The Inimitable

[poliphilo]

I read Pickwick Papers as a child and wanted to be Sam Weller.  Afraid that nothing would ever live up to the splendiferousness of Pickwick, I left Dickens alone through early adolescence- and then- at seventeen- fell deeply in love with Little Dorrit. I've read all the major novels except Barnaby Rudge (most of them at least twice).  My politics- an apple-cheeked Christian socialism fuelled by rage at the Merdles and Tite-Barnacles (who still run the world)- are essentially Dickens's politics. I love many other novelists, but Dickens is in a class apart- and there have been times in my life when (like Charlie Chaplin) I couldn't be bothered with reading anyone else. No-one- before or since (and that even includes Shakespeare)- has ever been so lively. 

Comments

[sovay]

My personal favourite is Little Dorrit.

I didn't read that one until after I'd seen Christine Edzard's amazing 1988 film, but I loved it when I did. It might be one of my favorites just for the language alone.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I love that movie.