Charles Dickens: tweets talks and reads...

Once again, we’re delighted to welcome back to Bexley our own very, very special guest Blogger, Mr Charles Dickens. (Mr Dickens wrote a short but very well received piece for us back in February, and now he’s back again to join in the London-wide City Read celebrations, a Dickensian feast of fiction and fun…)

Despite being 200 years old this year, Mr Dickens has kindly agreed to write up his `very humble’ little blog for us this month, and – as something of a coup for us – answer any questions that you may wish to pose to him.






So, without further ado…Over to you, Mr D…

Splendid, splendid!



Thank you, Mr Blogbwawian and weaders of this little blog for inviting me back for another appeawance … (See the 6th Febwuawy). I am, indeed, as my own Uwiah Heap would have phwased it, “so vewy, vewy `umble”; I shall endeavour to update this particular page weekly thwoughout Apwil.






And how delightful it is to be back here, bwoadcasting to good old Bexley…I must nip back down to Hall Place vewy soon, to weacquaint myself with its splendid suwwoundings (not many people know this, but I based much of my `Dotheboys Hall’ in Nicholas Nickleby upon this particular institution…)






Ah, me!...How I do love to weminisce…


Now, to business!






`Pon my soul, how extwaordinawy, but I note that your esteemed Libraries are - (as part of a grand Cityweads extwavaganza) - staging a cornucopia of activities, events, and public lectures based upon the life and works of – ahem – one Mr Charles Dickens of London & Kent; do take a look and obtain your tickets (for although I shall not, alas, be able to be there in person, I shall – indisputably - be there in spiwit). I would most vigowously urge you to attend.






Meantimes, as before, I shall be here, alert, poised, quill in hand, ink-jar fully charged, lap-top pwimed, weady to answer any of your pwobing questions or litewawy conundwums.






Just use the comments box below, and “Ask Charlie!” (And, do you know, now I have mastered the art, I might just tweat myself to a Tweet!)

“Not in front of the servants” or “How to be Posh”…



A Downton Abbey themed guide to ‘Upstairs-Downstairs’ books in Bexley…



What-ho, readers!



Now, I like to consider myself a rough-hewn and democratic sort of chap, a “man of the people” unfettered by petty social prejudices and happy to talk about many things, even in front of my servants….Hence my deeply felt enjoyment of ITV’s most recent televisual feast ‘Downton Abbey’; splendid fare!






What do you think, dear reader?
“Well”, as I said to my old pal the Earl of Sidcup only the other day (not that he’s quite as ‘top-drawer’ as he imagines himself to be, entre-nous…) “Why oh why don’t they make more programmes like this these days?”…
"Quite agree, Bloggers old boy…Jugged hare, kedgeree & gentleman’s relish for breakfast, and the swish of the riding crop before lunch!” …
“And as for that formidable Maggie Smith…What a magnificent Librarian she could have become!”...

Anyway, I digress…What fictional fare can we set before you this week? A soupcon of Julian Fellowes, perhaps? (he’s the author-chappie, creator of Downton Abbey…)
A taste of Brideshead Revisited?...
Or a morsel of…The House at Riverton?...

For heartier appetites, however, perhaps non-fiction is more your thing? – we’ve a crackling collection of books on country houses, don’t you know…
How about a hearty dollop of Edwardian England?...
In Bexley, of course, as an ‘amuse-bouche’ one could dip into our own historic houses books, or tootle off in person to Hall Place or Danson House…
Having myself recently personally perused Mistress Peachum’s Pleasure, I can confidently vouchsafe that Bexley’s collections of books on the English aristocracy are all “top-hole”…
And, whilst on the subject of recommended reading, despite being an American cove, that Bill Bryson has made himself very much at home over here with a history of his own country pile...

I’m sure that Bexley book lovers will have more ideas?...Your verdict on Downton Abbey?...Anything from our list you’ve enjoyed reading?...Your suggestions for other books to try?...
But, whatever you enjoy reading, do let us know…just don’t tell the servants!
Post your suggestions and thoughts (via the tradesmen’s entrance, naturally) in the comments box below.

Toodlepip.