Cambridge University Press Site

I just learned about this site, sponsored by Cambridge UP.  It looks like it might have great potential.

http://www.cambridge.org/us/dickens/

Dickens v. Vonnegut

This might be a slightly random, but I was trying to authenticate a quote from Vonnegut and when I looked it up, it was being juxtaposed with this one from Dickens' Hard Times.

Now, what I want is, Facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but Facts. Facts
alone are wanted in life. Plant nothing else. And root out everything else. You
can only form the minds of reasoning animals upon Facts: nothing else will ever
be of any service to them. This is the principle on which I bring up my own
children, and this is the principle on which I bring up these children. Stick to
Facts, sir! — Charles Dickens, Hard Times, (1854)

Vonnegut's Quote?

“A great swindle of our time is the assumption that science has made religion obsolete. All science has damaged is the story of Adam and Eve and the story of Jonah and the Whale. Everything else holds up pretty well, particularly lessons about fairness and gentleness. People who find these lessons irrelevant in the 20th century are simply using science as an excuse for greed and harshness. Science has nothing to do with it.” – Kurt Vonnegut

As an Americanist, I may be partial - but all things being equal I'd give this round to Vonnegut. But the more I thought about it, the more I felt the pairing of the two quotes by this website was unfair. First of all, I don't think they were talking about the same thing really. And secondly (and more importantly) I think that Dickens (based on everything I've read thus far, especially A Christmas Carol) would have agreed with Vonnegut wholeheartedly.

Feel free to weigh in, or not...

I hope that you are paying attention to "Fairy Tale" references in D& S.  Here's the story of Dick Wittington:

Dick Whittington was a poor orphan. Hearing of the great city of London, where the streets were said to be paved with gold, he set off to seek his fortune in the city. Once there, of course, Dick could not find any streets that were paved with gold. Hungry, cold and tired, he fell asleep in front of the great house of Mr. Fitzwarren, a rich merchant. The generous man took Dick into his house and employed him as a scullery boy. Unfortunately, Dick's little room was infested with rats. Dick earned a penny shining a gentleman's shoes, and with it he bought a cat, who drove off the rats.

One day, Mr. Fitzwarren asked his servants if they wished to send something in his ship, leaving on a journey to a far off port, to trade for gold. Reluctantly, Dick sent his cat. Dick was happy living with Mr. Fitzwarren, except that Fitzwarren's cook was cruel to Dick, who eventually decided to run away. But before he could leave the city, he heard the Bow Bells ring out. They seemed to be saying, "Turn again Whittington, thrice Lord Mayor of London". Dick retraced his steps and found that Mr. Fitzwarren's ship had returned. His cat had been sold for a great fortune to the King of Barbary, whose palace was overrun with mice. Dick was a rich man. He joined Mr. Fitzwarren in his business and married his daughter Alice, and in time became the Lord Mayor of London three times, just as the bells had predicted.

Another Dickens Article in the Sunday Times...

It's a long one ...

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/12/magazine/dickens-world.html?src=recg

Cheers,

Eric

Wow... I'm better than that...

I really sliced that photo, we should crop it to get rid of all the extra space on the left. I'm not sure what I was thinking, I was busy trying to make sure Meghan got in and (I'm guessing) I was trying to get the gigantic image of Dickens projected on the board in it as well. Was the other photo this bad (bad meaning "off-center")? Plus, there was smoke in the room, and my contacts were hazy and dried out, and I think the viewing window was dirty, and the sun was in my eyes...

I'm better than that.

Regardless. Good cake. Good celebration. Good people.

Dickens characters traced...to real life

I can't remember if we've discussed the"Dickens and the Workhouse" book yet, but I thought I'd post this. Interesting bit on 10 Norfolk St.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/feb/01/charles-dickens-real-character-names

Thanks to all for celebrating Dickens's Birthday!  We were a day late late and a pound short... but the love was there!  Thanks also to Megan for guiding us through Oliver Twist... (more to come and I'll be sending out a piece on poor laws soon), and to Saxby for braving multiple hours (morning and evening) of Dickens.

Happy Birthday Charles!  You old cove you!

Apologies to Cassie.

San Eric Olsen- photographer here.

Here's a new one: Dickens and Home Interior Decoration!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/jan/24/charles-dickens-world-home-interiors

Looking forward to celebrate tonight!

Emily

We're not yet into "Bleak House" but here's a essay from Today's NY Times about Dickens and lawyers:

http://tinyurl.com/Dickens-Lawyers


Keep in mind that tomorrow is Dickens's 200th Birthday.  We'll celebrate on Wednesday?


Any postings about Oliver Twist?  Pay attention to the transition that Dickens makes from "Editor" (Pickwick) to authorial voice (OT).  Consider as well the "development" of Oliver as a character.  Is it strong or full?  Who is Oliver?  Neither Fagin nor Bill Sikes are presented in a favorable light... though Nancy is... Oliver is... and there's some question about the Dodger and Fagin's other conscripts.

Lastly, here's an image  (by William Heath) which I "found" at the NYPL a few years ago... while working there.  It shows the Jews in both the "Rag Trade" and in the fencing trade (Moses Levi's Pawn Shop).  The "green" bags are symbolic in that green bags were used to store evidence in the British Judicial system.  The title puns on "juvenile" although the "Dodger" in the background seems to be an adult.  Note the dialect as well:  "Get the monish--honestly if ye can--but get the monish."


If you're interested in images, try the NYPL Digital Gallery or Guidhall's (London) image gallery called "Collage."




Alan

Dickens on "Here and Now"

NPR is anticipating Dicken's Anniversary!  There was a small feature on "Here and Now" that you might want to listen to.  Remember... Dickens's  Birthday is on Feb. 7!

http://hereandnow.wbur.org/2012/02/03/charles-dickens-anniversary

Alan