Dickensblog

Return of the Dodger

Of the making of Oliver Twist adaptations, there is no end! The newest is The Artful Dodger, to be filmed in Australia for Disney+. The eight-episode series "picks up the story of Jack Dawkins 15 years after the events of Oliver Twist, with the former pickpocket now a surgeon with a lingering taste for crime in Australia."

TCM alert

Oliver! (1968) airs on the channel today at 5:15 p.m. Eastern.

Dickens the magician

You may know that Dickens was a skilled amateur magician, but do you know what some of his favorite magic tricks were? Literary Hub has the scoop!

Dickens in living color

Marina Amaral, well known as a digital colorist of old photographs, has applied her talents to an 1850 portrait of Charles Dickens. Visit her Substack to see the photo, and visit her shop to buy yourself a print!

R.I.P, Herb Moskovitz

I'm deeply saddened to report the passing of Herb Moskovitz, a longtime Dickensian friend of mine. Though a resident of Philadelphia, Herb was an active member of The Friends of Dickens New York. He also edited The Buzfuz newsletter and wrote about Dickens for various outlets (you can read some of his writings here), and he was the 2012 winner of the Dickens Fellowship's Percy Fitzgerald Award for his contributions.

I first met Herb at the 2014 Dickens Fellowship Conference in Chicago, and have counted him a friend ever since. He was a reader of this blog and a faithful member of the Dickensblog Facebook group. His wit, learning, and enthusiasm made him a joy to be around, both in person and online.

We'll miss you so much, Herb. As Mr. Dickens once put it, we will recall you "with the greatest gratitude, tenderness, and consideration."

(Thanks to all my fellow Dickensians whose reminiscences have helped me put this tribute together.)

Share your Dickens reading experiences!

Professor Michelle Allen-Emerson of the U.S. Naval Academy, as part of a research project on Dickens, is surveying readers on what their experiences with him have been like. Go here and follow the link to take the survey! 

Upcoming online talks

Tomorrow, April 27, Dr. Emily Dunbar of the Dickens Museum will give a talk on the museum's new Pickwick Papers exhibition at 10 a.m. Eastern. Go here to learn more and get a free ticket!

Also tomorrow, at 1 p.m. Eastern, the Dickens Fellowship will sponsor Lucinda Dickens Hawksley talking about her new book, Dickens and Travel. Go here for information.

TCM alert

Great Expectations (1946) airs on the channel at 10:15 p.m. Eastern tonight, as part of a tribute to director David Lean.

Dickens House Museum in Broadstairs reopens

A hearty "welcome back!" to the Dickens House Museum, which was closed for two years because of the pandemic! Very appropriate for the season of resurrection.

Starring Pickwick

The Dickens Museum is going Pickwickian! They have an upcoming exhibition on Pickwick illustrations and three upcoming performances of The Trial of Mr. Pickwick. And the Minute Book, which "contains the official club notes of the first known Pickwick club," will be going on display there next month.