The Old Curiosity Club discussion

With the cast of OMF behind us, everybody seems to leave the Jolly Porters and gather round the fire, the settees, and the barroom of Travellers’ Twopenny, where mine host and hostess stand ready to serve you. Do try the local draft ginger beer - yum!

Everyman wrote: "With the cast of OMF behind us, everybody seems to leave the Jolly Porters and gather round the fire, the settees, and the barroom of Travellers’ Twopenny, where mine host and hostess stand ready t..."

Indeed. Will you join me for a song or two before the fire?

Anytime is a great time to celebrate.

Phew! Thankfully I made it out of the Jolly Porters in the nick of time before bubbling down to the bottom of the Thames. Good to see everyone making their way here to the Twopenny. Friends, warm fire, refreshments, and Peter's lovely singing all to be found here. :)

Nice. Cheers, gentleman... Cheers ;)

Love the new local! Thank you, Linda, for pulling me out of the Porters in time. Obviously, you still had more of your faculties intact that evening; I'd been making rather merry. :-)

To our newer members who may not be receiving email notifications for all the older threads, please read the discussion about the Nicholas Nickleby DVD. I hope someone will take advantage of the opportunity offered there!

Everyman wrote: "With the cast of OMF behind us, everybody seems to leave the Jolly Porters and gather round the fire, the settees, and the barroom of Travellers’ Twopenny, where mine host and hostess stand ready t..."

Gives me a hankering for ginger beer. But given it is only 6:30 AM in New Jersey, I will have to finish my coffee and await the afternoon, which has with it a Nor'easter of wind and rain.

Mmmm- ginger beer! One of the few tipples I can't resist. Hope you'll being some of your own special brew, John, and I'll sit at your table for the duration :) I'll even bring my long-haired collie dog to warm everyone's feet :)

Jean wrote: "Mmmm- ginger beer! One of the few tipples I can't resist. Hope you'll being some of your own special brew, John, and I'll sit at your table for the duration :) I'll even bring my long-haired collie..."

I may need that ginger beer sooner than I think, Jean. I am currently debating someone who doesn't believe Shakespeare wrote Shakespeare. Only an aristocrat could write Shakespeare according to him. I should not have bothered.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Jean wrote: "Mmmm- ginger beer! One of the few tipples I can't resist. Hope you'll being some of your own special brew, John, and I'll sit at your table for the duration :) I'll even bring my long-haired collie..."

Do you really have a collie, Jean? I'm without pets for the first time in decades, and I miss having a dog terribly. Please bring him (her?) along. I need a dog fix.

John - Oh my! It looks like pistols at dawn! And how very odd that the original poster of the "review" never returned to comment! This particular debate is one which will run and run however, I think.

Most definitely Mary Lou! He's called "Blizzard" (if you tried giving him a bath you would see why ...) and is the 3rd, 4th and 5th photos along in my photos. At the moment he's warming himself in front of our gas fire in the caravan, with the fog outside worthy of a London pea-souper. But he loves company .. and especially to be the focus of attention :)

Jean wrote: "John - Oh my! It looks like pistols at dawn! And how very odd that the original poster of the "review" never returned to comment! This particular debate is one which will run and run however, I think."

Yeah, I hate to cede the argument to crackpot theories and conspiracies, so I keep replying.

Oh dear, did anybody think of saving Miss Potterson and Bob Gliddery from out of the cold waters of the Thames? If not, I'm sure Lizzie took another plunge and made up for our remissness.

I don't really know what it's like inside the Travellers' Twopenny because up to now I have not yet read any description of the place, but I'm sure it's going to be a cosy place because of the company.

I spent the weekend in a winedrinking part of Germany, and had some glasses of Federweißer, which is young white wine that has just started fermenting. Delushush ... delicious.

Linda, handball is not racquetball ... you play it with your hands. I don't know if it is very popular, or popular, at all outside Germany. If it is properly done, it looks like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J04gI...

As a spectator, I can get more fun out of it than of soccer, which is sometimes watching for 90 minutes no-one scoring a goal.

Jean wrote: "Most definitely Mary Lou! He's called "Blizzard" (if you tried giving him a bath you would see why ...) and is the 3rd, 4th and 5th photos along in my photos. At the moment he's warming himself in ..."

If Blizzard can howl in tune please bring him to the Curiosities Christmas Concert practices. I know Kim has room for another dog besides her own in the chorus.

With a bit of ginger beer in me I’m ready to warm up my voice now.

What I like about the Travellers' Twopenny is that they are already putting their Christmas decorations up. My kind of place. Except for the ginger beer, it sounds awful. Of course, I've never tasted beer I liked, it all needs a lot more sugar than they put in it, and ginger only reminds me of Ginger Ale they were always bringing to me when I was a kid in the hospital pretending it was a treat. The only treat was to go home.

Handball looks confusing.....and painful. And I'll take dogs over people any day, bring them along. Most people that is.

Glad to have been of assistance, Mary Lou! Leave no Curiousity behind!

Jean - what a fitting name for a collie! "Blizzard" - I'm grinning at that name. :)

I was surprised to see the Twopenny putting up their Christmas decorations up so early, but if it makes Kim happy, then it makes me happy as well.

Thanks for the handball link, Tristram. I'm with Kim, it does look confusing. I'll stick to soccer.

I've played handball :) A long time ago ...

And ginger beer is more like a soft drink with a bit of a zing than anything! Definitely not sour like beer, Kim!

My latest bit of news is that I found a pop-up version of "A Christmas Carol" in a charity shop yesterday YAY :) I particularly like Scrooge leaping up when Marley's ghost appears round the door!

Jean wrote: "My latest bit of news is that I found a pop-up version of "A Christmas Carol" in a charity shop yesterday YAY :) I particularly like Scrooge leaping up when Marley's ghost appears round the door!"

Oh, what fun! I've got several versions of ACC but no pop-up yet. I'll have to keep an eye out for that!

Blizzard looks like a sweetheart, and I can see how he got his name. All that white, with all his colors on his face! I've had white cats, but no white dogs.... yet. I hope you don't have dark carpets!

LOL, Mary Lou - you'd be amazed at the change in our wardrobes after getting Blizzard. All of a sudden pale coloured jackets and cord jeans seemed a much better idea than navy!

It's this one: A Christmas Carol: Pop-up Book (I amended the Goodreads entry slightly.)

Handball probably is confusing because of those strange rules as to how many steps you may run when you've got the ball, and it definitely is painful for the players quite often. But it's the sport my son chose, and I'm quite relieved that I won't have to watch soccer matches ;-)

... to come into the narrow back lane wherein stands the crazy wooden house of two low stories currently known as the Travellers' Twopenny...
Just popping in for a pint and catching-up on all the conversation.
Cheers all!

We may be in trouble........

If one leaves The Vines by the gate in front of Restora­tion House and turns to the left along Crow Lane, one comes in a few min­utes to the site of the "Trav­ellers' Twopen­ny," as it is known in Edwin Drood. Its real name was "The White Duck," and Dick­ens cer­tain­ly does not ex­ag­ger­ate its shady char­ac­ter, for its mem­o­ry still sur­vives in Rochester as a pub­lic house so dis­rep­utable that any girl seen com­ing out of it, or out of the alley lead­ing to the rear en­trance, lost her good name at once and for­ev­er. It was torn down many years ago.

Kim wrote: "We may be in trouble........

If one leaves The Vines by the gate in front of Restora­tion House and turns to the left along Crow Lane, one comes in a few min­utes to the site of the "Trav­ellers' ..."

Well, trouble for some of those who are associated with the establishment. For the Curiosities, however, there exists only an aura of benevolent kindness, tempered by joy and seasoned with laughter.

We are above reproach.

Thanks for the heads-up Kim, I shall adopt camouflaging male dress and a deep voice. And I shall of course be accompanied by my big fluffy white dog, who looks very cute but believes himself to be so macho :)

I came upon a list earlier, not on here, that had all Dickens books listed. I thought it was possible there may be one I missed but I never expected this. Does it make sense to anyone?

Legal Loopholes: Credit Repair Tactics Esposed
By Charles Dickens

Kim wrote: "Legal Loopholes: Credit Repair Tactics Esposed
By Charles Dickens "

That's funny, but apparently it's a real book (but it's not misspelled on the actual book). There are reviews of it on Amazon and according to the About the Author:

Charles Dickens is an entrepreneur, legal strategist, and motivational speaker who devotes his time, talents, and expertise to helping others who may be struggling to improve their credit. Dickens has graduated from the school of hard knocks and teaches others through his own personal life experiences....Dickens has received many accolades and awards for his many achievements, and he currently resides in Wisconsin.

What I find most funny, though, is that someone would name their child Charles Dickens. Unless the parents had never heard of this little-known author? lol.

I've corrected the Goodreads entry.

(What am I doing with my "one wild and precious life"? ...)

If my name were Dickens, I'd be inclined to christen my boy Charles. If my wife were so inclined - alas, that's another question.

By the way, if Charles Dickens is currently living in Wisconsin, why does he not finally complete the MED?

Peter wrote: "Kim wrote: "We may be in trouble........

If one leaves The Vines by the gate in front of Restora­tion House and turns to the left along Crow Lane, one comes in a few min­utes to the site of the "T..."

I just can't find my halo. I've had it freshly polished, and now apparently I mislaid it.

Tristram wrote: "If my name were Dickens, I'd be inclined to christen my boy Charles. If my wife were so inclined - alas, that's another question.

By the way, if Charles Dickens is currently living in Wisconsin, w..."

I would, at the very least, give him Charles as a middle name. I think my love for my child would, over the course of nine months, prevail, and I would choose a different first name for his own well-being. One can only imagine what the current CD has suffered over the years!

Has anyone read 'Death and Mr. Pickwick'? What did you think?
Also, I have a dog named Ellie that looks a lot like Blizzard accept black where he is white... and she also hates to get a bath.

Hi Kris - Sometimes I think Blizzard is like a negative of a typical border collie! I'd love to see your Ellie :)

I was in conversation with Stephen Jarvis shortly before publication of Death and Mr. Pickwick, but I'm afraid I've never got round to reading his book. I know it mirrors the length of The Pickwick Papers, and Stephen Jarvis was confident that nobody would ever be able to look at Dickens's book in the same way again. The only personal report I have of the book, was another Goodreads friend saying he thought it was rather derivative, and that he would prefer to read authentic Dickens ...

I was responsible for introducing Stephen Jarvis to another group many of us used to belong to, but sadly he never joined in any of our reads there.

I'd be interested to know what you make of the book, should you read it, however, Kris :)

Tristram wrote: "If my name were Dickens, I'd be inclined to christen my boy Charles. If my wife were so inclined - alas, that's another question.

By the way, if Charles Dickens is currently living in Wisconsin, w..."

Once again you made me laugh.

Jean wrote: "Hi Kris - Sometimes I think Blizzard is like a negative of a typical border collie! I'd love to see your Ellie :)

I was in conversation with Stephen Jarvis shortly before publicati..."

Thank you Jean!
I posted a picture of Ellie as a puppy and Petunia who is now two.
I am re-reading The Pickwick Papers now because I want to read Death and Mr. Pickwick next. I have asked for a hardcover edition for Christmas. I will be sure to post about it when I get there.

Mary Lou wrote: "Tristram wrote: "If my name were Dickens, I'd be inclined to christen my boy Charles. If my wife were so inclined - alas, that's another question.

By the way, if Charles Dickens is currently livin..."

You're right, Mary Lou: What I did not consider in my enthusiasm was that perhaps other children might tend to make fun of a boy named Charles Dickens. But then, those children who would, might probably be so illiterate as not to know that this is a writer's name - THE writer's name - in the first place ;-)

Kim wrote: "Once again you made me laugh."

And so my day was not wasted :-)

Kris wrote: "Has anyone read 'Death and Mr. Pickwick'? What did you think?"

Frankly speaking, I read some not so favourable reviews in which it was claimed that the book warms up the thesis that Dickens in a way stole Pickwick from the illustrator Robert Seymour. Considering Dickens's success and craft as an author, his lively imagination and the fact that he would soon take in hand the complete creative process, giving instructions to his illustrators instead of receiving them, I think that this thesis can be dismissed and that The Pickwick Papers is genuinely Dickens.

Absolutely, Tristram :)

Actually there's a list of Dickens "spin offs" on Goodreads, a couple of which I quite fancy reading eventually. Link here

Tristram wrote: "Kris wrote: "Has anyone read 'Death and Mr. Pickwick'? What did you think?"

Frankly speaking, I read some not so favourable reviews in which it was claimed that the book warms up the thesis that D..."

Hi,
Yes, I have seen similar reviews but am thinking it would be an interesting read as pure fiction... like Drood.

I see that one's on your shelves but unrated. Did you enjoy it Kris?

Jean wrote: "I see that one's on your shelves but unrated. Did you enjoy it Kris?"

I did find it entertaining as it was written from Wilkie Collins point of view and begins with CD in the train crash... however, most of it seemed like Collins was in an opium induced dream that was really drawn out.

I agree with Tristram on this one, but if one of my dear friends who spend Wednesday evenings here with me singing hymns would bring a copy and give it to me, which happens often with books, perhaps I would read it, but there are so many other books I want to read I'm not sure I'd ever get to it. I have a pile of books now that these very people bring me, they find them in their attics, buy them at local auctions, things like that, and they are all on my probably not pile simply because I don't think I'll ever get to them. Unless I live to be 100 I guess.

Jean wrote: "Absolutely, Tristram :)

Actually there's a list of Dickens "spin offs" on Goodreads, a couple of which I quite fancy reading eventually. Link here"

My word, I've never heard of a single one of these!

Kris - actually that does sound intriguing! My problem is that I always prefer to return to the Inimitable :D

Jean wrote: "Kris - actually that does sound intriguing! My problem is that I always prefer to return to the Inimitable :D"

Hahaha... me too! It is hard for me to read any other author.

Jean wrote: "Actually there's a list of Dickens "spin offs" on Goodreads, a couple of which I quite fancy reading eventually. Link here"

Interesting, Jean! The one that pops out from this list for me is Dodger by Terry Pratchett as I've recently embarked on reading Pratchett's Discworld series, which I'm enjoying quite a lot. A blend of Dickens and Pratchett sounds like a book I need to check out.

Linda wrote: "Jean wrote: "Actually there's a list of Dickens "spin offs" on Goodreads, a couple of which I quite fancy reading eventually. Link here"

Interesting, Jean! The one that pops out from this list for..."

Hi, Linda -- I love the Discworld series! Pratchett is such fun. I've read Dodger, which is definitely a tribute to the Inimitable, but certainly not the same caliber as Dickens, or even of other Pratchett books - I gave it three stars. But as I said in my review, it may just lead young readers to Dickens, which would be a wonderful thing.

I have read Drood by Dan Simmons and found it a very intriguing book (with little flaws, but then I am a Grump). In case anyone wants more information, they will find my two-pence on it somewhere on GR. I was especially impressed by Simmons's use of the unreliable narrator, a literary device I hold in high esteem ;-)

As to the Pickwick book, with all due respect to the author, I cannot help wondering if he is not doing himself, to a certain degree, what he - I think, wrongly - accuses Dickens of: Riding on the Pickwick wave, and then even throwing mud at the Inimitable.

Or "jumping on the bandwagon", Tristram? Yes, I did wonder that myself. He contacted me because (he said) he'd enjoyed my review of The Pickwick Papers so much. In that I briefly tell the facts about Robert Seymour, yet he didn't seem to have noticed, but was more keen to elucidate his invented theory.

I don't discount fictionalisations, and read some faction with enjoyment. But everything considered, I'd need quite a few pushes to read this one. It would have been more likely, I think, if the author had read something else by Charles Dickens too, rather than this one repeatedly. If he had, then he would have been aware, as you say, of "Dickens's success and craft as an author, his lively imagination and the fact that he would soon take in hand the complete creative process, giving instructions to his illustrators instead of receiving them".

The trouble with faction, and also films which are "based on", is that all they may do is diss the original - or a well-known figure - sometimes for no good reason other than sensationalisation, in my opinion. Dickens was no paragon of virtue, and ended up rowing with just about all his friends and contacts, but in this case it's probably pure fiction.