Dickensians! discussion

I just checked my local library consortium. It has 8 copies available. Two are held by local colleges but even those are available. This is the 1195 page book. There are many more paper books available than ebooks for Ackroyd. I don’t know if some of this is related to the changes in how libraries pay for and access these now for their customers.

Anne, I was impressed and have one or two more of her biographies on my shelf now. Found them at a used book store in very good condition.

I used to order books from Amazon UK that I couldn't get in the US. But my eyes really need ebooks now, and I can't buy ebooks on Amazon UK. I've been telling my husband for years we need to move to the UK because you all have better books, but he's not sold on the idea - or my reasoning :D

I can buy the Tomalin Dickens bio on Kindle, so that's something anyway.

Ah good. Australia and some parts of the USA can get Peter Ackroyd's books then :) I was about to suggest trying second hand sites ...

I've never been disappointed by any book by Peter Ackroyd or Claire Tomalin - oh except for The Invisible Woman: The Story of Nelly Ternan and Charles Dickens, which was stuffed with facts as all her books are, but I felt was marketed wrongly.

Sue wrote: "Anne, I was impressed and have one or two more of her biographies on my shelf now. Found them at a used book store in very good condition."

I have her biography of Jane Austen on my tbr.

Cozy_Pug wrote: "I used to order books from Amazon UK that I couldn't get in the US. But my eyes really need ebooks now, and I can't buy ebooks on Amazon UK. I've been telling my husband for years we need to move t..."

Cozy Pug, I can completely understand your reasoning re: moving to the UK. :))

Love your rationale, C-P. I wonder if that would be acceptable as a reason for immigration/emigration. I will be having my first cataract surgery in a few months which which should help my reading a bit (perhaps my driving more, not that I drive that much.)

I really enjoyed The Invisible Woman

Anne, I know that’s on my tbr but don’t see it on my shelf. I will have to check my assorted hide away spots. Perhaps a buddy read in the future. I do have Tomalin’s bio of Samuel Pepys and want to devote time to that and the diaries at some point. Sorry for the totally non-Dickens aside, but it is a testimony of sorts as to how much I enjoyed reading her bio of Dickens.

Sue wrote: "Anne, I know that’s on my tbr but don’t see it on my shelf. I will have to check my assorted hide away spots. Perhaps a buddy read in the future. I do have Tomalin’s bio of Samuel Pepys and want to..."

I would like to discuss but not here. PM or email me.

Janelle wrote: "I love Peter Ackroyd. I have quite a number of his books. I have the Dickens biography, (I have to check the page count, not sure if it’s the shortened form). His [book:London: The B..."

I have "London - the Biography". Good to hear you loved it - you're the second person who's said so. So many books to read......

Angela wrote: "Janelle wrote: "I love Peter Ackroyd. I have quite a number of his books. I have the Dickens biography, (I have to check the page count, not sure if it’s the shortened form). His [bo..."

It’s a huge book, Angela. I do like his style of writing though.

Janelle wrote: "I really enjoyed The Invisible Woman"

Since Sue has just read my review of The Invisible Woman: The Story of Nelly Ternan and Charles Dickens by Claire Tomalin, I'll link to my review LINK HERE.

It's a fairly comprehensive review (i.e. long!) but basically I wish Claire Tomalin would stick to writing about the authors themselves. The ones already mentioned by Claire Tomalin on Jane Austen: A Life and Samuel Pepys: The Unequalled Self have been very well received by critics, and I found Thomas Hardy: The Time Torn Man by her to be excellent! As Sue says, these are a testimony to her writing: she has great credentials :) Just as in the same way, Peter Ackroyd's excellent London: The Biography might encourage people to read his books on Charles Dickens.

But as Anne says (thanks Anne!) this thread is not the place to discuss those really, as readers will come here to find biographies of Charles Dickens! We have other threads for Victorian authors ... and if there doesn't seem to be a right place, there's always Mrs. Dickens's parlour :)

Here is another one I enjoyed: Charles Dickens by Jane Smiley. As a novelist, she has a slightly different take on things, and examines the man through his novels, systematically, one by one.

Anne (on semi-hiatus) wrote: "Cozy Pug, that's great! Let me know when you think you'll start on the Ackroyd and I'll start the Tomalin. :))"

Anne, I started the Ackroyd bio today. I was frustrated with a book I kept plugging away at and DNF'd it. I'm much happier with the Dickens bio :D

Cozy_Pug wrote: "Anne (on semi-hiatus) wrote: "Cozy Pug, that's great! Let me know when you think you'll start on the Ackroyd and I'll start the Tomalin. :))"

Ok. I started a book today but will finish in a day or two and then start the Tomalin. You have twice as much to read so I think that will work out well.

Anne (on semi-hiatus) wrote: "Cozy_Pug wrote: "Anne (on semi-hiatus) wrote: "Cozy Pug, that's great! Let me know when you think you'll start on the Ackroyd and I'll start the Tomalin. :))"

Ok. I started a book today but will f..."

Sounds good - I can use the head start :D

I happened across the Dickens biography today by Peter Ackroyd at Half Price Books for $9.99 which has to be a steal! So, now I need to carve out some time to read it!

I also just last night bought the John Forster biography for kindle from Amazon.com - US version for .99 cents!

So I'm set but need time!!

Oh my gosh Lori - they are the biggest ones! :D Hope you enjoy them though :)

Lori wrote: "I happened across the Dickens biography today by Peter Ackroyd at Half Price Books for $9.99 which has to be a steal! So, now I need to carve out some time to read it!

I also just last night bough..."

Oh boy! Thanks for sharing the kindle deal on the Forster biography! I just bought vols. I-III for 99 cents each - broke my ebook ban but that price!! :D

Cozy they look the same except yours have pretty illustrations that mine doesn’t. I was too excited and might have gotten the three volumes if I’d looked further. It’s ok! All great deals!!

Jean, I’m glad these are the best ones! I will most likely take it slow!

Lori wrote: "Cozy they look the same except yours have pretty illustrations that mine doesn’t. I was too excited and might have gotten the three volumes if I’d looked further. It’s ok! All great deals!!

Great catch, Lori! :))

I’m going to check out the Forster book deal. 99 cents I can afford. Reading time — well that will take some time to find.

We had vol 1 of the John Forster as our first side read, and will have vol 2 later this summer, to accompany our summer reads :)

I got Volume II while we were reading Vol I. Glad I haven't gotten around to reading it yet, since you are planning it for the entire group, Jean. So much to read, so little time!

That's good to hear Sara! I think some of us read the whole thing, but others of us needed a little break, and a change to something else.

Well this helps me decide which one to start now. I’ll figure out where volume 1 ends.

End of chapter 24, Lori :) It would help if the book itself said ...

Fabulous, Jean! Thank you so much!!

You're welcome Lori :) I remember comparing different editions to find out. Must get round to reviewing the first one ...

I need to read Vol. I before the group begins Vol. II!

Jean, I didn't know we would be reading Volume 2 this summer. I'm excited to continue the biography. Having a group read will definitely keep me at pace.

The edition I bought yesterday actually came in the three parts so no problem. But I’m not sure when I will be able to get to it.

I'll try to join in since Volume 2 covers the time he was writing many of the short stories we'll be reading.

Thanks for that information, Connie. That’s an inducement to read that part then.

Good point Connie!

Petra - As you've probably noticed as a mod, GR seems to have restricted the "coming up" books on a group's home page they show to 1! I have no idea why, but if you click on "More Upcoming books", our whole summer shelf is there :)

I'll announce it in the parlour a bit nearer the time too, and everyone will get a notification of course. Glad we're excited about this one - I think several found it was a bit samey all in one go.

That's good Sue - there's no rush!

I will start John Forster ‘s The Life of Charles Dickens Vol1. I hope to catch up with this read after sometime.

Nidhi wrote: "I will start John Forster ‘s The Life of Charles Dickens Vol1."

Oh good :) I'll put that thread for this back in our current reads, as I think several will be reading it immediately before the second part.

An interesting video of an interview with John Mullan about his book The Artful Dickens: The Tricks and Ploys of the Great Novelist.

Jean mentioned this book in an earlier post #21 in November 2020

https://www.facebook.com/events/51255...

Thank you Elizabeth!

Not sure if this is the right place to put this, but Claire Tomalin’s biography of Dickens for kindle is a kindle deal today, I believe for $1.99. I found it an excellent read.

Thanks Sue. I will go check that out now!

Thanks so much, Sue. I bought it--now to find time to read it. Going very slowly with Forster.

Their styles are very different!

Great deal, thanks Sue. It's not a deal on kindle.uk yet, but hopefully may follow, for any UK members :)

Jean, it would be nice if the sales were in all places at the same time. I hope it does get marked down for you folks too.

I agree, Sue, and I have found that it pays to take notice of deals on other kindle sites for that reason.

Let's not forget "Becoming Dickens: An Invention of a Novelist" by Robert Douglas-Fairhurst - this is about Dickens's early career.

(As a side note, Mr.Douglas-Fairhurst is a great biographer - his other quite interesting book is "The Story of Alice: Lewis Carroll and the Secret History of Wonderland". And there is another early book by him about Victorians' attitude to death and mourning - "Victorian Afterlives" which I really want to read when in a better mood).

There is also A.N.Wilson's biography, "The Mystery of Charles Dickens" which came out last year and is on my reading list.

Thanks Helen! Here's the link for anyone interested: Becoming Dickens: The Invention of a Novelist by Robert Douglas-Fairhurst.

The Mystery of Charles Dickens by A.N. Wilson seems to be popular already. We've had quite a few mentions of it, and you might find one of the articles interesting. Here's a link to the discussion posts:

LINK HERE.

This sounds like an interesting books. Thanks

I had my wish granted on NetGalley for this book :)

Charles Dickens: Places and Objects of Interest by Paul Kendall

Janelle, I got that too. I won’t get to it for a while but I’m looking forward to reading it.