January – Charles Dickens Month: My First Charles Dickens

7th February 2012 is the 200th birthday of Charles Dickens. To mark the occasion Amanda at Fig and Thistle is hosting January – Charles Dickens Month. As Charles Dickens is one of my favourite authors, I couldn’t resist plunging into it.

Today’s post is about My First Charles Dickens book and how I came into the world of Charles Dickens.

It was my birthday. I was now ten years old. As the birthday girl, I got to have a treat. I could buy any book I wanted. I was pretty excited. But then trips to the bookstore always were (and still are) exciting for a bookworm like me. I wanted Wuthering Heights but my mother wouldn’t let me have it. So, I picked A Tale of Two Cities instead. I had no idea what the book was about but I knew who Charles Dickens was and I wanted to read his more ‘grown up’ books.

I breathlessly finished the book and mostly failed to grasp what was going on. All I knew was that I had fallen in love with the prose. I knew this was something special. Thus began my life long love for the prose of Charles Dickens.

Since then I have re-read A Tale of Two Cities several times. I have understood it far better with time and have grown to deeply love and appreciate it. Sydney Carton has become my all time favourite tragic hero. Each time I find another layer of meaning within it. Even after all this time A Tale of Two Cities remains as fresh as ever. My first Charles Dickens remains close to my heart.

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