Legendary Authors: Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens has inspired generations of writers, readers, and book lovers. Born in 1812, Dickens earned the reputation of preeminent novelist of the Victorian era. His contributions to literature mean that Charles Dickens’ books remain incredibly appealing to rare book collectors. Bet you didn’t know these tidbits about Charles Dickens:

• Dickens’ novels and stories first appeared in monthly or serial format. Most authors of his day would write entire novels, and publish sections at a time. Dickens, on the other hand, wrote each episode as he went along.
• His novels and short stories are so popular that they have never gone out of print.
• Dickens’ father, John, was a notorious spendthrift who eventually ended up in debtors’ prison. The rest of the family soon joined him–with the exception of 12-year-old Charles, who went to live with an old family friend.
• Dickens was eventually forced to leave school and take a job in a blacking factory. He worked ten-hour days in often cruel conditions. Dickens’ experience there formed the foundation of Dickens’ opinions on labor and socioeconomic conditions.
• For almost four years, Dickens served as a court reporter. That inside look at the court system informed novels like Dombey and Son. It also provided Dickens’ contemporaries with an enlightening glimpse at how England’s court system really worked.
• Dickens met his first love, Maria Beadnell, in 1830.  Her parents disapproved of Dickens and sent Maria to boarding school in Paris. Most scholars agree that Maria was the inspiration behind Dora in David Copperfield.
• When Dickens published his first work, Sketches by Boz, he certainly chose an odd pseudonym. Dickens had nicknamed his brother “Moses,” which when pronounced through the nose, sounds like “Boses.” Boz was the shortened version of this nickname.
• For years, Dickens’ full pseudonym was “The Inimitable Boz.” Eventually he dropped “Boz” and was known simply as “The Inimitable.”
• Dickens, an avid abolitionist, made his first visit to the US in 1842. He carefully documented the atrocities of slavery. Dickens also visited President John Tyler.
• In May 1846, Dickens undertook to establish a home for “fallen women” at the behest of Angela Burdett Coutts. He became extremely active in daily operations, and even interviewed potential residents personally.
• In 1858, Dickens separated from his wife, Catherine, with whom he had ten children. He embarked on an ambitious reading tour, sometimes doing both matinee and evening performances.
• Dickens burned virtually all his personal correspondence in September 1860, ostensibly to destroy evidence of his affair with Ellen Ternan. Ternan received an annuity from Dickens when he died, and it is hypothesized that the two had a child who died in infancy.
• Dickens exercised an odd obsession with the paranormal. He was one of the early members of The Ghost Club, an organization devoted to investigation of paranormal activity.

Collectors of Charles Dickens rely on the definitive bibliography compiled by John C. Eckel in 1932.

Add comment November 2nd, 2011

Collect What Your Kids Read

It’s that time of year! Kids have headed back to school, and for students of all ages that means required reading is right around the corner. Perhaps you only vaguely remember The Odyssey, Romeo and Juliet, and Lord of the Flies. But  those classroom staples offer inspiration for enhancing your rare book collection.

Collecting first edition books from your school days recaptures moments from your childhood and learning history. These classic books are always in high demand from collectors, and their value has risen accordingly over time.

Rediscover Classroom Favorites

Some literary works have simply become institutions in education—and among lovers of literature. If you’ve built your collection around legendary authors and titles, consider looking past the classroom canon and adding some lesser-known works to your library. You’ll find them not only a joy to read, but also an excellent means of rounding out a collection.

• Instead of A Tale of Two Cities, check out something else by Charles Dickens. His comic novels, like Oliver Twist and Pickwick Papers are a lovely foil to the more serious works so often assigned to students.
• If you loved The Old Man and the Sea years ago, try The Dangerous Summer or True at First Light by Ernest Hemingway.
• Most of us read The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. As an adult, you may love The Pearl, The Forgotten Village, or even Steinbeck’s Nobel Prize acceptance speech.
• The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is one of the best loved stories in American literature. Discover other works by Mark Twain, such as The Gilded Age, A Tale of Today.

Go Behind the Scenes

School only teaches you so much. Now that you’re out of the classroom, take some time to dive deeper into some of those lessons. Focus your collection around a specific time period, a hobby, or a favorite author.

• Sure, you once memorized the presidents’ names and the years of all the major wars. Now get the real story behind historical events and figures with a biography or two.
• Move beyond your own high-school reading lists. Look to the libraries of presidents and other world leaders. Imagine replicating George Washington’s or Abraham Lincoln’s library in your own home.
• Golf: we like to think of it as gym class for grown-ups. Get insider tips and details from the pros, whose iconic voices add depth and interest to your collection.
• As a rare book collector, you’ll need to know more about your favorite authors and genres. Peruse a great bibliography to get an in-depth look at ways to expand your collection.

How have the experiences and lessons of your youth shaped your choices as a rare book collector?

Add comment September 7th, 2011