orwell on dickens
I’ve not read a single word of Dickens. I don’t know the plot of a single book, apart from superficial knowledge of Oliver Twist. For a long time this has seemed like a major hole in my reading. I’ve occasionally considered doing something about it.
But I have just finished a 50-page essay on Dickens by Orwell. I’ve read the obvious Orwell but never knew anything about the man. I like Orwell. The Dickens essay is good. After reading it I have even less interest in reading Dickens. Of course I should probably make up my mind about Dickens from reading him first hand. But life is short. Orwell strongly confirmed my suspicions. And so I’ve decided to skip Dickens completely. Forever.
It’s nice to have the hole, and to now know that it’s permanent. It has strategic value. Plus I have the good fortune that my hole happens to be Dickens. He wasn’t worth reading anyway.
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