Darryl Friesen’s Reviews > Sketches by Boz > Status Update

“A Christmas Dinner” is truly delightful.

A Visit to Newgate—a complete masterpiece. Starts from the vantage point of a visitor to Newgate Prison, but ends from the perspective of a condemned man living through the final hours of his life prior to his journey to the scaffold.

Dickens just described the furniture in his local pawn shop as “deceitful”. It struck me so funny!! He also said that “sofa beds” are ashamed of their real use, so they strive to fraudulently appear as an article of luxury and gentility, but that they miserably fail—they have neither the respectability of a sofa nor the virtues of a bed! 🤣🤣🤣 He’s so hysterical!!

The First of May is such an interesting commentary on class distinctions, as well as the inevitability and permanence of change.

The River might be one of the funniest things Dickens ever wrote!

So many stories also involving fairs and theatres—reminds me so much of certain episodes from Nicholas Nickleby and The Odd Curiosity Shop!

Such INCREDIBLE wit, humour, and social observation and commentary in these, especially Hackney-Coach Stands!! 😂😂😂

Chapter 6–another sad one, that talks about he story you can read in the clothes one finds in a used clothing store 😭. Reminded me of the six-word story: “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”