WOOO HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!
Technically, his birthday was on Thursday (February 7th). I'm writing this on the 7th, but as this will post on the 8th, you might get a bit confused.
Born February 7th, 1812, he died at age 58 on June 9, 1870. He was one of the greatest novelists of all time (as you probably know).
I've only read two of his works (A Tale of Two Cities and Great Expectations), but I LOVED Tale (not Great Expectations so much). I own Bleak House, Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol (which I've started), and David Copperfield, and they are waiting to be read. COME ON, TO-BE-READ PILE! SHRINK!
Here are some fun facts about this great novelist:
1. His full name was Charles John Huffam Dickens (hehe).
2. He was never knighted by the Queen (writers didn't get knighted much, and Dickens' personal life was a bit shady). So no 'Sir Charles Dickens' for him.
3. He was involved in a theatrical company.
4. He was quite the social activist!
5. He pioneered the serialization method of writing by publishing a few chapters every month or so (this, inconsequentially, made him able to change parts of his books at the suggestions of his friends). Dickens was today's Desperate Housewives. This method of publication became the standard of 19th century publishing; even in Russia, Anna Karenina and War and Peace by Tolstoy (a huge Dickens fan) were published serially.
6. His favorite book written by himself was David Copperfield (saying it was like a favorite child).
7. His bestselling book was A Tale of Two Cities.
8. His most critically acclaimed book was Bleak House.
9. His (arguably) most popular/influential book was A Christmas Carol. It gave birth to a lot of parodies, movies, etc.
Which of those four books is the 'best' book? What's more important: the writer's love, the audience's love, the professional's love, or society's love? Ponder THAT!
Here are more fun facts that haven't been covered by me. Did you know he saved live when a train derailed?
In the meantime, celebrate the birth of one of the most influential writers of all time, and a person beloved by many novelists to this day :D
HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHARLES DICKENS!! I can't wait to read more of your books! May you rest in peace, buried in Poet's Corner in Westminster Abbey (was I the only one who thought 'Westminster' was 'Westminister' until spell check told me it was wrong?).
What is your favorite Dickens novel?
My favorite is definitely A Christmas Carol.
ReplyDeleteFun facts...I'll knight him, I am royalty..:-P
ReplyDeleteCharles Dickens is one of my favourite authors. And I love Oliver Twist. But then again, have you met anyone who doesn't? :)
ReplyDeleteGreat post. As always :)
#5 is a fun little factoid. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI've been to the Poet's Corner in Westminster and seen his grave. I did know it was minster, not minister, but until I was in high school, I thought Rum and Coke was called Roman Coke.
ReplyDeleteYeah....
p.s. You can sub your WIP for a crit on my blog if you want! I changed the rule to "as long as your WIP has been through at least one round of revisions - meaning, no first drafts." You qualify! :)
I've ONLY read A Christmas Carol. lol I should try to remedy that, but I love it so much. "BUSINESS?! Mankind was my business!"
ReplyDeleteMy fiance related to him: )
ReplyDeleteTHAT. Is freakishly awesome. So that means you are too! (By marriage.)
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