Dickensians! discussion

Here is the thread for our re-run of Little Dorrit. We had a fantastic group read of this finishing just a few months ago, and here's your chance to join in with the buddies, if you missed it.

This is a buddy read, but Janelle will be hosting first, and starting off each daily chapter. It begins on September 18th. Janelle will also try to make sure that links are put in to the original thread, when there's something interesting. Bridget and Lori are also geared up to help with this, to make the read as rich as possible, like the wonderful buddy read of David Copperfield :) Thanks everyone!

Other members joining in the buddy read are Fiona, Sue, Angela, Allie, Rod, Laura, Antoinette, David, Daniela, Jim, Paula and Sean.

Wow! This a fantastic line-up. Have fun all!

Please allow Janelle to comment first, in case there's anything to add.

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EDIT:
Here is the timetable:

Janelle:

First Book: Poverty

I – December 1855 (chapters 1–4)
II – January 1856 (chapters 5–8)
III – February 1856 (chapters 9–11)
IV – March 1856 (chapters 12–14)
V – April 1856 (chapters 15–18)
VI – May 1856 (chapters 19–22)
VII – June 1856 (chapters 23–25)
VIII – July 1856 (chapters 26–29)

Lori:

IX – August 1856 (chapters 30–32)
X – September 1856 (chapters 33–36)

Second Book: (view spoiler)[ Riches (hide spoiler)]

XI – October 1856 (chapters 1–4)
XII – November 1856 (chapters 5–7)
XIII – December 1856 (chapters 8–11)
XIV – January 1857 (chapters 12–14)

Bridget:

XV – February 1857 (chapters 15–18)
XVI – March 1857 (chapters 19–22)
XVII – April 1857 (chapters 23–26)
XVIII – May 1857 (chapters 27–29)
XIX-XX – June 1857 (chapters 30–34)

Each instalment cost a shilling (5p) except for the last, which was a double issue and cost two shillings. The illustrations were again by Hablot Knight Browne or "Phiz", his favourite artist and friend.

Edit: Bridget will take over part way through installment XV.

I’ve nothing to add at this stage but I’ll hold this space for possible links.

Just looking at my Penguin classics edition, there’s a total of 70 chapters, and almost all of those chapters are under 20 pages, many are much shorter. Is everyone happy reading a chapter a day with no breaks? We would then finish on the 26th November.
If people want a break, we could say have a day off after every 10 chapters which would add a week to the read.
What does everyone think? I’m happy either way.

I am happy with one chapter a day, Janelle. Thanks.

Same here. 1 chapter a day works great.

That sounds fine to me.

I agree, one chapter a day!

I would vote for a break every 10 days. The Penguin classics edition is very good, with footnotes and an interesting appendix about the Marsallsea prison.

I will read an Italian edition, it will be the the first time I will do this in a group read of an English book. I am trying to read the books I already have in my house!

Good for you, Daniela!

We had another Italian speaker in our group read earlier this year, (Milena :) - and I think a couple of others were also reading this not in their mother tongue). But I wrote a summary of each chapter every day, and it sounds as if this buddy read will mirror that pattern :) Everyone said this helped a lot, because in online summaries you often get spoilers, and also they can be very short :(

Janelle will be linking to these, I think, and there are also links to each chapter at the beginning of each thread. Each one is illustrated, and followed by commentary and discussion.

Yes, once we get going I’ll link to the summaries in the original thread each day. They’re great for extra info as well.

Yes David, as far as I know edition doesn’t matter. I’ll probably read on my iPad and use the penguin for notes. My eyes aren’t as young as they were when I first read it!

Thank you Janelle :)
Good to see you're on to it, David :)

I would like to join you :)

Fantastic, Paula! We would love to have you join us. It's going to be a really great group!

Adding you in, Paula :)

Welcome, Paula :)

I have a kindle edition, apparently unabridged from the original, with original illustrations. I was considering getting the Penguin kindle edition but maybe I will see how my copy reads.

Hi everyone. I’ve just found this thread. I had wondered when we were starting. Little Dorrit is sitting on my bookcase ready and waiting! Looking forward to this buddy read very much.

Sue wrote: "I have a kindle edition, apparently unabridged from the original, with original illustrations..."

This is the one I use :)

Oh Jean, I’m glad. I hate to bother getting a new one but wondered.

And I just learned I’m having my other cataract surgery on next Monday so I will even be able to read better for Little Dorrit.

Everything is coming together!

David, it is a very nice edition!

David, I have the Penguin at well. I used the Penguin edition of David Copperfield for our recent Buddy Read and loved it, so I'm expecting more of the same with the Penguin Little Dorrit.

Getting very excited for this to start. I think we start this Saturday, is that right??

Sue wrote: "Oh Jean, I’m glad. I hate to bother getting a new one but wondered.

And I just learned I’m having my other cataract surgery on next Monday so I will even be able to read better for Little Dorrit."

good luck with that Sue. I've heard those surgeries are very successful.

Thinking of you today Sue! And hope everyone is getting excited, ready for this really BIG buddy read :)

Hope your surgery was a success, Sue.

Everything went great and thanks for the good wishes. I’m reading with two eyes today and it looks great. Only a tiny bit of discomfort. Must be time for eye drops again! Looking forward to Little Dorrit too.

We begin reading tomorrow!

I’m really, really looking forward to this, Janelle.

Me too, Fiona!

The time has arrived!

I can't wait either!!

Me too. Little Dorrit , here we come.

Yay!! It’s going to be great!

In one of those nice reading coincidences, I just finished Affinity by Sarah Waters, set in 1873. One evening the main character is asked by her mother to read to her. The book she gets off the shelf? Little Dorrit :))

Janelle wrote: "In one of those nice reading coincidences, I just finished Affinity by Sarah Waters, set in 1873. One evening the main character is asked by her mother to read to her. T..."

that is so fun Janelle! Love when things like that happen.

That is so perfect, Janelle!

Excited to read Little Dorrit!

And we're off! I know you'll all have a fabulous time with this one - it really is a great read :)

Wow! What a start! Both unexpected and puzzling because where do we go from here? The landscape is as much a character as John Baptist and Rigaud. We can practically feel it breathing. The description of the harsh Mediterranean sun and light is simply perfect. I’ve had to restrain myself from reading Chapter 2 but I’m looking forward to my buddy readers’ reactions to this opening chapter.

Link to summary Chapter 1

Thank you so much, Janelle :)

What a remarkable start! I am intrigued by the contrasts of the hot, broiling sun and the cool, darkness of the cell of the prison. Living in Texas, I can relate to the heat although I’ve never been to Marseilles. Right away Dickens writes of the contrast of the harbor and the sea. The harbor is black and foul while the sea is beautiful and blue. The two never mix. Also the sea is important for Dickens so it will be interesting to see where he takes this.

There was no wind to make a ripple on the foul water within the harbour, or on the beautiful sea without. The line of demarcation between the two colours, black and blue, showed the point which the pure sea would not pass; but it lay as quiet as the abominable pool, with which it never mixed.

More contrasts with the two prisoners. I love the description of Rigaud who eeks villain! Jean Baptist’s crimes are definitely less severe with him being a smuggler of stolen goods.

There’s a lot to talk about so I’ll be back!

So, we begin with a prison and two characters. I wonder if they are both important for our story. It is a rather gloomy start, in my opinion. Perhaps it is because I have always thought that this is a sad story. I hope I am wrong! I am eager to discover the rest. John Baptist is a compatriot of mine, perhaps Giovan Battista or Gian Battista.

I love that quote Lori. It reminds me of how pure and peaceful the water was for little Paul Dombey. (I don't think that's a spoiler. I hope not anyway.)

I really like how I felt the oppression of the heat on Marseilles in this opening. And then, like you all said, the contrast with the dark prison. I also love how Dickens wraps all the metaphors together towards the end when the jailer takes Rigaud away:
There is no sort of whiteness in all the hues under the sun, at all like the whiteness of Monsieur Rigaud's face as it was then

When the narration moves into the jail cell, I felt like I was watching the opening of a play. It made me think about how much Dickens loved the theater. I could just see the curtain opening on this lonely jail cell with Rigaud on a ledge above and John Baptist on the floor below. It struck me the most when John Baptist is drawing the map of the Mediterranean coast, using all of the space of the cell. I wondered if Dickens pictured it as a play while he was writing it. All the action of the first chapter takes place in this prison space. Even the Jailer and his daughter appear at the window. Until Rigaud exits (stage left maybe ;-) It would be so easy to bring it to a stage.

Fiona wrote: "Wow! What a start! Both unexpected and puzzling because where do we go from here? The landscape is as much a character as John Baptist and Rigaud. We can practically feel it breathing. The descript..."

Exactly Fiona. How are we going to get from Marseilles to England?

Well spotted, Daniela :)

I love your thoughts about the scene opening up on the cell, Bridget, and I can see the stage darkness with just a tiny, sliver of light coming through the bars or grating on one side. Very dramatic! And I loved the scene when John Baptist maps out the different ports.

I liked this line as well:
A prison taint was on everything there. The imprisoned air, the imprisoned light, the imprisoned damps, the imprisoned men....Like a well, like a vault, like a tomb, the prison had no knowledge of the brightness outside...

Wasn't it interesting how the two prisoners had different meals brought to them almost contrasting their statuses. I wondered if it had anything to do with money? Did Rigaud pay for his food, is that why his was more decadent? I'd have thought every prisoner received the same meal.

I could picture the little girl holding her basket with the bread and visualize her feeding the "birds". Her father, the jailer, has created a sort of game for her - feeding the birds. I wondered at what else this could symbolize- referring to the prisoners as birds - like they are kept in a cage and cannot get out until the door is opened.

Daniela wrote: "So, we begin with a prison and two characters. I wonder if they are both important for our story. It is a rather gloomy start, in my opinion. Perhaps it is because I have always thought that this i..."

Yes, he is from Genoa? Is this name used often today?