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I'm up, I'm up! Finished reading Hard Times the other day too. I can see why Dickens would be criticised for being overly sentimental but it does not bother me, I see it as what one should expect when reading one of his stories (perhaps that will change as I read more). I would say I like it and he seemed a better writer than when he penned Oliver Twist (oh, don't ask me to be more detailed than that, I don't know that I could) but it did not touch my heart so deeply. Not to say I was entirely unmoved, there were simply fewer tears drawn forth. More of an empty, hollow feeling really, which considering the subject matter may have been more appropriate (intended?) after all.
It was amusing to see Gradgrind and Bounderby's insistence on Fact, Fact, Fact! and yet being blind to what the facts of the matter were (and are). That humans have fancies and a need for socialisation is a fact too and people will not be happy if this is denied (see, I think I got the point of the story). James Harthouse I was delighted with from his introduction as just the sort of person to carelessly break the back of the heartless situation set up, rather like someone stepping heedlessly into a glass door (I could not do better than Dickens own comparison to an iceberg). Such fun the schadenfreude of seeing those who raised themselves up high helpless before the idle fancies of one born to it (though I do not normally condone aristocracy [and nor did Dickens to judge by his final scene]). Also loved to pieces the phrase 'deadly-statistical clock'.
Next thing to read is A Christmas Carol, all in the same volume. I am finding it a little slow going, maybe because the plot has been so thoroughly adapted ad nauseum. But, I am determined to see the original through (and it is very short, just the right length for a script, maybe?). ^_^
I am feeling tempted to do for these stories what I used to do on my old MSN Space and rate them for content as if they were films. Could be amusing.
On Sunday, a'course, I rewatched V for Vendetta. That still brings tears to my eyes. Huh, don't seem to have too much to say of it unprompted right now.
And just to finish things off here are some photos of some Saturnian moons, most taken by Cassini:
Janus
Epimetheus
Janus & Epimetheus swapping orbits
Pandora
Telesto, little co-orbital of Tethys
Hyperion (looks like something from the sea floor dried out [sponge, ne?])
So much to learn!
It was amusing to see Gradgrind and Bounderby's insistence on Fact, Fact, Fact! and yet being blind to what the facts of the matter were (and are). That humans have fancies and a need for socialisation is a fact too and people will not be happy if this is denied (see, I think I got the point of the story). James Harthouse I was delighted with from his introduction as just the sort of person to carelessly break the back of the heartless situation set up, rather like someone stepping heedlessly into a glass door (I could not do better than Dickens own comparison to an iceberg). Such fun the schadenfreude of seeing those who raised themselves up high helpless before the idle fancies of one born to it (though I do not normally condone aristocracy [and nor did Dickens to judge by his final scene]). Also loved to pieces the phrase 'deadly-statistical clock'.
Next thing to read is A Christmas Carol, all in the same volume. I am finding it a little slow going, maybe because the plot has been so thoroughly adapted ad nauseum. But, I am determined to see the original through (and it is very short, just the right length for a script, maybe?). ^_^
I am feeling tempted to do for these stories what I used to do on my old MSN Space and rate them for content as if they were films. Could be amusing.
On Sunday, a'course, I rewatched V for Vendetta. That still brings tears to my eyes. Huh, don't seem to have too much to say of it unprompted right now.
And just to finish things off here are some photos of some Saturnian moons, most taken by Cassini:
Janus
Epimetheus
Janus & Epimetheus swapping orbits
Pandora
Telesto, little co-orbital of Tethys
Hyperion (looks like something from the sea floor dried out [sponge, ne?])
So much to learn!
