Dickens - what should I read?

[2022HereWeCome]

I've never ever read any Dickens (despite watching loads of BBC dramas of Dickens novels). What should I read and why? I don't mind a lengthy, sprawling saga.

Wondering about Great Expectations, A Tale of Two Cities or Bleak House? Or if there are better Dickens out there?

@Blerg

A Christmas Carol is a good starting point at this time of year.

That was going to be my recommendation too.

Am clearly quite passionate about it, with all those exclamation marks🤦🏻‍♀️

Christmas Carol is a very easy read. Great Expectations is wonderful, closely followed by Little Dorrit and Bleak House. The latter is very lengthy and personally I struggled to get into it but once I settled into the story proper I was hooked! Totally enthralling.

Couldn't really get on with Nicolas Nickleby. The characters all seemed a bit 2 dimensional compared - in particular - to Great Expectations which has some vividly atmospheric scenes.

Great Expectations is wonderful and a good place to start. It's very much the Dickens we expect, if that makes sense.

My personal favourite is A Tale of Two Cities. The theme is sombre, but there is some humour, albeit very dark at times.

I feel like going and reading some Dickens right now! Thank you for putting him in my head.

A Christmas carol really is the obvious starter Dickens.

Apart from that, the first I ever read as a teenager was Our Mutual Friend - prompted by starting to watch the bbc Sunday night 'classic serial' and not being able to wait for each weekly episode. (The 1976 version, superb cast). I think it's probably still my favourite.

I then had a period of reading lots of dickens, the ones I couldn't get into were Martin chuzzlewit, A Tale of Two Cities (knowing the ending) or the Pickwick Papers.

Hugh Grant reading A Christmas Carol on audible is SUBLIME. Honestly, it sounds funny, delightful and modern somehow in a way I've never heard before.

It's free if you're a new subscriber.

The Christmas Carol on Audible read by Hugh Grant is wonderful!

Oooh didn't see your post @MorrisZapp - it's so so good isn't it!

It's funny really how some authors drop off your radar. Despite reading a lot of classics, I still haven't read Elizabeth Gaskell either. But I have read a lot of Russian literature!

Dombey & Son is one of Dickens' best, but most underrated novels IMO.

I love Nicholas Nickleby but also David Copperfield and Great Expectations

I find Dickens really variable.

I adore Bleak House and Tale of Two Cities. Couldn't even finish The Old Curiosity Shop.

So if you don't like one, don't assume that you "don't like Dickens:" just try a different one.

My favourite is Martin Chuzzlewit

OK - my order of proposed reading so far is:

• Great Expectations
• Oliver Twist
• A tale of two cities

I think I might have to work up David Copperfield

Our Mutual Friend for me too. I love it so much. Im pretty over A Christmas Carol.

I loved Hard Times.

The Mystery of Edwin Drood is also good, despite it being unfinished.

Christmas Carol is good- and short! It took me a while to get into the flow of Dickens the first time I read him (Bleak House) and gave up several times before i clicked with it.

I've read and really enjoyed:
ACC
Bleak House
David Copperfield
Tale of Two Cities.

@GiltEdges

Dombey & Son is one of Dickens' best, but most underrated novels IMO.

Oh yes....... I forgot about this one

Martin Chuzzlewit is the best of Dickens. Hilariously funny with fabulous characters. Also has a darker theme develop so it's a book you can get your teeth into. Dickens himself thought that MC was his best work. I agree with him.

I really disliked Hard Times. So not that one. But I'm probably not the best to ask as I much prefer Dickens on the screen than on the page.

Wilkie Collins wrote much better page turners

@2022HereWeCome the last couple of years we’ve done a Dickens readalong on here, where we choose a book, read a few chapters each month then come back and discuss. I don’t think it’s been finally decided but the current suggestion for the next one (starting in January) is Hard Times. You might like to join us on the readalong thread, it’s not up yet for Hard Times but will appear at some point before January.

ooh @chessie, thanks for that tip off. That sounds great.

sorry that was for @ChessieFL - thank you for telling me about the read along

I would go with Great Expectations or David Copperfield first. Both are very good places to start. Great Expectations is wonderful, but I have a soft spot for the awful Uriah Heap in David Copperfield.

@DarkDarkNight I love all the characters in David Copperfield. Uriah Heep (we are so very 'umble). Betsy Trotwood (Janet! Donkeys!). And Barkis is willing, of course.