Dickensblog

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. 

From the book pile

• Dear Mr. Dickens by Nancy Churnin, illustrated by Bethany Stancliffe (Albert Whitman & Company, 2021).
  
  The heroine of this children's picture book is Eliza Davis, the Jewish woman who famously confronted Charles Dickens over his portrayal of Fagin in Oliver Twist. Author Nancy Churnin tells Davis's story simply but with sensitivity and insight. She explains how the anti-Semitic descriptions of the character hurt Davis all the more because they were coming from a great author that she loved, and how this spurred her to take action. And she helps young readers understand how this story might apply to their lives: "Think of someone famous you admire. What would you do if that person said or wrote something unfair? Would you speak up? Would you risk getting that person angry?" 
  
  Churnin's portrayal of Dickens is unflinchingly honest, showing that his reaction to Davis initially was sharp and defensive. But the book also shows how, as Davis kept up the pressure on him, he came to understand and appreciate her point of view and changed his work accordingly. It makes the point that the two of them had a genuine concern for the needy in common, and that it was Davis's challenging him to live up to his own high standards that made the difference.
  
  I learned a lot from this book I didn't know (I hadn't realized that there had been more than one exchange of letters between Davis and Dickens), not just from the story itself, but also from the comprehensive Author's Note at the back. This children's book is the fullest and best account of the incident I've ever seen, enhanced by Bethany Stancliffe's lively and touching illustrations, and I recommend it highly. 

Snippets of 'Spirited'

Thanks to the Frock Flicks blog for sharing some social media clips and photos from the filming of Spirited, the upcoming Christmas Carol adaptation with Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell. And thanks to Rachel McMillan for the tip!

TCM alert

Oliver! (1968) is airing on the channel tonight at 10:45 p.m. Eastern for "31 Days of Oscar."

Dickens in the 'New York Times'

Robert Fairhurst-Douglas's new book on Dickens, recently reviewed in The New Yorker, today was reviewed in the New York Times. 

TCM alert

Great Expectations (1946) airs tomorrow at 8 a.m. Eastern as part of the channel's "31 Days of Oscar."

Dickens in 1851

Robert Douglas-Fairhurst's new book The Turning Point: 1851 -- A Year That Changed Charles Dickens and the World has just had its U.S. release. Literary Hub has an excerpt, and The New Yorker has a lengthy and thoughtful review (with one or two incorrect details) by Louis Menand.