Never too Late to Read Classics discussion

Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era.

Novels:
Suggested Read: Oliver Twist – 1837
Nicholas Nickleby – 1838
The Old Curiosity Shop – 1840
Barnaby Rudge – 1841
Martin Chuzzlewit – 1843
Dombey and Son – 1846
David Copperfield – 1849
Bleak House – 1852
Hard Times – 1854
Little Dorrit – 1855
A Tale of Two Cities – 1859
Great Expectations – 1860
Our Mutual Friend – 1864
The Mystery of Edwin Drood – 1870

Are you planning on reading any Dickens this May?

I'll be reading a few of his shorter works. I'll keep you posted as I read them.

Gosh, I adore Dickens. His social commentary on classism during an era where they would often glamorize aristocratic life is astounding. "Great Expectations" was the first book I've read from him as a child and it still remains uncontested as one of my favorite books of all time.

I'm currently rereading Bleak House. Once it's done, I'll do Oliver Twist. I've not read it since my teens.

I've decided to read Sketches by Boz, since I own a copy.
I only have two novels left to read, Hard Times and Barnaby Rudge, which I hope to read in the next two years.

Barnaby Rudge is also in my TBR, Rosemarie. Maybe we could do a buddy read of it someday? :) Hard Times I'd recommend with all my heart. It's what revived my interest in Dickens as an adult.

Piyangie wrote: "Barnaby Rudge is also in my TBR, Rosemarie. Maybe we could do a buddy read of it someday? :) Hard Times I'd recommend with all my heart. It's what revived my interest in Dickens as an adult."

I would definitely enjoy doing a buddy read, Piyangie.

Like Jay, I adore Dickens and re-read Great Expectations almost annually, but this month I'm going for a re-read of another great favourite - Hard Times.

John wrote: "Like Jay, I adore Dickens and re-read Great Expectations almost annually, but this month I'm going for a re-read of another great favorite - Hard Times."

I also re-read 'Great Expectations' quite religiously as well, John. I read Hard Times last year, in my opinion, not quite on par with 'Great Expectation' (probably because I'm biased), but it is still indeed an eye-opener.

Would love to dive into 'Tales of Two Cities' next.

Jay wrote: "John wrote: "Like Jay, I adore Dickens and re-read Great Expectations almost annually, but this month I'm going for a re-read of another great favorite - Hard Times."

I also re-read 'Great Expecta..."

That's great, Jay. It's one of my favourite Dickens novels. Only I'll never be able to reread it.

John wrote: "Like Jay, I adore Dickens and re-read Great Expectations almost annually, but this month I'm going for a re-read of another great favourite - Hard Times."

I'm glad to hear Hard Times is a favourite of yours, John. It's a great book. Enjoy your reread! :)

Piyangie wrote: "Jay wrote: "John wrote: "Like Jay, I adore Dickens and re-read Great Expectations almost annually, but this month I'm going for a re-read of another great favorite - Hard Times."

I also re-read 'G..."
Oh, is there any specific reason why, Piyangie?

I plan to listen to Oliver Twist.

Jay wrote: "Piyangie wrote: "Jay wrote: "John wrote: "Like Jay, I adore Dickens and re-read Great Expectations almost annually, but this month I'm going for a re-read of another great favorite - Hard Times."

..."

Don't think I can go through the nervous tension again, Jay. :)

I think I will try Hard Times as it’s one of his books that I have never read. But I probably won’t start it until later in the month.

I bought Oliver Twist several years ago and hope to read it this year! I feel like I will singing Consider Yourself every time I pick up the book. That’s the one thing I remember about the movie. I think the only Dickens book I’ve read is A Christmas Carol. Hard to believe but there it is. I have some catching up to do!

I finally read Oliver Twist two years ago-a nice hard cover copy I've had for years and years-and loved it.

Piyangie wrote: "Jay wrote: "Piyangie wrote: "Jay wrote: "John wrote: "Like Jay, I adore Dickens and re-read Great Expectations almost annually, but this month I'm going for a re-read of another great favorite - Ha..."

I totally understand, but that must mean it was a good read. I'm looking forward to it.

Pam wrote: "the only Dickens book I’ve read is A Christmas Carol. Hard to believe but there it is. ..."

Me too Pam! I have read bits of Tale of Two Cities.

Pam wrote: "Pam (bluegrasspam) | 218 commentsI bought Oliver Twist several years ago and hope to read it this year! I feel like I will singing Consider Yourself every time I pick up the book. That’s the one thing I remember about the movie. I think the only Dickens book I’ve read is A Christmas Carol. Hard to believe but there it is. I have some catching up to do!"

Same here! I once tried The Pickwick Papers (inspired, as I remember, by Little Women), but I couldn't get into it.

So is it the consensus here that Oliver Twist is a good starting point?

Doris
I am not sure it really matters unless you like to read in year published order.

He has other works as well. Many shorts.

Doris, I'd agree with Lesle - anything by Dickens is well worth reading. Although I'd probably avoid starting with one of the doorstoppers, like Bleak House or Little Dorrit.

Personally, I'll always be grateful to my English teacher at the time that my first Dickens was another masterpiece, and one that's almost flawless, Great Expectations.

Oliver Twist is a good choice for a starting point, Doris, but as John said, they're all good.
Dickens wrote a lot of short stories, many of which were ghost stories. He also collaborated with other writers like Wilkie Collins and Elizabeth Gaskell on short stories with a theme, like The Haunted House. They're fun too.

I started reading Sketches by Boz, at the rate of one a day, which will take months. I can't read novels that slowly!

I read Dombey and Son earlier this year, my second Dickens after A Christmas Carol and Other Christmas Writings. I thouroghly enjoyed it and heartily recommend it!

I love Dombey and Son!

Oooh, nice! Love Dickens.

I've read A Tale of Two Cities and, I believe, The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Read Oliver Twist in school.

I've had Bleak House on my TBR for a good while, so maybe I should read that with you guys here in May 🤔

I read Great Expectations and David Copperfield quite regularly, but I'm going to read Oliver Twist this month - I actually haven't read it since childhood, so I'm excited to see what I take from it as an adult.

Welcome everyone! Nice variety of Dickens reads going to happen this month and our suggested read has quite a few as well!

I've finished the first section of Sketches by Boz, called Our Parish. This section was very short, but the next section, called Scenes, is much longer. Each sketch is 5 to 10 pages long.

I finished Nicholas Nickleby a couple of days ago and read David Copperfield earlier this year. I read Great Expectations and A Tale of Two Cities in school but intend to reread them both.

I have read Bleak House five times and Our Mutual Friend twice.

I have tried t read The Pickwick Papers, Martin Chuzzlewit, and Little Dorrit, anf The Old Curiosity Shop but quit in the middle of each, not so much for lack of interest as life interferring when I was reading.

I have not read Oliver Twist nor Barnaby .Rudge

That is interesting Dave that you started 4 different books and life just happens!

It does that to me as well. Actually work happens more than life!

Lesle wrote: "That is interesting Dave that you started 4 different books and life just happens!

It does that to me as well. Actually work happens more than life!"

Work, family, illness, vacation…

Work, family, illness, vacation…"

Yes, Work more than the rest of life!

Lesle wrote: "Work, family, illness, vacation…"

Yes, Work more than the rest of life!"

Yes work took up three decades. I got a lot of outside reading done in college, but find I have to now go back and reread most literature I read then with perspective of 70 years. I retired for health in 2007 but was not well enough to begin reading again until 2014.

I'm glad you were well enough to read again, Dave.
I've read the four books you didn't have a chance to finish and enjoyed Little Dorrit the most, but they were all enjoyable reads, each in their own way.

Rosemarie wrote: "I'm glad you were well enough to read again, Dave.
I've read the four books you didn't have a chance to finish and enjoyed Little Dorrit the most, but they were all enjoyable reads, each in their ..."

For a long time I always determined to read Dickens in Winter, but that resolve has passed.

By chance I started reading David Copperfield just after finishing Jane Eyre. I was struck by the similarities between the books. I looked both up and found that Copperfield was published a year after Eyre.

I just finished rereading Bleak House. I enjoyed it greatly this second time. Now it's a favourite of mine. Will get to Oliver Twist in a few days time.

Dave wrote: "I retired for health in 2007 but was not well enough to begin reading again until 2014..."

Happy to hear that your health is much better now and you can enjoy your reading again.

I'm halfway through Oliver Twist. I'm glad to get to a chapter with people helping Oliver rather than using and abusing him, titled "Of the happy Life Oliver began to lead with his kind Friends." I almost quit reading because I could barely listen to chapters about Sikes and Fagin. But this is Dickens so I'm sticking with it. Oliver Twist seems to have far more evil characters than other books I've read so far, but maybe I've forgotten. I've read Great Expectations, A Tale of Two Cities, David Copperfield, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, A Christmas Carol and Other Christmas Writings, Bleak House and some of his shorter writings.

I'm yet to begin Oliver Twist. I remember that it really depressed me when I read it about 30 yrs ago.

It is depressing, Piyangie! I'll see how the second half goes...

There is a lot of excitement in the second half, Kathy.

There sure is, Rosemarie. I'm enjoying this half much better. Oliver is fairly safe and the plot with the awful characters is revealing.

I finally started on Oliver Twist and now going through the depressing part which have always put me out of rereading it. I'm determined to go through it, but it would be a comfort if any of you can tell me from which chapter the part 2 begins. Since Rosemarie and Kathy had both mentioned that it is more enjoyable and exciting, it's nice to know where to expect the change in advance. My e copy doesn't divide into parts. Thanks.

Finished the superb Hard Times - a mature Dickens working at his peak.

Piyangie wrote: "I finally started on Oliver Twist and now going through the depressing part which have always put me out of rereading it. I'm determined to go through it, but it would be a comfort if ..."

I'd say about Chapter 24, Piyangie. There's a little respite from the awful characters in chapters 12 and 14. It does pick up with solving the "mystery" after Ch. 24.

Kathy wrote: "Piyangie wrote: "I finally started on Oliver Twist and now going through the depressing part which have always put me out of rereading it. I'm determined to go through it, but it would..."

Thanks, Kathy. It's nice to know that in a day or two I can get to more interesting parts.

I just finished Oliver Twist. It's the darkest Dickens novel I've read.

I saw a documentary on Dickens years ago in which I learned that Dickens only regretted writing one incident, in this book. To those of you who read it, you will know which one it is.

I can imagine which one it is, Rosemarie. I'm glad I finished this book, but it is my least favorite Dickens. My favorite is David Copperfield.