Author Topic: Mystery of Edwin Drood ~ Dickens ~ September Book Club Online (Read 68305 times)

marcie · « **Reply #40 on:** August 15, 2009, 11:02:47 PM »

The Mystery of Edwin Drood - by Charles Dickens

Had Dickens lived to complete "The Mystery of Edwin Drood," his 15th novel would have been one of his major accomplishments, say many of his critics. The novel was scheduled to be published in twelve installments from April 1870 to March 1871. Only six of the installments were completed before Dickens's death in 1870, which left the mystery half finished.

"The ideal mystery is one you would read if the end was missing," writes Richard Chandler, creator of Philip Marlowe. Reading and discussing an unfinished mystery is a unique experience, especially when shared with a group. Will we agree with the critics, or go mad trying to figure out what he intended for the young engaged couple introduced at the start of the book? And what has become of young Edwin Drood? Help us track down clues as we read along ... and then we'll each propose our own ending during the last few days of the discussion.

Chapter discussion schedule
September 1-6: 1-6
September 7-13: 7-12
September 14-20: 13-18
September 21-27: 19-23

This unfinished mystery is available in several places on the Internet at no cost but you might want to purchase the book or borrow it from your library, in order to read one of the editions, such as the Penguin Classics, that has useful footnotes.

Questions for your consideration this week: Chapters 19-23

1. Chapter 19--Shadow on the Sun-Dial--what is the significance of the title?

2. What is Jasper willing to sacrifice for Rosa? Were you surprised by his declaration of love? Was Rosa?

3. Chapter 20--A Flight. Is it a good idea for Rosa to go to Mr. Grewgious? Does he seem less "angular" and "dry" now that we've seen more of him?

4. Chapter 21--A Recognition. Mr Tartar has a history, it seems. What do you think Dickens might have planned for him? How old is he?

5. Chapter 22--A Gritty State of Things Comes on. Can you picture Tartar's home and the conversation between Rosa and Helena Landless? Which parts of the description stand out?

6. Why does Billickin object to signing the lease with her Christian name?

7. Are the Billickin and Miss Twinkleton worthy opponents?

8. Why does Miss Twinkleton expurgate all the love scenes when reading to Rosa?

9. Chapter 23--The Dawn Again. Did you notice the shift back to present tense early in the chapter?

10. Why does the Princess Puffer follow Jasper from London to Cloisterham?

See the previous questions and related links.

Discussion Leaders: Deems, Marcie

marcie · « **Reply #41 on:** August 15, 2009, 11:03:02 PM »

Welcome, catbrown and Adoannie!

Evelyn, I'm glad you've gotten the Penguin edition with appendices and notes to help us learn more.. Catbrown, we'll learn from you, too, as you share information from the edition of the book that you have.

Deems · « **Reply #42 on:** August 15, 2009, 11:12:56 PM »

Welcome catbrown and Anne!

Yes, half a book is better than none!

I'm glad not to be alone in having the Penguin edition because there is much interesting information in it--doubt that we can do more than scratch the surface. Everyone needs to feel free to ask questions whenever they come up, as they surely will.

The notes are often helpful and several of the Appendices help to understand the times. I found the one on Opium especially interesting since that drug figures prominently in the plot.

ALF43 · « **Reply #43 on:** August 16, 2009, 01:58:34 PM »

I just finished Drood and i loved it! I can't wait for the Professor to begin this one.
Why? I kept asking myself did I not care for Dickens so long ago?
Perhaps it was youth or maybe the verbiage of the old English gentlemen.

I am now starting Matthew Pearl's intriguing journey The Last Dickens that will be a "follow-up" read after we complete Drood. Let me entice you with the book blurb to join us in October for this discussion.

"Boston, 1870, When news of Charles Dickens's untimely death reaches the office of his strugglig Ameican publisher, Fields, & Osgood, partner James Osgood sends his trusted clerk Daniel Sand to await the arrival of Dickens's unfinished novel. BUT when Daniel's body is discovered by the docks and the manuscript is nowhere to be found, Osgood must embark on a transatlantic quest to unearth the novel that he hopes will save his venerable business and reveal Daniel's killer."

DANGER ABOUNDS!
Come in and join us here. We will finish Mr. Dicken's book after all.
click here

Deems · « **Reply #44 on:** August 16, 2009, 03:25:58 PM »

Andy--so happy to hear that you finished it---and LIKED it!! Yay! I think this book is hard to read than many of his others, so you've got a whole lot of books ahead of you. May I recommend Bleak House?

I hope to join everyone in the discussion that will follow this one--on Matthew Pearl's The Last Dickens. It is to be in October; I read somewhere that Pearl's book will be out in paperback that month, although I don't know if it will be in time for the discussion.

marcie · « **Reply #45 on:** August 16, 2009, 10:09:43 PM »

Andy, I too am glad that you liked THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD.

Since I too have read the book, I'm currently re-reading it in an interesting way. I'm reading a book called THE D CASE OR THE TRUTH ABOUT THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD by Charles Dickens, Carlo Fruttero and Franco Lucentine. It's a fun way to read the original novel by Dickens since this book reprints "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" in its unfinished entirety and, at the end of each chapter, famous detectives of fiction (Sherlock Holmes, Poirot, Father Brown and others) discuss the "evidence" with one another and try to solve the mystery.

ANNIE · « **Reply #46 on:** August 16, 2009, 10:28:22 PM »

Did you know that there was a musical on Broadway called a solve it yourself play??? I have reserved it from my library just to see what they have done with it.
Marcie,
I was also able to reserve your title, it sounded so interesting.

marcie · « **Reply #47 on:** August 17, 2009, 01:34:18 AM »

Yes, the Drood musical had several different endings of "who did it." The audience would vote on who they thought did it and the actors would present that ending.

ALF43 · « **Reply #48 on:** August 17, 2009, 09:00:02 AM »

Oh Marcie, what fun that would be to join in with the major sleuths. I'm going to check out Amazon right now. (I have a gift certificate left.)

marcie · « **Reply #49 on:** August 17, 2009, 11:42:13 AM »

You can listen to samples of the music from the Tony-award-winning musical "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" here: http://www.amazon.com/Mystery-Edwin-Drood-Solve-Yourself/dp/B0000014WF/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1250523476&sr=1-1

You can read all of the lyrics here: http://www.allmusicals.com/m/mysteryofedwindroodthe.htm

There is a video of the opening number, "There You Are," and "Don't Quit While You're Ahead"-- the number that reunites the whole cast at the end of the second act, right before the narrator tells the audience that this is where the story Charles Dickens wrote ended. See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fE2VW1rYZ0

ANNIE · « **Reply #50 on:** August 17, 2009, 11:58:35 AM »

Oh, Marcie, what wonderful links! We need to put them up in the discussion links. And, there was Betty Buckley, one of my favorites. Wasn't she in the TV show, "Eight is Enough"??

marcie · « **Reply #51 on:** August 17, 2009, 12:23:59 PM »

I've added the links to the top of the page, Ann. I had forgotten that Betty Buckley was in Eight Is Enough. I love her voice and have seen her on a couple of Broadway-related programs on PBS. It's interesting that she was cast as Edwin Drood in the musical.

ANNIE · « **Reply #52 on:** August 17, 2009, 04:07:28 PM »

Oh, Betty Buckley is playing Edwin Drood?? I can't hear the words very well so did not know why she was dressed in a man's suit. I have put on my headphones and will see if that helps. Oh, and did you hit pause button at the very beginning and see who is on that screen?? Its Bea Arthur! But she is not listed in the players names. I know she did a lot of musical theatre on Broadway. Hmmm, is she a bleed over from another UTube presentation??

marcie · « **Reply #53 on:** August 17, 2009, 09:08:01 PM »

Bea Arthur was "introducing" the musical. I think the video is from a Broadway awards show.

ANNIE · « **Reply #54 on:** August 19, 2009, 05:01:36 PM »

Sounds plausible to me, Marcie!

Gumtree · « **Reply #55 on:** August 20, 2009, 05:43:03 AM »

Hi Deems!

Good to see some action on this site at last

I started to read Drood last night. Just as well I did as I'm finding it hard to get into the cadences of Dickens' writing. I never did like him but am hoping that will change.

I haven't bought a copy of the annotated Penguin yet but will do so this weekend if it's on the shelves somewhere handy.

See you soon!

ALF43 · « **Reply #56 on:** August 20, 2009, 08:16:42 AM »

Oh stick with Mr. Dickens Gumtree. Like Shakespeare it helps to read him aloud when you start losing focus with "his cadence."
It's well worth the read. Oh I do so wish that I had the footnotes however. Is it Sept. yet?

Gumtree · « **Reply #57 on:** August 20, 2009, 10:50:48 AM »

ALF: Of course I'll stick to the Dickens - Gumtrees are noted for their sticky gum

marcie · « **Reply #58 on:** August 20, 2009, 11:09:50 AM »

Gum

I'm glad to hear that you'll be sticking with us!

JeanClark · « **Reply #59 on:** August 20, 2009, 02:52:47 PM »

i have ordered the book on line and am looking forward to participating in the discussion.

marcie · « **Reply #60 on:** August 20, 2009, 03:04:23 PM »

Welcome, Jean. I think that you'll enjoy the book and discussion. I'm glad you'll be joining us.

ALF43 · « **Reply #61 on:** August 20, 2009, 10:21:42 PM »

After our September discussion of The Mystery of Edwin Drood, we have scheduled Matthew Pearl's newest novel for our October selection.
Matthew has graciously accepted our invitation and has made his first post in The Last Dickens.
He will be a wonderful resource and he has left some links for us.
PLEASE, please stop by in The Last Dickens and welcome him to our new site here at SeniorLearn.
Thanks everyone.

ANNIE · « **Reply #62 on:** August 21, 2009, 11:55:04 AM »

Alf,
What a coup! Another author is joining us this year. Congratters![/color]

mrssherlock · « **Reply #63 on:** August 21, 2009, 01:40:31 PM »

Donnie: I was intrigued by your description of The Puzzle of Dickens' Last Plot (Andrew Lang, 1905) so I googled it. It is available online for download here: http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/738, Should add to the discussion so thanks for the reference. I've ordered the Penguin. This one sounds like I'll need to make copious notes so the library copy won't do.

marcie · « **Reply #64 on:** August 21, 2009, 02:23:08 PM »

Thanks for the reference, Donnie, and for locating it online, mrsherlock.

nfrsw · « **Reply #65 on:** August 21, 2009, 09:06:13 PM »

I am planning on joining the discussion. I have downloaded both audio and text versions.

JoanK · « **Reply #66 on:** August 21, 2009, 10:07:38 PM »

I'm so glad to see so many others who never cared for Dickens. But how can I resist giving him another chance with such a great group, and a Mathew Pearl discussion to follow! I'm in.

marcie · « **Reply #67 on:** August 22, 2009, 12:02:41 AM »

nfrsw and JoanK. How lovely to know that you'll be joining the discussion. I'm glad you're giving this Dickens novel a chance.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #68 on:** August 23, 2009, 01:56:02 AM »

Glad to see other non-fans of Dickens will be here too..

ANNIE · « **Reply #69 on:** August 23, 2009, 09:38:45 AM »

Okay, I'll bite! Who is Donnie?? And where are those links to the audio and book text??

ANNIE · « **Reply #70 on:** August 23, 2009, 03:36:38 PM »

So I went to B&N and downloaded the book to my computer but I can't figure out how to play it. Anyone know the answer???

JeanClark · « **Reply #71 on:** August 26, 2009, 08:15:10 PM »

ijust recieved the Dickens book and have read the intro by Chesterson. It sounds like an interesting story. Hope to ber able to have some input as I get into the book.

marcie · « **Reply #72 on:** August 26, 2009, 10:35:45 PM »

That's great, Jean. I'll look forward to your comments about the book once we get started.

JoanK · « **Reply #73 on:** August 26, 2009, 10:42:32 PM »

GREAT, JEAN. I've ordered the book, but it hasn't come yet.

PatH · « **Reply #74 on:** August 26, 2009, 11:10:30 PM »

In the spirit of "keep the few remaining independent bookstores alive", I went to Politics and Prose today. They had 2 paperback versions, but not the Penguin. Worst case scenario is I dig out the moldering paperback I read 50 years ago, but I don't think it will come to that. P & P seems to be pretty healthy, but I always try to buy things there first; can't be too careful.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #75 on:** August 26, 2009, 11:53:59 PM »

I believe in supporting local independent bookstores but my pocketbook's bottom is too often visible. Too much month at the end of the money. So I ordered from Amazon and it arrived today.

ANNIE · « **Reply #76 on:** August 27, 2009, 08:05:10 AM »

Mine just arrived but its from our local library so I will have to renew it several times during our discussion.

pedln · « **Reply #77 on:** August 27, 2009, 11:39:52 AM »

Are all of you getting the Penguin version? I had pretty much decided to read the electronic version and get some of the critical books that our University here has -- if I can ever find a parking place close enough to their library.

Public library has no print editions, only electronic.

PatH, for future reference, where is Politics and Prose? (Though I feel I really did my duty in Seattle and New York this summer -- The Strand and Third Place Books and a few other independents.)

marcie · « **Reply #78 on:** August 27, 2009, 11:51:43 AM »

There are used copies of THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD, including the Penguin edition, at Alibris from $1.99 plus shipping. http://www.alibris.com/booksearch?qwork=4547021&matches=612&wquery=mystery+of+edwin+drood&cm_sp=works*listing*title

PatH · « **Reply #79 on:** August 27, 2009, 01:53:41 PM »

Pedln, it's about 5 miles from your son's house, at Connecticut and Nebraska, a mile inside Northwest DC. Here's their website, with a tab that will take you to directions:

http://www.politics-prose.com/

Parking is kind of weird, though. Since I grew up 4 blocks away, I know the back way to their lot.

They aren't large, but they have an unusually interesting and well-selected stock, and are one of those places where serendipity works well.

News:

Poll

What do you think happened to Edwin Drood?

Author Topic: Mystery of Edwin Drood ~ Dickens ~ September Book Club Online (Read 68305 times)