The Old Curiosity Club discussion

Dear Fellow Curiosities,

I am a little remiss in posting the reading schedule for our next group read No Thoroughfare

Here it is:

09/09 – 15/09 HT – the novel as a whole
16/09 – 22/09 Ouverture / Act I “The Curtain Rises” – “Enter the Housekeeper”

23/09 – 29/09 Act I “The Housekeeper Speaks” – “Exit Wilding”
30/09 – 06/10 Act II

07/10 – 13/10 Act III

14/10 – 20/10 Act IV

In 1867, Dickens and Collins collaborated on a stageplay named No Thoroughfare, which was the last instance of Dickens's activity as a playwright. The two authors had previously worked on another play, which was called The Frozen Deep.

In the same year, the two friends wrote a short novel entitled No Thoroughfare, which was published in the Christmas number of Dickens's periodical All the Year Round and which was based on the plot of the play. The novel made this link obvious by referring to its chapters as "acts", and according to Wikipedia, Collins assisted Dickens with Acts I and IV. The Wikipedia entry also says that this short novel offers thematic parallels with some of Dickens's later works, such as Little Dorrit and Our Mutual Friend.

I have never read No Thoroughfare before and am therefore very curious as to how we are going to like it.

I, too, have yet to read "No Thoroughfare", but have found it in two of the volumes on my Dickens shelves. Both books are old and brittle, so I may end up downloading it.

I was underwhelmed with the last collaboration we read, namely "The Lazy Tour of Two Idle Apprentices". It wasn't bad, I just didn't love it. I hope this one will be more to my liking.

Mary Lou wrote: "I, too, have yet to read "No Thoroughfare", but have found it in two of the volumes on my Dickens shelves. Both books are old and brittle, so I may end up downloading it.

I was underwhelmed with ..."

Mary Lou

I have just completed reading No Thoroughfare for the first time. It’s going to be quite the new experience for us all.

I'm intrigued!

I started it yesterday in order to see what it was about - and I quite liked it so far.

I thought of starting it, too, but decided to wait until the 9th. I didn't care that much for "The Lazy Tour" either.

Tristram, not sure where we were on this subject but wanted to tell you I finally watched The Wild Bunch. It was good but really not a favorite for me. But my husband liked it.

Bobbie,

As I am going to write some of the recaps, I thought it wise to start a little bit ahead of the group so that I won't have to write them under time pressure. I normally never read ahead of the group unless I moderate, for fear of introducing spoilers without realizing it. From what I have read so far, we have a completely different book from The Lazy Tour here - there seems to be some mystery in the wings.

Congratulations on watching The Wild Bunch! It is certainly one of the greatest westerns, and I heard that Mel Gibson is planning a remake, which I don't know whether to look forward to or not.