My day two book of choice couldn’t be any further from day one – unless of course you count the fact that they’re both written by men.
Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens …
… really is much funnier than I expected it to be. How’s that for a review?
I only read it last year and before then, hadn’t read any Dickens since my teenage years. I have to say, Dickens is not for the fainthearted: his language is, how can I put it, very flowery and of its day, but once you get your head round it, it’s a joy to read.
Poor bumbling Mr Pickwick is like everyone’s favourite dotty old uncle constantly getting into ridiculous scrapes and misunderstandings. For me Dickens’ best characters are men and there are plenty of those in this novel, my favourites – aside from Pickwick himself – being Sam Weller and, scoundrel and all round bad egg, Alfred Jingle.
Well worth the read. I’ve already added more Dickens to my reading pile.
