tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6543330341390707771.post2515989167092583921..comments2023-11-23T09:51:07.448-05:00Comments on A Literary Odyssey: Classics Circuit Dueling Authors Tour: Hard Times by Charles DickensAlliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18420476898132383974noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6543330341390707771.post-6418269351039151502011-05-23T05:46:46.206-04:002011-05-23T05:46:46.206-04:00Huuumm, I wonder if I'd also get over my issue...Huuumm, I wonder if I'd also get over my issues with Dickens with this one. You've made me wonder :) I've tried Great Expectations and Oliver Twist and none did the trick.Alex (The Sleepless Reader)https://www.blogger.com/profile/03083761152675156469noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6543330341390707771.post-45443197133130172902011-05-20T19:55:22.070-04:002011-05-20T19:55:22.070-04:00I've for the most part liked every Dickens I&#...I've for the most part liked every Dickens I've read. I'm eager to read this one (and oh so many others, this classics circuit is not helping me whittle down the list!!)Rebecca Reidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06062252252301802298noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6543330341390707771.post-16172477648870108552011-05-19T21:37:38.968-04:002011-05-19T21:37:38.968-04:00I quite like Dickens - I don't know what puts ...I quite like Dickens - I don't know what puts people of Great Expectations though. I didn't read it in school, which seems to be a large factor in why people end up not liking GE!<br /><br />I love the way Dickens uses language and the characters. I've only read Bleak House, GE and A Christmas Carol. I did NOT like A Tale of Two Cities, that seemed to lack all of Dickens' magic and charm I don't know how he wrote that one.<br /><br />Hard Times will probably be my next Dickens, I'm curious because of North and South. He and Gaskell were friends I think... well I'm not sure about that. Apparently he found her infuriating.Fionahttp://thebookcoop.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6543330341390707771.post-24716087725971221962011-05-19T19:01:57.972-04:002011-05-19T19:01:57.972-04:00Now that I've posted my own review of Hard Tim...Now that I've posted my own review of Hard Times, I feel that I can read what others thought of it. I was surprised so many people chose to read it, so there are a number of HT reviews on the tour.<br /><br />All I can say is "wow--you liked it??!!" I'm in the loathe category myself, and only chose it because I wanted to contrast it to Gaskell's North and South. <br /><br />I will admit that Louisa was the one character that intrigued me, though I thought with the vitality Dickens gave her I had a hard time believing she could actually be catatonic enough to actually marry Bounderby. In a way, she kind of reminded me of Maria Bertram in Mansfield Park, marrying for all the wrong reasons and running away from the marriage--interestingly, Austen let Maria ruin herself with Henry Crawford but Dickens saved Louisa from the same fate.<br /><br />I've a mixed relationship with Dickens, having read him a lot as a teenager and in college. I love Oliver Twist Pickwick Papers and Nicholas Nickleby and David Copperfield, liked Bleak House in college but didn't care for it when I reread it a few years ago, and absolutely detested The Old Curiosity Shop. <br /><br />Now on to the next Hard Times review!JaneGShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11094501834387622997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6543330341390707771.post-46208920971168175872011-05-17T22:46:23.780-04:002011-05-17T22:46:23.780-04:00Dickens is a mixed bag for me. I think that A Tale...Dickens is a mixed bag for me. I think that A Tale of Two Cities would be in my top ten of all time faves, but sometimes I think Dickens is kind of an insufferable bore. I'm really glad you liked Hard Times though!!Jennhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10826716134008160506noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6543330341390707771.post-48009492263831968392011-05-17T20:03:53.365-04:002011-05-17T20:03:53.365-04:00It seems like everyone was put off Dickens after r...It seems like everyone was put off Dickens after reading Great Expectations. That is the only book of his I own but I'm starting to think it's not a great place to start. Glad you're kind of coming around to him!Ashhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00878749520906342274noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6543330341390707771.post-61399788137555395902011-05-17T16:02:18.347-04:002011-05-17T16:02:18.347-04:00I can honestly say I knew nothing about Hard Times...I can honestly say I knew nothing about <em>Hard Times</em> before reading this post--Dickens just wrote too many novels. Without knowing more than what you say, it sounds a little bleak--not allowed to have imagination?! I may have to read this just to know how things turn out for Louisa.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6543330341390707771.post-92040807648942095142011-05-17T14:57:28.863-04:002011-05-17T14:57:28.863-04:00I really like Hard Times. I finally read A Christm...I really like Hard Times. I finally read A Christmas Carol last year and loved it. Of course, we all know the story so I was surprised how much it moved me.Kennedyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04106076571852038596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6543330341390707771.post-7533002183476355632011-05-17T13:09:09.553-04:002011-05-17T13:09:09.553-04:00I've struggled with Dickens. I feel like I oug...I've struggled with Dickens. I feel like I ought to like him or at least appreciate his work more, but it's just not my thing. It takes me months to read one of his novels because I can't bear to have it be the only thing I read.Emileehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12324479636562480788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6543330341390707771.post-13100457918934541882011-05-17T11:31:15.818-04:002011-05-17T11:31:15.818-04:00I'm flabbergasted -- I truly disliked this nov...I'm flabbergasted -- I truly disliked this novel! I thought the plot was dull and there weren't any fun or interesting characters to root for. In fact, I barely remember this novel at all and I read it only about two years ago. But I also loved Bleak House and Great Expectations, so there you are. I felt as if it was so short, he left the best stuff out. <br /><br />There's a lot of great stuff in David Copperfield, though I found the middle rathe slow going. I'll be interested to read your comments if you read it this summer.Karen K.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13483190930383406559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6543330341390707771.post-19238644505988313472011-05-17T11:18:45.818-04:002011-05-17T11:18:45.818-04:00Hm, this does sound interesting. I intend to read ...Hm, this does sound interesting. I intend to read it (eventually.) I both love and don't care for Dickens. One of my favorite books is <i>A Christmas Carol.</i> It's because of that one, that I love him. :-)<br /><br />I'll probably read <i>David Copperfield</i> with you, if it wins the vote. (I think I remember that one's up for a possible readalong...)*ೃ༄ Jillianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14139487177036647728noreply@blogger.com