Books for Awesome

I had never heard of Hard Times by Charles Dickens until my roommate Valerie lent/gave me a copy. (I'm not sure if I need to return it. I need to ask her.) Beyond A Christmas Carol and Great Expectations, I had little exposure to other Dickens treasures. I had no idea how prolific he was! The truth is, I have only recently gained the confidence that I can read, understand, and appreciate Mr. Dickens' writing. Hard Times is amazing! Reading Dickens and Gaskell, I get the feeling that they caused quite an uproar in their time. In the edition that I read, a letter was included from Dickens to Gaskell that asked for her opinion on how to deal with striking. The story takes place in a mill town and weaves us in and out of the lives of the highest and lowest classes comparing and contrasting. Is it better to be poor and loving or rich and unfeeling? Is it better to be uneducated and moral or educated and immoral? What is lost for the sake of progress and facts? I always feel that I know Dickens opinion but that he writes as if he were a lawyer presenting the whole story to me, the juror. He tells both sides of the story. No one is innocent, no one is perfect, but that is why humanity must be merciful. My favorite characters are Sissy Jupe, Stephen Blackpool, and Rachel. Their humility and integrity and charity is so heartrending! Though they are the lowest of the low we would be lucky to be their friends and to be able to emulate their patience in suffering.

Hard Times is fantastic! Daniel Landeen once said that we should all read one book by Charles Dickens each year. I completely agree.