Books for February, 2003

[pegkerr]

From work:

Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens. This has been mostly a 19th century novel month. I wrote an entry previously about my delighted realization, in the middle of reading Nicholas Nickleby that in all his work Dickens was examining exactly what I intend to examine in writing my third novel, namely, the contrast between the heart of flesh and the heart of stone. (I have named my villain "Rolf" in honor, so to speak, of Ralph Nickleby.) I enjoyed this book enormously. I was prompted to read it because I had so enjoyed the movie so much. I note in passing that it was extremely interesting to see two different movies this month, both directed by Douglas McGrath, which featured the actress Juliet Stevenson, playing in each a malignant woman who has achieved great felicity in marriage by finding a partner just as venal as herself: the sadistically malicious Mrs. Squeers in Nicholas Nickleby ("Is that my Squeery?") and the slyly malicious Mrs. Elton in Emma ("My cara spousa, dear Mr. E.!")

David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. This was a re-read, but it hardly counts as such because I hadn’t remembered very much about the story. This book was another delight, although I don’t find the Micawbers as entertaining as I know some readers do.

The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer. Re-read. Am very glad that this has been re-released so I now own a proper copy. Just as fun as I had remembered.

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, a Newbery Honor book. Quite a good adventure story, in the manner of the book most like it I best remember from my youth, My Side of the Mountain. Kind of like the movie "Castaway," except with a kid instead of an adult. Quite believable—the author didn’t make it easy for the kid by any means.

Am presently reading The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens, and so it should properly go on my list for next month. It is more episodic that the other two of his books I read this month—well, no wonder, as it was his first novel, originally written as a magazine serial, and isn’t everyone’s first novel a picaresque? Mine was. As a result, I have picked up three other books to read in the middle of reading this one, The Grand Sophy and Hatchet, noted above, and The Clerk’s Tale by Margaret Frazier, a Dame Frevisse mystery which I am also presently reading. The Pickwick Papers reminds me, in a way, of the phenomenon of cassieclaire’s Very Secret Diaries, which started out semi-small as a joke, and then became an enormous phenomenon because everyone told their friends about it. By the publication of the last serial (the 56th), they were printing about 40,000 copies a month. By the way, all the Dickens I’ve read this month I’ve been using the Penguin editions. I have found the notes to be very good, and the Introduction on this one in particular (about the publishing history and how it shaped the novel) was quite interesting.

Not a long list this time, but as the Dickens are all "damned, thick, square, books" I think this list is perfectly respectable for one month.

Peg

Comments

[rhiannon333.livejournal.com]

Peg, your reading list is enormously impressive - *applauds*. You are remarkable in your dedication to making time to read in between work, family and writing commitments. More than two Dickens tomes in a month is way more than just "respectable". I confess I am far more likely in my Dickens re-reads to do the later books - Our Mutual Friend, Bleak House, Little Dorrit. Astute observation of the parallels with Cassie's VSDs - I have often thought of Dickens' writing methods as similar to serial publication of fanfic. Have fun with your March books!