I’m not a big Dickens fan but I’ve read quite a few of his novels. I find it takes a few chapters to get into the rhythm of his writing and then it rolls along quite readily. Bleak House is a favourite. I think there are some ‘light’ knitting novels out there - crime fiction mostly- and I have a book called Knitting Yarns which is a compilation of short stories involving knitting.
That’s the second vote for Bleak House so I think I might have to seek out a copy. I did read a book called The Friday Night Knitting Club which was very light reading. I wasn’t going to recommend that!
So many thoughts! Firstly - an admission - I love Dickens and I thoroughly urge you to rethink reading other works by him. My favourite - and in my opinion one of the best novels ever written - is Bleak House. His style is definitely overblown but his verbosity was a shrewd move for a writer getting paid by the word and sometimes some skimming is called for!
As a knitter, I found your section on the tricoteuse intriguing. Thanks for the insight. My father had been so spooked by them as a child that he always brought them up unfavorably when my mother was knitting! Whether they used their work to encode messages does seem far fetched but in Early Modern times various elite ladies such as Mary Queen of Scots used their embroidery to send secret messages so it is at least a thought, It also made me think of all the (admittedly to me unknown) meanings of the Arran patterns in sweaters - including the deliberate mistake made in each to identify the owner if they were lost and sea and their body washed up and was unrecognisable.
If you hear of any other good books featuring knitters or knitting - let me know,
I definitely will read more Dickens… just not yet! It wasn’t too difficult a read and certainly once I read a complete summary of the story and found I could skim over bits it became more enjoyable.
Yes, I have also read that traditional Gansey sweaters had patterns unique to each wearer so they could be identified if lost at sea. And apparently coded knitting was used during WWII by resistance fighters to record the movement of trains. I might have to do some more research and do a follow up story next week.
Have you read ‘This Golden Fleece’ by Esther Rutter? Another book that requires skim reading at times but it’s quite an interesting account of British knitting history. Happy to lend you my copy
I think you mean ‘encode’ not decode! Dickens’ novels as I’m sure I’m being rude saying, were serialised before being published as a whole so they do go on a bit to fill up a word quota…
I’m sure that probably is what I meant but sometimes things slip through the editing process despite how many times I’ve read it! Yes, I did know Dickens was paid for his weekly word quota however I still stand by my opinion the stories could have done with some serious editing before being published as complete novels!
Yes indeed. I ploughed through some of them, not all for that very reason. 2 cities is one of the best from that point of view. The Old Curiosity shop rambles and rambles… I must try again one day
I love the concept of knitting coded messages…that’s really got me thinking! I have no idea what messages are encoded in my knitting, or what my incompetence has inadvertently spelled out! As for Dickens, after enforced reading of Great Expectations for O level, I’ve not gone near anything else since. Ugh, it was dismal and went on so…
Apparently knitting was used to send coded messages during WWII and at one stage knitting patterns were banned because it was thought they might contain codes… might have to continue this story next week…
You chose the one novel of Dickens that I struggled with! I think David Copperfield is the best, to the extent that I regularly used to miss my stop while travelling to work on the bus, I was so engrossed. A Christmas Carol is wonderful too. But he is a commitment, I admit, but I really wouldn't be without him!
Dear Gina - your feelings about Dickens' verbosity echo mine. I find it impossible to read anything by him in its original form, and prefer abridged versions - where they exist! Someone once told me that he was paid weekly, by the word count. He clearly responded to this in spades - and with two households to support, I suppose that he needed every penny he could lay his hands on!
Keep on writing. I enjoy your Sunday columns very much indeed - almost as much as your stitching and painting workshops at Missenden, and mourn their passing. Luv M x
I’m being to think abridged versions might be the way to go! I confess there was a point when I was feeling so bogged down reading it that I read a summary of the story and that helped enormously. Meant I could speed read and skip bits!
And thank you for your kind words and support Mavis. Missenden sometimes feels like a lifetime ago. x
I’m not a big Dickens fan but I’ve read quite a few of his novels. I find it takes a few chapters to get into the rhythm of his writing and then it rolls along quite readily. Bleak House is a favourite. I think there are some ‘light’ knitting novels out there - crime fiction mostly- and I have a book called Knitting Yarns which is a compilation of short stories involving knitting.
That’s the second vote for Bleak House so I think I might have to seek out a copy. I did read a book called The Friday Night Knitting Club which was very light reading. I wasn’t going to recommend that!
Haha! I think I was thinking along those lines, but I didn’t like to say either!!
So many thoughts! Firstly - an admission - I love Dickens and I thoroughly urge you to rethink reading other works by him. My favourite - and in my opinion one of the best novels ever written - is Bleak House. His style is definitely overblown but his verbosity was a shrewd move for a writer getting paid by the word and sometimes some skimming is called for!
As a knitter, I found your section on the tricoteuse intriguing. Thanks for the insight. My father had been so spooked by them as a child that he always brought them up unfavorably when my mother was knitting! Whether they used their work to encode messages does seem far fetched but in Early Modern times various elite ladies such as Mary Queen of Scots used their embroidery to send secret messages so it is at least a thought, It also made me think of all the (admittedly to me unknown) meanings of the Arran patterns in sweaters - including the deliberate mistake made in each to identify the owner if they were lost and sea and their body washed up and was unrecognisable.
If you hear of any other good books featuring knitters or knitting - let me know,
I definitely will read more Dickens… just not yet! It wasn’t too difficult a read and certainly once I read a complete summary of the story and found I could skim over bits it became more enjoyable.
Yes, I have also read that traditional Gansey sweaters had patterns unique to each wearer so they could be identified if lost at sea. And apparently coded knitting was used during WWII by resistance fighters to record the movement of trains. I might have to do some more research and do a follow up story next week.
Have you read ‘This Golden Fleece’ by Esther Rutter? Another book that requires skim reading at times but it’s quite an interesting account of British knitting history. Happy to lend you my copy
I think you mean ‘encode’ not decode! Dickens’ novels as I’m sure I’m being rude saying, were serialised before being published as a whole so they do go on a bit to fill up a word quota…
I’m sure that probably is what I meant but sometimes things slip through the editing process despite how many times I’ve read it! Yes, I did know Dickens was paid for his weekly word quota however I still stand by my opinion the stories could have done with some serious editing before being published as complete novels!
Yes indeed. I ploughed through some of them, not all for that very reason. 2 cities is one of the best from that point of view. The Old Curiosity shop rambles and rambles… I must try again one day
I will try Dickens again, because despite the verbosity the stories are great. But not just yet! 😂
I love the concept of knitting coded messages…that’s really got me thinking! I have no idea what messages are encoded in my knitting, or what my incompetence has inadvertently spelled out! As for Dickens, after enforced reading of Great Expectations for O level, I’ve not gone near anything else since. Ugh, it was dismal and went on so…
Apparently knitting was used to send coded messages during WWII and at one stage knitting patterns were banned because it was thought they might contain codes… might have to continue this story next week…
Yes, do!
You chose the one novel of Dickens that I struggled with! I think David Copperfield is the best, to the extent that I regularly used to miss my stop while travelling to work on the bus, I was so engrossed. A Christmas Carol is wonderful too. But he is a commitment, I admit, but I really wouldn't be without him!
That’s interesting to know and I’m sure I will read more Dickens in future… just not yet 😉
No, you need time to recover!😂
😂
Dear Gina - your feelings about Dickens' verbosity echo mine. I find it impossible to read anything by him in its original form, and prefer abridged versions - where they exist! Someone once told me that he was paid weekly, by the word count. He clearly responded to this in spades - and with two households to support, I suppose that he needed every penny he could lay his hands on!
Keep on writing. I enjoy your Sunday columns very much indeed - almost as much as your stitching and painting workshops at Missenden, and mourn their passing. Luv M x
I’m being to think abridged versions might be the way to go! I confess there was a point when I was feeling so bogged down reading it that I read a summary of the story and that helped enormously. Meant I could speed read and skip bits!
And thank you for your kind words and support Mavis. Missenden sometimes feels like a lifetime ago. x