Friday, February 27, 2009

Oliver


I'm currently on a Dickens kick, prompted by a combination of a Dickens biography and the Dickens adaptations on Masterpiece Classic. I made it several pages into The Pickwick Papers before postponing it in favor of Oliver Twist (after watching the conclusion of the adaptation of that novel last week). It's been so long since I've read Oliver Twist that I hardly knew what to expect -- I was delighted by what I found.

 


Oliver Twist can be depressingly dark at times -- its themes are undeniably painful, and Dickens does not scruple to take you to the lowest rung of the social ladder. But the ending is worth the journey through the mire of London's criminal world. And any novel is more enriching when it's a copy that was published a hundred years ago and has been "well rubbed" at the corners. Somehow it makes me feel that I get to share my pleasure with the original owner!

9 comments:

  1. I've never read any of Dickens, but your recent posts have aroused my curiosity! Which is your favorite? Or which should I read first?

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  2. Hi Shannon,

    I just opened an Etsy Shop & now I have a few questions. Did you have to get a business license? Is there any legal paper work you have to fill out?

    Thanks,

    Rita

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  3. "any novel is more enriching when it's a copy that was published a hundred years ago and has been "well rubbed" at the corners" - that is very, very true! Old books are just wonderful (and Dickens was an amazing writer, too!)! :D

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  4. Oh my! I love Dickens. :) One of my favorites, actually. I can never grow tired of his immortal works.

    Johanna and I awarded you!

    Emma

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  5. We (Mr D and I) were watching Part One on Masterpiece. I haven't seen/read Oliver Twist in some time.

    And we missed the Second part of the series, sadly.. Poor Mr. D was quite upset about missing the second part of it... he detests reading, but loves a good show.

    I too, have become antsy to pick up where I left the series off at...

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  6. I am infatuated with Dickens!! My next read of his is probably Oliver Twist.

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  7. Cheri, I hardly know which to recommend! I love all of them (although I wasn't fond of "Great Expectations"). My favorite is definitely "Little Dorrit," but it's a bit dark and possibly confusing. "A Tale of Two Cities" is fantastic, and "Nicholas Nickleby" is one of his lighter novels. Can you tell that I'm indecisive? ;-)

    Rita, unfortunately I'm not the one to ask! :-) It depends on the type of things you're selling and the state you live in. And I'm not remotely qualified to offer legal advice ;-) Good luck with your shop! I looked for it on you blog, but didn't find a link.

    Emma, thank you for the award! :-)

    Kim, the ending was quite good! I hope you get to see the rest of it! I'm amazed at how different it is from the book, and yet it still keeps the same character.

    Yours in Christ,
    Shannon

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  8. Oliver Twist is good. I read it in about two days the summer before last.

    -Maria

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  9. Ah!!!! Dickens is my FAVORITE author! What a lovely book!!!! Several years ago for my sixteenth birthday I got a whole set of Dickens from the 1890's. They are in almost perfect condition and have that wonderful, musty, old-book smell. Ahh. Anyway. My favorite book is A Tale of Two Cities, with Bleak House, Little Dorrit, and Nicholas Nickleby as runners-up! (Oh, and who can forget A Christmas Carol? ;-)) So lovely!

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