Salon next week My salon series How to Read a Novel continues next week on October 4th, all about Silas Marner. Make sure to book a ticket. The Dickens Chronological Reading Club continues and has reached Barnaby Rudge. I will note in passing, before we start proper, that having just written a rant about the common reader I was lucky enough to meet some of the other members of the Dickens Chronological Reading Club on a call, all of them splendid common readers, some of whom read Dickens’ complete works during long commuting journeys.
Henry, this is a true, powerful testimony to Dickens' genius--in all of its wild and whirling words.
Love this summary connection between "Rudge" and our times:
And of course, Barnaby Rudge is very relevant today. We live in a sprawling, messy world where rioters can storm the Capitol in America, Twitter mobs can swim in the fire of their indignation, otherwise innocent people get taken to the edge of despair by inadvertently joining or battling the riot, populists and demagogues abound. In all of this, our politics and our culture is not neat and well-proportioned. The news rolls along with Dickensian fervour and disregard for the quiet life we all supposedly wish for.
Thank you for this very thoughtful, insightful, and helpful "lens" for seeing Dickens and his writing with clarity and deep respect.
Henry, what a marvelous essay in praise of this *perfectly*, gloriously, occasionally-imperfect work! It was such a delight to meet you with our wonderful Dickensian little mob this week. Thank you for taking the time to write such a thoughtful piece. Barnaby is indeed unjustly overlooked. It is so entertaining, beautifully written, and so applicable.
Henry, this is a true, powerful testimony to Dickens' genius--in all of its wild and whirling words.
Love this summary connection between "Rudge" and our times:
And of course, Barnaby Rudge is very relevant today. We live in a sprawling, messy world where rioters can storm the Capitol in America, Twitter mobs can swim in the fire of their indignation, otherwise innocent people get taken to the edge of despair by inadvertently joining or battling the riot, populists and demagogues abound. In all of this, our politics and our culture is not neat and well-proportioned. The news rolls along with Dickensian fervour and disregard for the quiet life we all supposedly wish for.
Thank you for this very thoughtful, insightful, and helpful "lens" for seeing Dickens and his writing with clarity and deep respect.
Daniel
Henry, what a marvelous essay in praise of this *perfectly*, gloriously, occasionally-imperfect work! It was such a delight to meet you with our wonderful Dickensian little mob this week. Thank you for taking the time to write such a thoughtful piece. Barnaby is indeed unjustly overlooked. It is so entertaining, beautifully written, and so applicable.