poliphilo

In the morning I sweep up leaves. In the afternoon I suffer a bad attack of hay fever. Is there a connection? Probably.

Bother!

I like to sweep up leaves and furthermore I think leaves need to be swept up- so I don't want to stop. Would it make a difference if I wore a mask? Do I want to find out? Not sure.

The best way of dealing with hay fever is to stay still. The less I move around the less my sinuses bug me. So I sit on the couch and sleep a bit and read a bit.

All that sitting and reading means I've now finished The Old Curiosity Shop. As you may know I've set myself the task of reading all of Dickens' major novels in the order in which he wrote them. My verdict: The Old Curiosity Shop is the best yet.

Pickwick Papers is all but plotless. It carries on until it stops. It's a 19th century sit-com.

Oliver Twist is a brilliant little shocker. Dickens is saying I've shown you I can do comedy, now I'm going to show you I can do this as well.

Nicholas Nickleby is a bit Pickwick, a bit Oliver. It's picaresque with a crime plot mixed in. Sometimes it feels like we're just going through the motions. The leading characters are colourless. I got bored.

The Old Curiosity Shop is where it all comes together. It's very funny, it's very moving (yes, I like Little Nell) and it's thrilling when it needs to be. Quilp is the best villain ever!

It's fascinating to watch how a great writer develops- treading water, trying new things, having off days, surpassing himself. Next up will be Barnaby Rudge.