I love Tilly! Her mischievous ways are so much like my little Luna 😊 I thoroughly enjoy your reviews, I just ordered audio versions of The Old Curiosity Shop, plus 4 other Dickens novels that I've not read. I listen as I work on my crafting. Thank you so much! Hugs to Tilly ❤
OH, that little dog is such a scene stealer! She's almost human, isn't she? I love her!... but on to books. I read The Old Curiosity Shop when I was a young teen. I loved the wordiness of it. Not sure that I want to re-read it. My Grade 6 teacher (male) read aloud to the class after lunch. One of the books he read to us was A Tale of Two Cities. I would like to read that again.
So ADORE Tillie and this was a wonderful video - I almost "forgot" about the Old Curiosity Shop somehow, will now have to go and bring is out to light again. Thank You so much for these delightful videos.
Wonderful review. TOCS is on my tbr pile. More reviews to come? Yes , can’t wait. Poor Tilly. Was beginning to wonder if we had to report you to somebody. LOL! She is so precious!
Do you think the fact that this was first published as a serial affected Dickens’s writing? I heard a story about the American readers having to wait for the ending and it being a huge event when the boat bringing it finally arrived. Isn’t it wonderful how much stories mean to us?
Apparently Dickens was greeted at the quayside but crowds desperate to learn the fate of Little Nell. Cries of "...does she live, does she live...? were heard as her creator disembarked!
Most (if not all) his books were published a serials - as were many other books of the period, so people would look forward to the next instalment as we used to with TV series before we had streaming & box sets! I suppose this affected the way the stories were structured to a large extent.
@@booksfrommybookshelf I didn’t realize so many of his works were presented this way. Can you imagine how addictive television shows would be with him penning the stories? Cheers.
@@constancecampbell4610 Yes - Dickens actually edited his own magazine, called 'Household Words' in which his own books were serialised as well as others, including Elizabeth Gaskell.
There was a TV version of The Old Curiosity Shop, made in the UK and shown on American PBS. Derek Jacobi as the grandfather and Toby Jones as Quilp. I enjoyed it, but since I've never the read the book, I'm not sure how it compares.
Good luck with Martin Chuzzlewit! Of all Dickens works I found this (along with Bleak House) the hardest to get through. Well worth the effort but by no means an easy read!
One of Dickens' major weaknesses - along with his over-use of coincidence - is his portrayal of his female characters who tend to be idealised angels (Nell Trent, Amy Dorrit) or grotesque characateurs (Mrs. Gamp, Miss Flyte). Having said that I really enjoyed re-reading The Old Curiosity Shop recently add...yes indeed...I did shed a tear at the death of Little Nell.
Yes - I agree, and it's something that Dickens has often been criticised for (Dora in David Copperfield, too), and I have to admit that I want to give these idealised characters a good shake at times! The coincidences are very much characteristic of all his books, and though unrealistic, are quite fun too!
Little Nell reminds me of Little Dorrit; both of them faultless, too good to be true. But, having said that, I love Dickens. His writing is divine. He wanted to think women were somewhat vacuous angels when we were young (translation: sexually attractive); and somewhat ridiculous when we got older (or fatter) by the fact that he often made them an object of fun. Of course, there are some strong, female characters albeit asexual. I particularly like Betsey Trotwood. I wouldn’t go near her place with my donkeys!
@@margo3367 Betsey Trotwood has always been my favourite female Dickens character. She is strong, determined, able to change which is very rare ! She is funny, yet extremely clever, ablevto help people David for instance without being intrusive, when he starts his education she makes sure everything is going on smoothlly then leaves him to it. When she sees he is heading for an unlucky marriage, she never interferes but stays by his side when he needs her. She is totally heedless of what people might think about her (for example when she accepts a rather exentric lodger obsessed by Charles 1! But she is kind, never complains, resilient and able to forgive! She is one of my role models 😀 ickens
I've always thought the character of Nancy in Oliver Twist one of Dickens' most interesting and ambivalent creations. A "good girl gone wrong" who pays the ultimate price, in a later era she would have made a fascinating leading character.
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I love Tilly! Her mischievous ways are so much like my little Luna 😊 I thoroughly enjoy your reviews, I just ordered audio versions of The Old Curiosity Shop, plus 4 other Dickens novels that I've not read. I listen as I work on my crafting. Thank you so much! Hugs to Tilly ❤
I love your book reviews, and I always look forward to Tilly’s appearance ❤
OH, that little dog is such a scene stealer! She's almost human, isn't she? I love her!... but on to books. I read The Old Curiosity Shop when I was a young teen. I loved the wordiness of it. Not sure that I want to re-read it. My Grade 6 teacher (male) read aloud to the class after lunch. One of the books he read to us was A Tale of Two Cities. I would like to read that again.
So ADORE Tillie and this was a wonderful video - I almost "forgot" about the Old Curiosity Shop somehow, will now have to go and bring is out to light again. Thank You so much for these delightful videos.
Wonderful review. TOCS is on my tbr pile. More reviews to come? Yes , can’t wait. Poor Tilly. Was beginning to wonder if we had to report you
to somebody. LOL! She is so precious!
Love little Tilly the book reviews were good
Do you think the fact that this was first published as a serial affected Dickens’s writing? I heard a story about the American readers having to wait for the ending and it being a huge event when the boat bringing it finally arrived. Isn’t it wonderful how much stories mean to us?
Apparently Dickens was greeted at the quayside but crowds desperate to learn the fate of Little Nell. Cries of "...does she live, does she live...? were heard as her creator disembarked!
@@josephcossey1811 Yes, thank you.
Most (if not all) his books were published a serials - as were many other books of the period, so people would look forward to the next instalment as we used to with TV series before we had streaming & box sets! I suppose this affected the way the stories were structured to a large extent.
@@booksfrommybookshelf I didn’t realize so many of his works were presented this way. Can you imagine how addictive television shows would be with him penning the stories? Cheers.
@@constancecampbell4610 Yes - Dickens actually edited his own magazine, called 'Household Words' in which his own books were serialised as well as others, including Elizabeth Gaskell.
There was a TV version of The Old Curiosity Shop, made in the UK and shown on American PBS. Derek Jacobi as the grandfather and Toby Jones as Quilp. I enjoyed it, but since I've never the read the book, I'm not sure how it compares.
Thank you. I don't think I've seen it, which is unusual for me (I usually watch every Dickens production!) - and I love Derek Jacobi, too!
Good luck with Martin Chuzzlewit! Of all Dickens works I found this (along with Bleak House) the hardest to get through. Well worth the effort but by no means an easy read!
Yes, I remember that from the last time I read it, but I think it is a good read, and the long section in America is interesting.
Thoroughly enjoyed your recent look at the works of Jane Austen. Next year is the 250th anniversary of her birth. Any special celebrations planned?
Hi - yes, that will be in December next year. I'll be marking that in my diary and I'll make sure that I'll do something for that date!
One of Dickens' major weaknesses - along with his over-use of coincidence - is his portrayal of his female characters who tend to be idealised angels (Nell Trent, Amy Dorrit) or grotesque characateurs (Mrs. Gamp, Miss Flyte). Having said that I really enjoyed re-reading The Old Curiosity Shop recently add...yes indeed...I did shed a tear at the death of Little Nell.
Yes - I agree, and it's something that Dickens has often been criticised for (Dora in David Copperfield, too), and I have to admit that I want to give these idealised characters a good shake at times! The coincidences are very much characteristic of all his books, and though unrealistic, are quite fun too!
Why do you think some of his female characters were presented in such an idealised form?
Little Nell reminds me of Little Dorrit; both of them faultless, too good to be true. But, having said that, I love Dickens. His writing is divine. He wanted to think women were somewhat vacuous angels when we were young (translation: sexually attractive); and somewhat ridiculous when we got older (or fatter) by the fact that he often made them an object of fun. Of course, there are some strong, female characters albeit asexual. I particularly like Betsey Trotwood. I wouldn’t go near her place with my donkeys!
@@margo3367 Betsey Trotwood has always been my favourite female Dickens character. She is strong, determined, able to change which is very rare ! She is funny, yet extremely clever, ablevto help people David for instance without being intrusive, when he starts his education she makes sure everything is going on smoothlly then leaves him to it. When she sees he is heading for an unlucky marriage, she never interferes but stays by his side when he needs her. She is totally heedless of what people might think about her (for example when she accepts a rather exentric lodger obsessed by Charles 1! But she is kind, never complains, resilient and able to forgive! She is one of my role models 😀
ickens
I've always thought the character of Nancy in Oliver Twist one of Dickens' most interesting and ambivalent creations. A "good girl gone wrong" who pays the ultimate price, in a later era she would have made a fascinating leading character.
Very true. It does make one wonder about Dickens' own relationship with women - which we know was less than perfect.