Great Expectations

Last night, I started reading GREAT EXPECTATIONS (GE) by Charles Dickens. Its one of the most ‘deliciously readable books’ by my favorite author and one of my favorite Classics as well.


GE has two endings – one original and the other which Dickens wrote at the very last moment. It seems he wasn’t too happy with the original ending of GE that Victorians read and so he tampered with the original ending. Whatever it is, I enjoy reading both the endings and this is for the second time that I am reading this book.


What I like about most of the characters in Dickens’ stories is that they are all very humble and have humble beginnings. They all prosper at a later stage in their life – so much like me! Another thing I like in his stories is that though some stories like HARD TIMES have a slow and boring beginning, they pick up momentum at a certain stage. So, one can really not put down any of Dickens’ book at any given point of time. They are all readable.


GE was first published in a serial form.


From Monday, that is, 22nd August, I have started reading THE SCARLETT LETTER in the train. It is an 1850 Classic romantic work by Nathaniel Hawthorne. This book is considered to be his magnum opus and I am really enjoying reading it for the second time. It’s a big change from the usual English Classics read by me as it’s an American
novel.


I just don’t understand this new psychological high which I get nowadays to re-read all my older collection of Classics. I am not buying anything new of late and not willing to read anything new at this present moment. I just don’t know why I am doing this.