problematic narrative structure as you're very unlikely to be reading this unless you are a Sherlock & Holmes completist, and it's hard to be satisfied when they are completely offstage for half the book. The one improvement structurally I would say is that Sherlock actually solves the mystery in the end of the 1st half, so one of the pleasures of the 2nd half is to slowly see how the events of the 1st half came to be, and the connection between the two seemingly separately stories....more
Another Excellent Collection That Gives Some Backstory on How Sherlock Got His Start, and of course the Notorious Finale Now that I've been on a roll wAnother Excellent Collection That Gives Some Backstory on How Sherlock Got His Start, and of course the Notorious Finale Now that I've been on a roll with the 71-hour mega audiobook Sherlock Holmes: The Definitive Audio Collection narrated by the brilliant Stephen Fry, I've stopped thinking about how many stories I've listened to, they are just wonderful windows onto Victorian society (the good, the bad, and the ridiculous), the amazing deductive reasoning skills of Holmes, the unflagging loyalty of Dr. Watson (who seems quite happy to ditch his doctor duties to tag along for some crime solving, not sure what his patients think of that), and of course the ingenious mysteries themselves, introduced and solved in the short span of an hour's listening. ...more
The Best Full-Length Sherlock Holmes Adventure, An Excellent Supernatural Thriller It's hard to imagine a better-executed full-length Sherlock AdventurThe Best Full-Length Sherlock Holmes Adventure, An Excellent Supernatural Thriller It's hard to imagine a better-executed full-length Sherlock Adventure than this. It combines a great setting on the Moors, a frightening take of a bloodthirsty hound that has haunted a family for centuries, a host of memorable characters, multiple plot elements that tie together skillfully, and told at an exciting pace. It's in my opinion far better than either A Study in Scarlet (ruined by the 2nd half lost in the deserts of Utah with no Sherlock/Watson) or The Sign of the Four (not a bad story, but this one just holds together better). I had no plans to read all the Sherlock stories, but having discovered the 71-hour audiobook done by the incomparable Stephen Fry, I am totally hooked and also enjoyed the modernized BBC version featuring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, filled with homages and easter eggs for fans of the stories....more
The Best Intro to Sherlock Holmes, Ingenuous and Engaging Crime Short Stories with the Most Famous Detective of All Time I had thought just to sample aThe Best Intro to Sherlock Holmes, Ingenuous and Engaging Crime Short Stories with the Most Famous Detective of All Time I had thought just to sample a few of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's most famous Sherlock Holmes stories just so I could tick them off my bucket list, but after discovering the mammoth 71-hour audiobook (at the same price as any other, incredible) narrated by the incomparable Stephen Fry, I just couldn't stop listening to one story after another, they are the ultimate duo, Doyle and Fry, after Holmes and Watson.
The first two books chronologically are full length novellas, A Study in Scarlet and The Sign of the Four, and while those both have lots to recommend them, I think it's the short stories that really present Sherlock's genius with inductive reasoning based on clinical observations, and are so entertaining and compact at about 1hr each that you just go through them like a bag of crisps or box of biscuits, extremely addictive (though not quite at the cocaine habit level of Sherlock himself). ...more
An Engaging Full-Length Tale of This Crime-Solving Duo This is the second full-length installment in the Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson series that pioAn Engaging Full-Length Tale of This Crime-Solving Duo This is the second full-length installment in the Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson series that pioneered the detective fiction genre and set the template for future generations. I think it was far better structured than the initial book A Study in Scarlett that spent almost the entire second half in the deserts of Utah with some nefarious Mormons, something that would have been exotic for Victorian readers back then but just separated us from the protagonists for far too long.
This book is fast paced and packed with events, but the central focus remains on the cold, cerebral, often patronizing Sherlock, his largely docile sidekick Watson, a tale of lost and stolen Indian treasure, and even some romance for Dr Watson as he meets Mary Morstan for the first time. There are of course elements of Victorian colonialist attitudes which today would be labeled racist, but 140 years ago would have been viewed as standard. I find the stories fascinating for exactly that reason, a window onto a different era and completely different attitudes and values to today.
I've seen the Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman BBC series recently, so I do already have a visual picture of what the characters were like, but the original books retain their verve and cleverness and are as a result quite entertaining....more
Loading...
