A Life, A Review, A BookClub Breakfast ..... Good Ol' Charlie

We enjoyed a lovely breakfast at the Crosstown Eating House - the only downer was feeling to be made a little unwelcome because of holding a table for longer than they seem to like there guests to stay.  Oh well, the coffee was good and we all agreed, humbug to them!

Now a little about Claire's biography of Dickens.  While we all didn't get through the book....How many pages, did anyone ask that very important Q before we all agreed to read on.  Apparently not!  Not to worry, that is now a question we have decided to ask, while each looking at our busy diaries, to determine just how viable it might be for a few of us to complete a book in between sittings. 

Some might ask, "What type of bookclub are you?"  "Are you serious about literature, serious about reading, interested in expanding your mind through the art of reflective conversation?".  Well of course I can confidently say on behalf of all of us, "YES", "YES", "YES".  What i can proudly say is, "We are busy women, with a diverse range of commitments in our lives.  We read for enjoyment, we read to stimulate our thinking, we read to surrender from the structure and order of everyday life, we read to journey to other places, to explore through the eyes and voices created by the author experiences which are not our own.
And for Bec's Mark - it is hardly far to say we are the Bookclub where you don't need to read Books! So very wrong!!!! In the words of Catherine Tate, How very Dare You !!!!

Now onto Dickens, there was a resounding view that Claire the author, did a good job of writing this biography.  What stood out was the quality of how the author linked the description of Charles' character and significant life experiences with the themes and characters of his story.

Ruthie and Cheryl, really liked photos - and from now on, i think it is going to be hard to find books to outrate Dickens on the picture front. 

Oh, though i do remember a beautiful book we did read once which probably could top Dickens..... Bec your choice, a freddo for who can remember?

Now in closing, i accept, i was not a lover of this biography, but that is no reflection on the author's writing, it is more about my limitation to find relaxation and pleasure in reading biographies.  Maybe as i get older, that will change.  I am hoping it is something i will grow into.   However to be fair, the majority of the group did appreciate the quality of this book.  Our understanding of Dickens is that he was a man with his own character flaws and whilst he was a brilliant writer, writing was something he worked hard at to ensure his success.  He truly made being a writer a profession!  He was definitely not a perfect man and in many respects in spite of his interest to uplift the voice of the impoverished man and women through his writing and charitable acts, he was very traditional and conservative in many ways - and certainly could be quite harsh and uncharitable to people close to him such as his wife Catherine, who really did deserve much better.

Welcome other's comments.... Oh and the Challenge is out - for each of us to read a Dickens story sometime between now and the new year, for a New Year Dickens Revival! 

Cheers and Enjoy
V