It's 200 years since Charles Dickens was born. I grew up in a house that had every copy of Dickens' novels bar one that had somehow been lost. I think they had probably been bought while Dickens was still alive.

I've only read a few of them all the way through, although a Christmas Carol has a special place in my library.

While Dickens still exerts a powerful influence I think it is on balance not for the best.

His view of 19th century England, driven as much by personal insecurities derived from childhood poverty as anything else, has coloured our view of how the world should work so that Dickens' caricatures are often invoked to support a sentimental nostalgic view of how the world should be rather than how it can be.

I think that was why I preferred other writers from the era. Thackeray, for example, while less of a moralising writer is more interesting, and probably ultimately more instructive. Hardy lifts the lid on the "rural idyll".

I know mine are minority views, but I can't let the day pass without some observance on OLO!

And as I know our recent feature on book reviews attracted new readers, perhaps some of those might join in.

Great thread, Graham....(I'm sure Squeers will be along any moment :)

I'll have a ponder on this one. Dickens drew attention to the inequities existing at a particularly crucial juncture in the development of industrial society - one of my special interests - and he did so in superb fashion.

More from me later, no doubt.

I love reading books, and many of my favourites were written by Charles Dickens, especially 'Great Expectations', 'Oliver Twist', 'Bleak House',and 'A Christmas Carol'.

In fact, I think I have read 'Great Expectations' at least 10 times!
I love historical novels that talk of the hardships of the 'common' people of yesteryear, as well as the upper class folk, and Dickens was a master in that craft.

Think of all the movies, TV series and plays that have been based on Dickens' books.
He really was a great talent.

Happy Birthday to ya :)

I also grew up with the novels of Charles Dickens.
And I must admit that although Dickens turned to
more serious themes and plots - he introduced
enough humour to keep his books entertaining.

I've always considered Dickens one of the major
figures in English Literature.

Some books have qualities which widen the mind's eye:
they take the reader far beyond the ordinary to a new
and exciting experience. This experience can be of a
sensory kind in which one sees or hears new things: it can
ne of an intellectual kind in which one thinks new things:
it can be of an emotional or moral kind in which one
feels and understands new things.

The books of Charles Dickens, to me, were those kind of
books. They were so absorbing in their overall
quality that I was drawn to the imaginative world that
was created with no problem of suspension of disbelief.

His books created enjoyment for me at many levels, in
many ways and at many times.

Happy Birthday Charles Dickens!

Well yes, and no, Poirot.

>>Dickens drew attention to the inequities existing at a particularly crucial juncture in the development of industrial society...<<

He most certainly did, and I think that the "crucial juncture" part might be the source of Graham's concerns as to his current relevance.

>>Dickens' caricatures are often invoked to support a sentimental nostalgic view of how the world should be rather than how it can be...<<

I've only just "come back" to Dickens in the last couple of years, having been somewhat indifferent before - my youthful taste for literary characters ran more towards Raskolnikov than Pip.

But on re-reading, I discovered that while times may change, and circumstances change, people don't. That historical crucial juncture was in many ways just the prop that Dickens used upon which to hang his observations on human nature.

Why Pericles during the Industrial Revolution was there so much poverty amongst so much new technology and wealth?

Dickens had a great passion for righting the injustices then,but we today lack the courage and vision to do likewise now.