The Readers Review: Literature from 1714 to 1910 discussion

Please post any information you find interesting or helpful about this author and publication. You don't need to wait until next week. Info ahead of time is very useful.

Happy birthday, Wilkie! And thanks for the links, Dagny :-)

Here is a nice little piece about Wilkie Collins and ghosts but with a bit of a spoiler in the last paragraph

http://anilbalan.com/2011/11/28/wilki...

And another biographical piece about the homes he lived in:

http://www.web40571.clarahost.co.uk/w...

A review of Peter Ackroyd's short biography of Collins which has some more interesting info:

http://steepstairs.wordpress.com/2012...

Madge wrote: "Here is a nice little piece about Wilkie Collins and ghosts but with a bit of a spoiler in the last paragraph

http://anilbalan.com/2011/11/28/wilki...

And another biographic..."

How fun. When hubby and I were searching for a home, we stayed in an old hotel. In the middle of the night I woke up and saw a man sitting on the side of the bed with his back towards me. Hubby is not usually up during the night. I asked if he was ok. No answer. I glanced down to see hubby sound asleep besides me. Glanced towards the man again to find nothing. Hotel wouldn't confirm any ghost stories.

Deborah wrote: "Madge wrote: "Here is a nice little piece about Wilkie Collins and ghosts but with a bit of a spoiler in the last paragraph

http://anilbalan.com/2011/11/28/wilki...

And anot..."

Exhaustion has set in. comment 6 is supposed to be under the background thread

Oooh very spooky!

Finally, here is a panoramic view of Venice which has changed very little since 1878 except that parts of it are, sadly, sinking:

http://www.airpano.com/360Degree-Virt...

I've had Peter Ackroyd's biography on my to-read list for a while, and our local independent bookshop has an expensive but tempting copy in its English language section. I think I'm going to have to give myself a late Christmas present...

I din't realize that it is set in Venice...makes it all the more exciting!

Pip wrote: "I've had Peter Ackroyd's biography on my to-read list for a while, and our local independent bookshop has an expensive but tempting copy in its English language section. I think I'm going to have t..."

Pip, after reading the link about Peter Ackroyd's biography, I want to race out and get a copy.

I got to go to Venice too years ago. A beautiful and unusual city. It was great to have a sense of the area while reading.

And ah! those Gondoliers....

We didn't go on a gondola, but we did take a water bus.

My first time in Italy, I only went to Florence and the area in Tuscany close to Florence.

Next time, I would like to go to Venice and Venora (and places in between). All I hear is great things about Venice, and there are so many books that I've read that are set in Venice. It's a must to make it there. And I hear Venora is beautiful, and of course, Romeo and Juliet!

(But first - Paris! Not this summer, but hopefully the following summer.)

Lynnm wrote: "My first time in Italy, I only went to Florence and the area in Tuscany close to Florence.

Next time, I would like to go to Venice and Venora (and places in between). All I hear is great things a..."

Lynn, Florence ended up being my favorite but then I didn't go to Verona. I would love to see Verona.

Verona is a very small town and nowhere near as bsautiful as Venice. Its main claim to fame is the Roman amphitheatre where operas are now staged. I saw Aida and Carmen there. Juliet's small balcony is above a small square and rather disappoining. It might be better viewed at night. Florence is beautiful but very claustropobic in the tourist season when the narrow medieval streets make it difficult to get around and the galleries are very crowded. Rome is Italy's most spectacular city IMO and Pompeii, near Naples is well worth visiting but for me the Italian Lakes are the favourite especially Como which is surrounded by spectacular Roman villas with equally spectacular gardens. Edith Wharton's book on Italian gardens is a must if you visit Italy.

I loved Pompeii and Herculeum

Yes, fascinating to see the life of 79AD frozen in time.

Deborah wrote: "I loved Pompeii and Herculeum"

Portus (the harbor of ancient Rome) isn't Pompeii or Herculaneum, but if you're interested in ancient archaeology, you might be interested in a Future Learn free MOOC starting on January 26.

https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/p...

Thanks Everyman, I will enjoy watching that.

Everyman wrote: "Deborah wrote: "I loved Pompeii and Herculeum"

Portus (the harbor of ancient Rome) isn't Pompeii or Herculaneum, but if you're interested in ancient archaeology, you might be interested in a Futur..."

Thanks Everyman. I, too, will be taking a look. My fascination with Pompeii started from, of course, a book. I was about 8 and was given a children's book full of different stories and information. Pompeii was in there and I was captivated.

Madge wrote: "Verona is a very small town and nowhere near as bsautiful as Venice. Its main claim to fame is the Roman amphitheatre where operas are now staged. I saw Aida and Carmen there. Juliet's small balcon..."

Thanks, Madge, for the headsup on Verona. I probably would still want to go, just to say, hey I've been to Verona! But I will now plan to spend less time there.

Pompeii will definitely be on the list for future trips.

Have you heard of/been to San Remo? I hate to admit it, but I saw it on an episode of Rosemary & Thyme, and it looked absolutely beautiful. It's not too close to Venice, but it is in the northern region of Italy. I could start in Venice, move west to Verona, and then end in San Remo.

Having been to Venice, I think that the reason it is so often chosen as a setting for Dark Deeds, is that it's full of narrow alleyways that curve through the city and seem to disappear into nothingness. It is also eerily quiet for modern visitors: none of that quiet roar of distant traffic, but also no animal sounds such as you hear in the quiet of the countryside. And of course the ancient palazzos are perfect for bringing together lots of people under the same roof, like English Country House novels do.

Since we are reading a ghost story, here's a brief overview of spiritualism popular during this time period

Www.en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/spiritualism

Lynn: I haven't been to San Remo but it is a very popular destination for seaside holidays and for gambling.

Lisa: Great points!

There is a weird little animation of a phrenologist 'reading' someones' skull on this website about the history of phenology:

http://www.historyofphrenology.org.uk...

This reprint of a Victorian handbook on Phrenology is instructive, amusing and available on Kindle for tuppence:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/ILLUSTRATED-S...

Finally got around to checking out the fabulist links, you all have shared here. So much interesting info. I had no idea Wilkie was such a wildman!