Barnaby Rudge (Charles Dickens)

Charles Dickens

Barnaby Rudge: A Tale of the Riots of Eighty

The "other" of Dickens historical novels set in turbulent times following a range of folk with their turbulent and antagonistic lives intertwined with the turbulent and antagonistic times culminating in a very vivid description of the storming and firing of Newgate Prison. The plots of personal and public life follow each other in a way that is fascinating. Of course Dickens' descriptions of people and place are brilliant and amongst the seriousness of the story's threads there is the usual humour in characterisations pointing out flaws, and strengths, which resonate as much today as they would have when written. How people could wait a week between each installment I'll never know. Maybe that's a reflection of our instant gratification times.

Sweet Thames Run Softly (Robert Gibbings)

Robert Gibbings

Sweet Thames Run Softly

Book that was at the place Debbie and I stayed at Dorchester on Thames that I thought I need to read and finish before I left. A journey in a small boat down the Thames with observations on wildlife and people, history of places and generally interesting anecdotes. And a bit of fantasising about female swimmers although maybe he wasn't and more went on that he could publish when this was. And he was married at the time. A good read to have by the Thames where it meanders through the English countryside.