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The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club #1
The Pickwick Papers, Volume I
Charles John Huffam Dickens (1812-1870), also known as "Boz," was the foremost English novelist of the Victorian era, as well as a vigorous social campaigner. Considered one of the English language's greatest writers, he was acclaimed for his rich storytelling and memorable characters, and achieved massive worldwide popularity in his lifetime. The popularity of his novels and short stories has meant that not one has ever gone out of print. Dickens wrote serialised novels, the usual format for fiction at the time, and each new part of his stories was eagerly anticipated by the reading public. Among his best-known works are Sketches by Boz (1836), The Pickwick Papers (1837), Oliver Twist (1838), Nicholas Nickleby (1839), Barnaby Rudge (1841), A Christmas Carol (1843), Martin Chuzzlewit (1844), David Copperfield (1850), Bleak House (1853), Little Dorrit (1857), A Tale of Two Cities (1859), Great Expectations (1861) and Our Mutual Friend (1865).
444 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1836
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About the author
Charles Dickens
12.4k books30.8k followersCharles John Huffam Dickens (1812-1870) was a writer and social critic who created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era. His works enjoyed unprecedented popularity during his lifetime, and by the twentieth century critics and scholars had recognised him as a literary genius. His novels and short stories enjoy lasting popularity.
Dickens left school to work in a factory when his father was incarcerated in a debtors' prison. Despite his lack of formal education, he edited a weekly journal for 20 years, wrote 15 novels, five novellas, hundreds of short stories and non-fiction articles, lectured and performed extensively, was an indefatigable letter writer, and campaigned vigorously for children's rights, education, and other social reforms.
Dickens was regarded as the literary colossus of his age. His 1843 novella, A Christmas Carol, remains popular and continues to inspire adaptations in every artistic genre. Oliver Twist and Great Expectations are also frequently adapted, and, like many of his novels, evoke images of early Victorian London. His 1859 novel, A Tale of Two Cities, set in London and Paris, is his best-known work of historical fiction. Dickens's creative genius has been praised by fellow writers—from Leo Tolstoy to George Orwell and G. K. Chesterton—for its realism, comedy, prose style, unique characterisations, and social criticism. On the other hand, Oscar Wilde, Henry James, and Virginia Woolf complained of a lack of psychological depth, loose writing, and a vein of saccharine sentimentalism. The term Dickensian is used to describe something that is reminiscent of Dickens and his writings, such as poor social conditions or comically repulsive characters.
On 8 June 1870, Dickens suffered another stroke at his home after a full day's work on Edwin Drood. He never regained consciousness, and the next day he died at Gad's Hill Place. Contrary to his wish to be buried at Rochester Cathedral "in an inexpensive, unostentatious, and strictly private manner," he was laid to rest in the Poets' Corner of Westminster Abbey. A printed epitaph circulated at the time of the funeral reads: "To the Memory of Charles Dickens (England's most popular author) who died at his residence, Higham, near Rochester, Kent, 9 June 1870, aged 58 years. He was a sympathiser with the poor, the suffering, and the oppressed; and by his death, one of England's greatest writers is lost to the world." His last words were: "On the ground", in response to his sister-in-law Georgina's request that he lie down.
(from Wikipedia)
Dickens left school to work in a factory when his father was incarcerated in a debtors' prison. Despite his lack of formal education, he edited a weekly journal for 20 years, wrote 15 novels, five novellas, hundreds of short stories and non-fiction articles, lectured and performed extensively, was an indefatigable letter writer, and campaigned vigorously for children's rights, education, and other social reforms.
Dickens was regarded as the literary colossus of his age. His 1843 novella, A Christmas Carol, remains popular and continues to inspire adaptations in every artistic genre. Oliver Twist and Great Expectations are also frequently adapted, and, like many of his novels, evoke images of early Victorian London. His 1859 novel, A Tale of Two Cities, set in London and Paris, is his best-known work of historical fiction. Dickens's creative genius has been praised by fellow writers—from Leo Tolstoy to George Orwell and G. K. Chesterton—for its realism, comedy, prose style, unique characterisations, and social criticism. On the other hand, Oscar Wilde, Henry James, and Virginia Woolf complained of a lack of psychological depth, loose writing, and a vein of saccharine sentimentalism. The term Dickensian is used to describe something that is reminiscent of Dickens and his writings, such as poor social conditions or comically repulsive characters.
On 8 June 1870, Dickens suffered another stroke at his home after a full day's work on Edwin Drood. He never regained consciousness, and the next day he died at Gad's Hill Place. Contrary to his wish to be buried at Rochester Cathedral "in an inexpensive, unostentatious, and strictly private manner," he was laid to rest in the Poets' Corner of Westminster Abbey. A printed epitaph circulated at the time of the funeral reads: "To the Memory of Charles Dickens (England's most popular author) who died at his residence, Higham, near Rochester, Kent, 9 June 1870, aged 58 years. He was a sympathiser with the poor, the suffering, and the oppressed; and by his death, one of England's greatest writers is lost to the world." His last words were: "On the ground", in response to his sister-in-law Georgina's request that he lie down.
(from Wikipedia)
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December 9, 2023
Have you read The Pickwick Papers? It does seem to be the one work by Charles Dickens which is sadly neglected by many readers.
"The Pickwick Papers" was originally published in 19 monthly magazine instalments, from March 1836 to October 1837, this last being a double issue. They were then reissued in a volume as The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club in 1839 when Dickens was still only 25. They comprise humorous sketches, themselves interspersed with incidental tales, such as "The Goblins who stole a Sexton" told by minor characters.
This is where the young Charles Dickens began to cut his teeth as a writer. Dickens at the time was relatively unknown and quite poor. He was 23, and had just written various sketches about London life for magazines. The publishers Chapman and Hall asked him to write pieces in a similar vein to accompany some plates by Robert Seymour, an established illustrator. These plates were of bumbling members of a sporting club getting themselves into various predicaments. Dickens's brief was to connect them by providing a comic story, and the two parts would then form a "picture novel" - a popular entertainment of the time.
Dickens was quite excited by the idea, but straightaway started to alter the plan. In his own words, he
"objected... that it would be infinitely better for the plates to arise naturally out of the text; and that I would like to take my own way, with a freer range of English scenes and people, and was afraid I should ultimately do so in any case, whatever course I might prescribe to myself at starting."
One can only imagine how presumptuous this must have sounded! Seymour was 38 years old and had already illustrated the works of Shakespeare, Milton, Cervantes and Wordsworth. He was a talented artist who had been exhibited at the Royal Academy over a decade earlier when he was just 24. He was on his way to becoming the President of the Royal Academy, and thought to be one of the greatest artists since Hogarth. Despite all this, Dickens got his way, and led the episodes by the story. He evidently must have a been a charismatic and forceful character even at this young age!
Now of course we know the true extent of the brilliance of the man. Ironically and tragically Seymour committed suicide before the second issue of "The Pickwick Papers" was published. He had a few drinks with Dickens, delivered his latest sketch of "The Dying Clown" to the publishers, then went home and shot himself. There is a fascinating back-story attached to this… but this is not the place to tell it.
Robert Buss was then commissioned to illustrate the third instalment, but his work was not liked by Dickens and the remaining instalments were illustrated by Hablot Knight Browne who took the name "Phiz". This was to accompany the penname Dickens had already made his own, "Boz". Hablot Knight Browne went on to illustrate most of Dickens' novels.
The main characters in "Pickwick" are Mr. Samuel Pickwick himself, "a gentleman of independent means; a retired man of business." He is accompanied by the "too susceptible" Mr. Tracy Tupman, also mature in years, but inclined to fall in love at the drop of a hat. The other two members of the travelling party are younger; "the sporting" Mr. Nathaniel Winkle and "the poetic" Mr. Augustus Snodgrass. Their aim is to travel throughout the English countryside researching "the quaint and curious phenomena of life". They are to report back at intervals on "authenticated accounts of their journeys and investigations; of their observations of character and manners; and of the whole of their adventures", to the club's headquarters in London. They stay at coaching inns, and their adventures as they travel by coach through London, Rochester, Ipswich, Bath, Bristol and Birmingham form the basis of this rollicking ride.
Satire and farce continue to underpin the whole of the narrative, as the bumbling quartet become embroiled in ever more ludicrous situations. The confidence trickster Alfred Jingle appeared in the very first issue. He repeatedly landed the Pickwickians in trouble with his devious tricks, and whenever he pops up in the narrative the reader knows they are in for a particularly droll episode. In the fourth issue, (or chapter 10) the astute and wily cockney Sam Weller is introduced, to be taken on as Pickwick's servant. He provides a delightful counterpart to Pickwick's idealistic naivety.
There about a dozen other important minor characters, and literally hundreds more comic cameos scattered throughout the book. This is no exaggeration, incidentally. The book has 57 chapters, and there are maybe 5-10 of these cameos in each; delightful thumbnail sketches of characters with exaggerated personality traits. It would indeed be a lengthy exercise to detail all these numerous comic characters and situations! The Pickwick Papers is by definition episodic; a linked sequence of events. If anything it is character-heavy and in danger of sinking under their weight. And given such a dodgy start to the enterprise, it is surprising that the whole can still be read and enjoyed by the modern reader.
Each of the 19 issues contains either 2 or 3 chapters, and it must have been incredibly frustrating for Dickens, that he could neither rewrite nor withdraw any part of them. This was however the regime and pressure that he had to work under for most of his life. Each chapter is headed by a description of the following events. Typically though, in what was to become a favourite style of Dickens, this is written so obliquely that the reader is not entirely sure what is actually going to happen even then.
In addition to this workload, from February 1837 onwards, Dickens was also producing monthly episodes of "Oliver Twist" at the same time! Whenever the reader feels that the action is sagging a little, or that Dickens's writing is becoming a little overblown, it is as well to remember the constraints of producing work at such breakneck speed, without any possibility of editing. It would be most unfair to judge it by comparison with other novels of the time - or even Dickens's own future novels - as this is not how it was conceived.
Chapman and Hall printed only 1000 copies of the first monthly instalment, but by the end of the serial 40,000 copies were being printed. As soon as the character of Sam Weller was introduced, sales began to pick up, and he became enormously popular with the reading public. So much so, that his image was popular outside the stories themselves, much as Pickwick himself is for present day readers. For which of us now is not familiar with an image of Pickwick, on everything from Christmas cards to tins of biscuits?
Dickens is often criticised for his "inaccurate" rendering of the cockney accent, and Sam Weller's verancular and that of his father is probably the first time we see this. But read this exchange during a trial,
"Do you spell it with a 'V' or a 'W'?" enquired the Judge. "That depends upon the taste and fancy of the speller my lord," replied Sam. "I never had occasion to spell it more than once or twice in my life, but I spells it with a 'V'."
Or later, when Mr Weller senior is sorting out probate and dealing with the bank after a will. He is instructed to wait at "a part of the counter above which was a round black board with a large 'W' on it" - the initial letter of the deceased. He says, "There's somethin' wrong here. We's our letter - this won't do."
On both these occasions the confusions between the two letters is used to increase the comic effect. I personally think Dickens knew exactly what he was doing. He was well enough acquainted with all walks of life in London not make a "mistake"!
The Pickwick Papers in serial form were published at a very eventful period of Dickens' life. During the month issue 2 was published, not only did the illustrator Seymour commit suicide, as mentioned, but Dickens himself married Catherine Hogarth. For issue 11, his first son Charley was born, issue 12 came at the same time as the first instalment of "Oliver Twist" (again in serial form). For issue 13 the couple moved house to Doughty Street, and during April when issue 14 was out, Catherine's sister (with whom it is fairly sure Dickens was in love) died. With this whirlwind of a year Dickens had set a precedent for the way he would live his life. He was a writing phenomenon; a true workaholic. Between his writing and his performances on stage, he eventually worked himself to death.
What's more, the basis for his work is all here in "The Pickwick Papers". The love of caricature and the grotesque, the drama and the humour, the sentimentality and the pathos. There is also the social conscience, the indignant portrayal of the absurdity and corruption not only of individuals, but of the machinery held in such esteem by civilised democratic societies. Dickens is never afraid to poke fun at anything, however august and "honourable" the person or the institution.
Lawyers, politicians and even some churchmen are portrayed either as pompous figures of ridicule or unscrupulous charlatans. Medical men are "sawbones" who use "secondhand leeches", new "men of science" are gullible fools. The debtors' prison is jampacked with people who have ended up there through no fault of their own, and have no prospect of ever getting out. The beloved "Artful Dodger" of "Oliver Twist" is here in embryonic form, as Sam Weller. Dickens's passion for justice, for seeing everything in its true colours and laughing at it, is here already, and I love him for it. His talent is ripe and just waiting to be developed into some of the greatest novels in the English Language. All this, from an author in his early twenties.
For those who think my star rating is generous, that this is one of his weaker "novels", I would say just look at some extracts. Read the episode about the "refractory mare." Or Pickwick's trial. Or the incident with the "lady in yellow curl papers." Or account of the Pickwickians slithering about on the ice. His style for writing farce is already perfect; it could not be improved. Yes, the structure is loose and "The Pickwick Papers" is overlong. The first part of this review explains why.
But reading through "The Pickwick Papers" in its entirety provides us with a unique opportunity to follow a piece of history. It started as a minor piece by a relatively unknown young writer, yet in some ways it can be seen as the chronicle of his journey. By the end "The Pickwick Papers" was a huge success, both the work and its author taking Britain by storm. Dickens's life would never be the same again; he achieved celebrity status with this work. Agreed, it is a lesser work compared with the whole canon. But if you have already enjoyed reading any Dickens, then please do not miss out on the true gems in this remarkable collection.
"The Pickwick Papers" was originally published in 19 monthly magazine instalments, from March 1836 to October 1837, this last being a double issue. They were then reissued in a volume as The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club in 1839 when Dickens was still only 25. They comprise humorous sketches, themselves interspersed with incidental tales, such as "The Goblins who stole a Sexton" told by minor characters.
This is where the young Charles Dickens began to cut his teeth as a writer. Dickens at the time was relatively unknown and quite poor. He was 23, and had just written various sketches about London life for magazines. The publishers Chapman and Hall asked him to write pieces in a similar vein to accompany some plates by Robert Seymour, an established illustrator. These plates were of bumbling members of a sporting club getting themselves into various predicaments. Dickens's brief was to connect them by providing a comic story, and the two parts would then form a "picture novel" - a popular entertainment of the time.
Dickens was quite excited by the idea, but straightaway started to alter the plan. In his own words, he
"objected... that it would be infinitely better for the plates to arise naturally out of the text; and that I would like to take my own way, with a freer range of English scenes and people, and was afraid I should ultimately do so in any case, whatever course I might prescribe to myself at starting."
One can only imagine how presumptuous this must have sounded! Seymour was 38 years old and had already illustrated the works of Shakespeare, Milton, Cervantes and Wordsworth. He was a talented artist who had been exhibited at the Royal Academy over a decade earlier when he was just 24. He was on his way to becoming the President of the Royal Academy, and thought to be one of the greatest artists since Hogarth. Despite all this, Dickens got his way, and led the episodes by the story. He evidently must have a been a charismatic and forceful character even at this young age!
Now of course we know the true extent of the brilliance of the man. Ironically and tragically Seymour committed suicide before the second issue of "The Pickwick Papers" was published. He had a few drinks with Dickens, delivered his latest sketch of "The Dying Clown" to the publishers, then went home and shot himself. There is a fascinating back-story attached to this… but this is not the place to tell it.
Robert Buss was then commissioned to illustrate the third instalment, but his work was not liked by Dickens and the remaining instalments were illustrated by Hablot Knight Browne who took the name "Phiz". This was to accompany the penname Dickens had already made his own, "Boz". Hablot Knight Browne went on to illustrate most of Dickens' novels.
The main characters in "Pickwick" are Mr. Samuel Pickwick himself, "a gentleman of independent means; a retired man of business." He is accompanied by the "too susceptible" Mr. Tracy Tupman, also mature in years, but inclined to fall in love at the drop of a hat. The other two members of the travelling party are younger; "the sporting" Mr. Nathaniel Winkle and "the poetic" Mr. Augustus Snodgrass. Their aim is to travel throughout the English countryside researching "the quaint and curious phenomena of life". They are to report back at intervals on "authenticated accounts of their journeys and investigations; of their observations of character and manners; and of the whole of their adventures", to the club's headquarters in London. They stay at coaching inns, and their adventures as they travel by coach through London, Rochester, Ipswich, Bath, Bristol and Birmingham form the basis of this rollicking ride.
Satire and farce continue to underpin the whole of the narrative, as the bumbling quartet become embroiled in ever more ludicrous situations. The confidence trickster Alfred Jingle appeared in the very first issue. He repeatedly landed the Pickwickians in trouble with his devious tricks, and whenever he pops up in the narrative the reader knows they are in for a particularly droll episode. In the fourth issue, (or chapter 10) the astute and wily cockney Sam Weller is introduced, to be taken on as Pickwick's servant. He provides a delightful counterpart to Pickwick's idealistic naivety.
There about a dozen other important minor characters, and literally hundreds more comic cameos scattered throughout the book. This is no exaggeration, incidentally. The book has 57 chapters, and there are maybe 5-10 of these cameos in each; delightful thumbnail sketches of characters with exaggerated personality traits. It would indeed be a lengthy exercise to detail all these numerous comic characters and situations! The Pickwick Papers is by definition episodic; a linked sequence of events. If anything it is character-heavy and in danger of sinking under their weight. And given such a dodgy start to the enterprise, it is surprising that the whole can still be read and enjoyed by the modern reader.
Each of the 19 issues contains either 2 or 3 chapters, and it must have been incredibly frustrating for Dickens, that he could neither rewrite nor withdraw any part of them. This was however the regime and pressure that he had to work under for most of his life. Each chapter is headed by a description of the following events. Typically though, in what was to become a favourite style of Dickens, this is written so obliquely that the reader is not entirely sure what is actually going to happen even then.
In addition to this workload, from February 1837 onwards, Dickens was also producing monthly episodes of "Oliver Twist" at the same time! Whenever the reader feels that the action is sagging a little, or that Dickens's writing is becoming a little overblown, it is as well to remember the constraints of producing work at such breakneck speed, without any possibility of editing. It would be most unfair to judge it by comparison with other novels of the time - or even Dickens's own future novels - as this is not how it was conceived.
Chapman and Hall printed only 1000 copies of the first monthly instalment, but by the end of the serial 40,000 copies were being printed. As soon as the character of Sam Weller was introduced, sales began to pick up, and he became enormously popular with the reading public. So much so, that his image was popular outside the stories themselves, much as Pickwick himself is for present day readers. For which of us now is not familiar with an image of Pickwick, on everything from Christmas cards to tins of biscuits?
Dickens is often criticised for his "inaccurate" rendering of the cockney accent, and Sam Weller's verancular and that of his father is probably the first time we see this. But read this exchange during a trial,
"Do you spell it with a 'V' or a 'W'?" enquired the Judge. "That depends upon the taste and fancy of the speller my lord," replied Sam. "I never had occasion to spell it more than once or twice in my life, but I spells it with a 'V'."
Or later, when Mr Weller senior is sorting out probate and dealing with the bank after a will. He is instructed to wait at "a part of the counter above which was a round black board with a large 'W' on it" - the initial letter of the deceased. He says, "There's somethin' wrong here. We's our letter - this won't do."
On both these occasions the confusions between the two letters is used to increase the comic effect. I personally think Dickens knew exactly what he was doing. He was well enough acquainted with all walks of life in London not make a "mistake"!
The Pickwick Papers in serial form were published at a very eventful period of Dickens' life. During the month issue 2 was published, not only did the illustrator Seymour commit suicide, as mentioned, but Dickens himself married Catherine Hogarth. For issue 11, his first son Charley was born, issue 12 came at the same time as the first instalment of "Oliver Twist" (again in serial form). For issue 13 the couple moved house to Doughty Street, and during April when issue 14 was out, Catherine's sister (with whom it is fairly sure Dickens was in love) died. With this whirlwind of a year Dickens had set a precedent for the way he would live his life. He was a writing phenomenon; a true workaholic. Between his writing and his performances on stage, he eventually worked himself to death.
What's more, the basis for his work is all here in "The Pickwick Papers". The love of caricature and the grotesque, the drama and the humour, the sentimentality and the pathos. There is also the social conscience, the indignant portrayal of the absurdity and corruption not only of individuals, but of the machinery held in such esteem by civilised democratic societies. Dickens is never afraid to poke fun at anything, however august and "honourable" the person or the institution.
Lawyers, politicians and even some churchmen are portrayed either as pompous figures of ridicule or unscrupulous charlatans. Medical men are "sawbones" who use "secondhand leeches", new "men of science" are gullible fools. The debtors' prison is jampacked with people who have ended up there through no fault of their own, and have no prospect of ever getting out. The beloved "Artful Dodger" of "Oliver Twist" is here in embryonic form, as Sam Weller. Dickens's passion for justice, for seeing everything in its true colours and laughing at it, is here already, and I love him for it. His talent is ripe and just waiting to be developed into some of the greatest novels in the English Language. All this, from an author in his early twenties.
For those who think my star rating is generous, that this is one of his weaker "novels", I would say just look at some extracts. Read the episode about the "refractory mare." Or Pickwick's trial. Or the incident with the "lady in yellow curl papers." Or account of the Pickwickians slithering about on the ice. His style for writing farce is already perfect; it could not be improved. Yes, the structure is loose and "The Pickwick Papers" is overlong. The first part of this review explains why.
But reading through "The Pickwick Papers" in its entirety provides us with a unique opportunity to follow a piece of history. It started as a minor piece by a relatively unknown young writer, yet in some ways it can be seen as the chronicle of his journey. By the end "The Pickwick Papers" was a huge success, both the work and its author taking Britain by storm. Dickens's life would never be the same again; he achieved celebrity status with this work. Agreed, it is a lesser work compared with the whole canon. But if you have already enjoyed reading any Dickens, then please do not miss out on the true gems in this remarkable collection.
December 4, 2022
کتاب های ۵۰ درصد تخفیفی که سال هاست همه جا در گوشه کنار شهر به چشم می خورند..بخشی از تجارت کثیفی ست که با نام کتاب انجام می شود..کتاب های بزرگ ادبیات که به نام انتشارات متعدد نا معتبر و بعضا مترجمانی که حتی در اثبات وجودشان جای شک باقیست چاپ می شوند..با برچسب قیمتی که حتی ۵۰درصد آن نیز قیمت حقیقی این کتب نیست.
February 11, 2014
Love this book! Been reading over a long time period, but it is written in such a way that you can just pick up and read another installment. Classic Dickens --fantastic colorful characters who get in interesting situations. I've laughed out loud many times in this book.
Unfortunately, I picked up something else, and set this aside. Now I've decided to try again later as I've forgotten too much.
July 22, 2025
از اینکه یک جلدش رو به پایان بُردم شادمانم و از اینکه یک جلدِ دیگه اش پیشِ رومه شادتر.
تجربه لذت بخشی بود. دیکنز اینو در بیست و چهار سالگی نوشته و به شیوه تکّه تکّه در روزنامه. شبیه سریال هایِ امروزین که بینندگان قسمتِ نو رو انتظار میکشن، در میانه قرن نوزدهم خوانندگانِ بریتانیایی شیفته پیگیریِ ادامه داستان هایِ پیک ویک بودند.
راوی سوم شخصِ دانایِ کُلّه و یه لحنِ ظاهرا رسمی ولی نیمه کنایی/نیم پوزخند داره. کلا روایتِ دیکنز تو این کتاب شرحی جزئی نگرانه/تصویریه که به "pictorial style" مشهوره. توصیفی نکته بینانه و دقیق که به نظر درازگویانه میاد ولی ظرافتش در کنترلِ داده ها و آمیزشِش با طنزی خواستنیه.
داستان درباره سفر و سیر و سیاحتِ یک کلوپِ چهارنفره است زیرِ نامِ "پیک ویکی ها" که کِرد و کارشون لبریز از بلاهت و ساده لوحی و خرابکاریه.
نکته جالبش اینه که گرچه روایتِ دیکنز به نظر پُر تفصیل و جزئیات و درازگویانه میاد ولی کیفیتِ کارش جایی روشن میشه که خواننده متوجه باشه کجا روایت لذت بخش کِش پیدا میکنه و کجا دُمِ قصه رو میچینه که به اطناب و پر حرفی نیوفته. مثلا...
اینجا متنم دارای لَختی آشکارگی و افشاسازیِ داستانه، اگر میخواید بخونید از این تکه بگذرید.
.
.
...خواننده انتظار داره آقای جینگل که انقدر بلا سرِ پیک ویک و پیک ویکی ها میاره در خانه قاضی دچار مجازات و گرفتاریِ سنگینی بشه ولی میبینیم که با یک افتادنِ طنز آمیز روایت رو جمع میکنه.
در کُل طنزِ به اندازه و نقد هایِ سیاسی/اجتماعیِ گیرا و داستانِ پُر کِشش و سفرناک بودنِ روایت متن رو بسیار دل انگیز و دلچسب کرده بود.
تجربه لذت بخشی بود. دیکنز اینو در بیست و چهار سالگی نوشته و به شیوه تکّه تکّه در روزنامه. شبیه سریال هایِ امروزین که بینندگان قسمتِ نو رو انتظار میکشن، در میانه قرن نوزدهم خوانندگانِ بریتانیایی شیفته پیگیریِ ادامه داستان هایِ پیک ویک بودند.
راوی سوم شخصِ دانایِ کُلّه و یه لحنِ ظاهرا رسمی ولی نیمه کنایی/نیم پوزخند داره. کلا روایتِ دیکنز تو این کتاب شرحی جزئی نگرانه/تصویریه که به "pictorial style" مشهوره. توصیفی نکته بینانه و دقیق که به نظر درازگویانه میاد ولی ظرافتش در کنترلِ داده ها و آمیزشِش با طنزی خواستنیه.
داستان درباره سفر و سیر و سیاحتِ یک کلوپِ چهارنفره است زیرِ نامِ "پیک ویکی ها" که کِرد و کارشون لبریز از بلاهت و ساده لوحی و خرابکاریه.
نکته جالبش اینه که گرچه روایتِ دیکنز به نظر پُر تفصیل و جزئیات و درازگویانه میاد ولی کیفیتِ کارش جایی روشن میشه که خواننده متوجه باشه کجا روایت لذت بخش کِش پیدا میکنه و کجا دُمِ قصه رو میچینه که به اطناب و پر حرفی نیوفته. مثلا...
اینجا متنم دارای لَختی آشکارگی و افشاسازیِ داستانه، اگر میخواید بخونید از این تکه بگذرید.
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...خواننده انتظار داره آقای جینگل که انقدر بلا سرِ پیک ویک و پیک ویکی ها میاره در خانه قاضی دچار مجازات و گرفتاریِ سنگینی بشه ولی میبینیم که با یک افتادنِ طنز آمیز روایت رو جمع میکنه.
در کُل طنزِ به اندازه و نقد هایِ سیاسی/اجتماعیِ گیرا و داستانِ پُر کِشش و سفرناک بودنِ روایت متن رو بسیار دل انگیز و دلچسب کرده بود.
August 30, 2016
یادداشت های پیک ویک با اینکه جز اولین کارهای دیکنز است اما نمایانگر خط فکری دیکنز در طول حرفه ی داستانویس اش می باشد، بطوری که با زبان طنز به انتقاد از سیستم قضایی و حقوقی انگلستان ویکتوریایی پرداخته که میتوان در آثار بعدی هم آن را دید(بهترین نمونه آن در صفحه ۸۴۴ کتاب آمده است) چیزی که این اثر را با آثار دیگر دیکنز متفاوت می کند طنز شاخص آن در مقایسه با طنز نهفته در آثار دیگر اوست که لحظه های ناب و دلپذیری به وجود آورده، شخصیت های داستان همه در راستای نمایش مهربانی و انسان دوستی بی اندازه ی آقای پیک ویک عمل میکنند و در این میان سم و تونی ولر بهترین نماینده هستند
تنها نکته منفی کتاب وجود فصل هایی است که میتوان بدون خواندن از آن گذشت.
تنها نکته منفی کتاب وجود فصل هایی است که میتوان بدون خواندن از آن گذشت.
February 19, 2021
Takhle knížka je jak ten obrázek The British as seen by Americans and Europeans.
Hlavní hrdinové se povětšinou nalejvaj a chovaj se poměrně přiblbe, ale Dickens je podává jako dokonalý britský džentlmeny. Jako je to takový starosvětsky legrační a jakože satira, ale asi mám radši Dickensovy nebohé kladné hrdiny zkoušené těžkým a krutým osudem.
Hlavní hrdinové se povětšinou nalejvaj a chovaj se poměrně přiblbe, ale Dickens je podává jako dokonalý britský džentlmeny. Jako je to takový starosvětsky legrační a jakože satira, ale asi mám radši Dickensovy nebohé kladné hrdiny zkoušené těžkým a krutým osudem.
September 12, 2024
A strange, compelling and nearly plotless series of events. A time capsule to almost two centuries ago and fascinating for it, with really excellent writing. Some of the jokes hold up after such a long time. It’s a nearly absurdist delight.
July 4, 2018
This is just the first half. So far, so good. Working on the 2nd half now.
February 3, 2013
Am 13.05.1827 beschließen Samuel Pickwick, ein wohlhabender, älterer Herr und Gründer des nach ihm benannten Pickwick Clubs, Mr Nathaniel Winkle, Mr Augustus Snodgrass, and Mr Tracy Tupman, ihr schönes Heimatland zu bereisen und zu erforschen. Auf dieser Reise lernen sie allerhand freundliche und auch seltsame Menschen und Gebräuche kennen.
The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club oder kurz The Pickwick Papers (auf Deutsch einfach die Pickwickier) ist Charles Dickens Debut Roman. Das Buch wurde, genau wie seine anderen Romane, als Fortsetzungegeschichte veröffentlicht, was man diesem Werk teilweise auch deutlich anmerkt.
Der Roman ist eine Mischung aus Rahmenhandlung und eingebetteten Kurzgeschichten. Da ist einmal die Reise der vier Junggesellen und ihre Erlebnisse und dann sind da viele kleine Kurzgeschichten, die in diese Rahmenhandlung eingebettet sind.
Die Hauptgeschichte ist eine sarkastische Abrechnung mit all jenen Themen, die Dickens auch durch seine weiteren Werke begleiten werden. Spitzzüngig zieht er über Politik und Politiker, über das englische Rechtssystem, die Schuldgefängnisse, verzweifelte alte Jungfern und Witwen auf der Suche nach einem Mann und die Hilflosigkeit von alten männlichen Singles her.
Die Charaktere sind einmalig und überzeichnet, wie man das auch aus den späteren Romanen des Autors kennt. Da ist Mr. Pickwick, reich, wohlwollend, philanthropisch und komplett lebensfremd und hilflos ohne seinen intelligenten und gewitzten Diener Sam Weller. Da ist der narkoleptische, adipöse kleine Dienstbote und der nicht gar so gewitzte Betrüger Mr. Jingle. Und da sind die Geistergeschichten, mit denen Dickens auch berühmt wurde. Diese Grusel- und Geistergeschichten sind als abgeschlossene Kurzgeschichten in die Rahmenhandlung eingebettet und lassen bereits viele der Motive erkennen, die man aus anderen berühmten Erzählungen des Autors kennt. Besonders jedoch überrascht die Geschichte, in der ein zu Unrecht im Schuldgefängnis inhaftierter, der Frau und Kind verliert, grausam Rache nimmt, an jenen, die er für schuldig an seinem Schicksal hält. Nachdem er selbst zu Reichtum gekommen ist, nimmt er langsam, über Jahre hinweg, grausam Rache. Das erinnert stark an Dumas Graf von Monte Christo, während die Geschichte von Tom Smart schon Motive der berühmten Weihnachtsgeschichte enthält.
Auch wenn der Roman durchweg humorvoll ist, so zieht er sich teilweise auch über weite Strecken. Es passiert nur wenig, was wohl daran liegt, dass der Roman in 20 Episoden veröffentlicht wurde, die wohl auch alleine funktionieren mussten, falls die Leser die anderen Kapitel nicht kannten. Auch unbefriedigend ist die Tatsache, dass das Verhältnis, in dem die Pickwickier zueinander stehen, ihr Alter und ihre Herkunft nur im Nachhinein erklärt werden und man sich als Leser nur schwer ein Bild von ihnen machen kann. Für mich blieben daher Winkle, Snodgrass und Tupman ein wenig farblos, und besonders zu Anfang, schwer unterscheidbar.
Fazit: Ein gelungener Debütroman und doch bereits typisch Dickens. Leider zieht er sich über weite Strecken und es gibt keinen wirklichen Höhepunkt. Die Geschichte plätschert konstant unterhaltsam vor sich hin.
The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club oder kurz The Pickwick Papers (auf Deutsch einfach die Pickwickier) ist Charles Dickens Debut Roman. Das Buch wurde, genau wie seine anderen Romane, als Fortsetzungegeschichte veröffentlicht, was man diesem Werk teilweise auch deutlich anmerkt.
Der Roman ist eine Mischung aus Rahmenhandlung und eingebetteten Kurzgeschichten. Da ist einmal die Reise der vier Junggesellen und ihre Erlebnisse und dann sind da viele kleine Kurzgeschichten, die in diese Rahmenhandlung eingebettet sind.
Die Hauptgeschichte ist eine sarkastische Abrechnung mit all jenen Themen, die Dickens auch durch seine weiteren Werke begleiten werden. Spitzzüngig zieht er über Politik und Politiker, über das englische Rechtssystem, die Schuldgefängnisse, verzweifelte alte Jungfern und Witwen auf der Suche nach einem Mann und die Hilflosigkeit von alten männlichen Singles her.
Die Charaktere sind einmalig und überzeichnet, wie man das auch aus den späteren Romanen des Autors kennt. Da ist Mr. Pickwick, reich, wohlwollend, philanthropisch und komplett lebensfremd und hilflos ohne seinen intelligenten und gewitzten Diener Sam Weller. Da ist der narkoleptische, adipöse kleine Dienstbote und der nicht gar so gewitzte Betrüger Mr. Jingle. Und da sind die Geistergeschichten, mit denen Dickens auch berühmt wurde. Diese Grusel- und Geistergeschichten sind als abgeschlossene Kurzgeschichten in die Rahmenhandlung eingebettet und lassen bereits viele der Motive erkennen, die man aus anderen berühmten Erzählungen des Autors kennt. Besonders jedoch überrascht die Geschichte, in der ein zu Unrecht im Schuldgefängnis inhaftierter, der Frau und Kind verliert, grausam Rache nimmt, an jenen, die er für schuldig an seinem Schicksal hält. Nachdem er selbst zu Reichtum gekommen ist, nimmt er langsam, über Jahre hinweg, grausam Rache. Das erinnert stark an Dumas Graf von Monte Christo, während die Geschichte von Tom Smart schon Motive der berühmten Weihnachtsgeschichte enthält.
Auch wenn der Roman durchweg humorvoll ist, so zieht er sich teilweise auch über weite Strecken. Es passiert nur wenig, was wohl daran liegt, dass der Roman in 20 Episoden veröffentlicht wurde, die wohl auch alleine funktionieren mussten, falls die Leser die anderen Kapitel nicht kannten. Auch unbefriedigend ist die Tatsache, dass das Verhältnis, in dem die Pickwickier zueinander stehen, ihr Alter und ihre Herkunft nur im Nachhinein erklärt werden und man sich als Leser nur schwer ein Bild von ihnen machen kann. Für mich blieben daher Winkle, Snodgrass und Tupman ein wenig farblos, und besonders zu Anfang, schwer unterscheidbar.
Fazit: Ein gelungener Debütroman und doch bereits typisch Dickens. Leider zieht er sich über weite Strecken und es gibt keinen wirklichen Höhepunkt. Die Geschichte plätschert konstant unterhaltsam vor sich hin.
January 6, 2025
Ogólnie spoko. Czarny humor Sama i głupota głównych bohaterów bawi, ale tak żeby się uśmiechnąć pod nosem a nie wybuchnąć śmiechem.
Dobry pastisz.
Dobry pastisz.
December 16, 2011
I read the Oxford Illustrated Classics edition of Pickwick and these books are delightful for their reproduction of original illustrations.
Pickwick, in many aspects, is a young writer's book full of optimism and not as deeply serious about society's problems as Charles Dickens's works became. Samuel Pickwick does not ignore the troubles of his day, but takes them in a more philosophical and light-hearted way than later characters of Dickens.
There are hints of what is to come in Pickwick. There are hints of A Christmas Carol and a chapter about the Marshalsea Debtors Prison which figures in many works including Little Dorrit.
There is a riotous election, a duel of sorts, a breach of promise suit and a look inside Fleet Prison. This is the darkest part of the book as Samuel Pickwick is greatly affected by the sight of a poor mother and child.
There are delightful characters in the faithful servant Sam Weller and his father. Dickens was very particular about the names he gave his characters so Gabriel Grub is an apt name for his grave-digger.
Today's reader of Pickwick may also be surprised by some very "modern" expressions. A person is "floored," and someone "had a screw loose."
The delight in the works of Dickens has continued since the writer's time. Testimony to that is that his works, starting production in the 1830s, have never gone out of print.
I always read Dickens in December and, with this book, am starting over with his classics. No idea how many times they have been read.
Pickwick, in many aspects, is a young writer's book full of optimism and not as deeply serious about society's problems as Charles Dickens's works became. Samuel Pickwick does not ignore the troubles of his day, but takes them in a more philosophical and light-hearted way than later characters of Dickens.
There are hints of what is to come in Pickwick. There are hints of A Christmas Carol and a chapter about the Marshalsea Debtors Prison which figures in many works including Little Dorrit.
There is a riotous election, a duel of sorts, a breach of promise suit and a look inside Fleet Prison. This is the darkest part of the book as Samuel Pickwick is greatly affected by the sight of a poor mother and child.
There are delightful characters in the faithful servant Sam Weller and his father. Dickens was very particular about the names he gave his characters so Gabriel Grub is an apt name for his grave-digger.
Today's reader of Pickwick may also be surprised by some very "modern" expressions. A person is "floored," and someone "had a screw loose."
The delight in the works of Dickens has continued since the writer's time. Testimony to that is that his works, starting production in the 1830s, have never gone out of print.
I always read Dickens in December and, with this book, am starting over with his classics. No idea how many times they have been read.
December 9, 2021
After deciding to read all of the books in my house and going through my great-grandmother’s Dickens archives, my first venture was to read The Pickwick Papers.
This 1836 classic isn’t a novel per se, and is rather a collection of short stories involving the main characters that was serialised back in the day. It tells short stories of our heroes Mr Pickwick, much-loved Sam Weller and all of their friends as they travel around England observing characters of all walks of life.
As such, the novel exists as more of an insight into 1830s England than a linear narrative, so it may not be right for you (and honestly wasn’t really my thing) if you’re more into fast-paced adventures. Though it’s not my personal favourite genre, I appreciate Dickens’ craftsmanship when it comes to creative unique and funny characters that create a broad and believable universe for Mr Pickwick.
I particularly enjoyed the characters of Mr Jingle and Sam Weller, I won’t go into spoiler details of what happens with them, but I love Jingle’s funny way of speaking and reemergence throughout the book, and Sam’s compassion and the lengths he goes to to stand by Pickwick. Pickwick himself (though he can be thought of as a bit of a Mary Sue) was a nice character to read because of his unfaltering dedication to being kind and to resolve everything in a gentlemanly manner.
Throughout the book are interspersed short stories that are posed as having been written or told by Pickwick and those he encounters across his travels, I particularly enjoyed the stories of Maria Lobbs and her unfulfilled love, and the tale of the Madman. In addition, I enjoyed the chemistry between Eatonswill politician Mr Slumkey and his assistant Mr Perker, and I feel that the closeness between men (only put as far as friendship, this is the 1830s we’re talking about) was very admirable and I hope that young members of the LGBTQ community can head-canon relationships between the men that I like to think existed.
Overall, the book receives a 4/5 stars because it was difficult to read with the difference in vocabulary and isn’t my thing, but it gives an excellent portrayal of English life that would interest any historian or curious reader.
This 1836 classic isn’t a novel per se, and is rather a collection of short stories involving the main characters that was serialised back in the day. It tells short stories of our heroes Mr Pickwick, much-loved Sam Weller and all of their friends as they travel around England observing characters of all walks of life.
As such, the novel exists as more of an insight into 1830s England than a linear narrative, so it may not be right for you (and honestly wasn’t really my thing) if you’re more into fast-paced adventures. Though it’s not my personal favourite genre, I appreciate Dickens’ craftsmanship when it comes to creative unique and funny characters that create a broad and believable universe for Mr Pickwick.
I particularly enjoyed the characters of Mr Jingle and Sam Weller, I won’t go into spoiler details of what happens with them, but I love Jingle’s funny way of speaking and reemergence throughout the book, and Sam’s compassion and the lengths he goes to to stand by Pickwick. Pickwick himself (though he can be thought of as a bit of a Mary Sue) was a nice character to read because of his unfaltering dedication to being kind and to resolve everything in a gentlemanly manner.
Throughout the book are interspersed short stories that are posed as having been written or told by Pickwick and those he encounters across his travels, I particularly enjoyed the stories of Maria Lobbs and her unfulfilled love, and the tale of the Madman. In addition, I enjoyed the chemistry between Eatonswill politician Mr Slumkey and his assistant Mr Perker, and I feel that the closeness between men (only put as far as friendship, this is the 1830s we’re talking about) was very admirable and I hope that young members of the LGBTQ community can head-canon relationships between the men that I like to think existed.
Overall, the book receives a 4/5 stars because it was difficult to read with the difference in vocabulary and isn’t my thing, but it gives an excellent portrayal of English life that would interest any historian or curious reader.
February 18, 2021
Everyone knows about Dickens "A Christmas Carol" and how that work is a monument in the world of literature... but now everyone may have discovered Dickens FIRST work- "The Pickwick Papers" which is absolutely a must read.
Here is a slice of life in the early 19th century told by the master story teller himself and it is funny... really funny as we read about the escapades and exploits of the 'Pickwickians' as they stumble through their adventures in England.
I was fascinated by Dickens 'turn of phrase' and his beautiful descriptive writing during certain passages... he was a master at his craft.
Here is a slice of life in the early 19th century told by the master story teller himself and it is funny... really funny as we read about the escapades and exploits of the 'Pickwickians' as they stumble through their adventures in England.
I was fascinated by Dickens 'turn of phrase' and his beautiful descriptive writing during certain passages... he was a master at his craft.
April 14, 2025
Tupman, puntualice las circunstancias.
— Mr. Pickwick
... cuyas maneras y caracteres observaba con delicia (...) cuyos hechos y dichos gustaba de anotar...
Se empeñó en la tarea nada fácil de hacer guiños a toda la concurrencia con su ojo único...
Hombre grave: ... su ambición se cifra, sir, en no tener otra clase de amigos.
Mr. Pickwick: Es una ambición nobilísima
Pero estoy dilapidando su tiempo, sir (...) Sé el valor que para usted tiene.
— Hombre grave
... por lo mismo que son tan hermosas sus lágrimas, es una lástima que se pierdan (...) cuando no aprovechan para nada...
— Sam Weller
— Mr. Pickwick
... cuyas maneras y caracteres observaba con delicia (...) cuyos hechos y dichos gustaba de anotar...
Se empeñó en la tarea nada fácil de hacer guiños a toda la concurrencia con su ojo único...
Hombre grave: ... su ambición se cifra, sir, en no tener otra clase de amigos.
Mr. Pickwick: Es una ambición nobilísima
Pero estoy dilapidando su tiempo, sir (...) Sé el valor que para usted tiene.
— Hombre grave
... por lo mismo que son tan hermosas sus lágrimas, es una lástima que se pierdan (...) cuando no aprovechan para nada...
— Sam Weller
May 3, 2020
é legalzin... dickens no inicio né, ele tava querendo estabelecer aquela imagem de inglês interessante de ler e leve e engraçadinho... aventurinhas de homens do século passado kkk sempre interessante ver o quão ridiculos homens tem sido por todo esse tempo!
January 28, 2019
Funny to this day, this brilliant first novel by the unknown Charles Dickens broke the mold when it was published.
April 29, 2019
Amusing and lighthearted.
March 18, 2020
Not reading vol.2. It wasn't bad, but the characters are too irritating, book too long and satisfaction not rewarding enough
September 20, 2022
3,5 gwiazdki ⭐
taka o wszystkim i o niczym. Nic wybitnego, ale jednak piękny język.
taka o wszystkim i o niczym. Nic wybitnego, ale jednak piękny język.
October 5, 2023
Thank you Mr Pickwick and Charles Dickens! A great yarn loved all the characters and antics they got up to. Well worth the read
October 5, 2023
Rolling good time! Some of the jokes went over my head (American over here, sorry), but definitely enjoyable.
September 6, 2025
2.75 stars I don't really have thoughts on that one. I think I wasn't really into it, so I'll try to reread it one day !
August 10, 2024
Ojoj,najsłabsza książka Dickensa. Tylko Sam Weller to jakoś ratuje
August 29, 2022
The is not a review but a record of the edition being read. Goodreads no long allows book adds by non librarians, and based on my recent request the adds now take weeks or longer.
Edition details:
Publisher T. Nelson & Sons, Ltd.
Hardcover
376 pages
Printed at the press of the publishers
Possibly published in 1900
This site shows possible match to cover https://veescave.co.uk/shop/books/oth...
Edition details:
Publisher T. Nelson & Sons, Ltd.
Hardcover
376 pages
Printed at the press of the publishers
Possibly published in 1900
This site shows possible match to cover https://veescave.co.uk/shop/books/oth...
June 5, 2009
The Pickwick Papers is the very enjoyable, entertaining account of the adventures of the Pickwick Club. While I liked it very much, it was obvious that it was Dickens's first novel. It is not as plot driven as his other works, there were not quite as many memorable characters, nor was there as much social commentary (though it certainly was not absent from the book). Because of these things, I do not think that it belongs on the level of books such as Little Dorritt or Bleak House. But, aside from these small failings, it was still a good book. And it certainly was not lacking Dickens's usual comedic touches. Between Mr. Winkle's sporting abilites, Pickwick's "proposal" and trial, and Sam Weller's observations, this book cannot fail to amuse.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 2, 2023
The first volume of Dickens’ very entertaining first novel, published with additional illuminating illustrations and explanations. I am only giving this four stars, and not five, because Dickens got better. In fact, you can see him trying different things as the book, which was originally published in installments, goes on, turning in different chapters from outright farce to tales of woe to ghost stories, and ending this volume with a joyful celebration of Christmas. Something that we will see more of in his most popular work, "A Christmas Carol."
June 16, 2022
Tre stelle e mezzo.
Datato ovviamente, ma divertente. Non il Dickens che mi sarei aspettato, più simile a Jerome Klapka Jerome che agli altri libri scritti dallo stesso Charles. Un libro dichiaratamente e solamente umoristico, senza alcun altro fine se non quello di cercare di strappare una risata o, almeno, un sorriso.
Ma con grande classe.
Datato ovviamente, ma divertente. Non il Dickens che mi sarei aspettato, più simile a Jerome Klapka Jerome che agli altri libri scritti dallo stesso Charles. Un libro dichiaratamente e solamente umoristico, senza alcun altro fine se non quello di cercare di strappare una risata o, almeno, un sorriso.
Ma con grande classe.
Currently reading
July 9, 2011"Reading" via free audiobook
May 21, 2021
Finished it for the 3rd time. Always at a multi-year leisurely pace due to a working life which has come to an end. I already feel impatient for the start of my next reading.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews