My Last Dickens' Novel: The Mystery of Edwin Drood

The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Charles Dickens

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


In pursuing my goal of reading all of Dickens' novels, I saved his last book for the very end, mostly because I knew he died when it was half finished. I was afraid it would break my heart not to know what happens. I combined actual reading with listening to the fantastic David Timson narration.

It was interesting that Dickens was telling a single-strand tale. This was probably because he planned to make it half the length of his usual novels. So it was much more like A Christmas Carol than Bleak House.

It was also interesting that we can see who the murderer is but we are left uncertain as to whether the murder was really committed. Is Edwin missing because he's dead or because the murderer was suffering from an opium dream and incompletely carried out the crime? Perhaps Edwin was left unconscious and something else happened.

The one thing we could tell was that the engagement ring would be a key identifier whenever Edwin turned up, whether dead or alive.

Having read the book I then turned to Wikipedia where I found John Foster's account of what Dickens had told him in two letters. Foster was Dickens' lifelong friend and his biographer after he died. I won't spoil it for anyone wanting to read the book fresh but it did make sense and it also made me bitterly regret not having that second half of the book which was to be "a very curious and new idea for my new story. Not a communicable idea (or the interest of the book would be gone), but a very strong one, though difficult to work."

You can also read an account there of the mock trial that was put on to solve the mystery by G.K. Chesterton, George Bernard Shaw and similar literary luminaries. It sounds as if t'was all good fun.

The jury returned a verdict of manslaughter, Shaw stating that it was a compromise on the grounds that there was not enough evidence to convict Jasper but that they did not want to run the risk of being murdered in their beds. Both sides protested and demanded that the jury be discharged. Shaw claimed that the jury would be only too pleased to be discharged. Chesterton ruled that the mystery of Edwin Drood was insoluble and fined everyone, except himself, for contempt of court.

Well Said: Crushing Someone

If you do not understand a man you cannot crush him. And if you do understand him, very probably you will not.

G.K. Chesterton

Worth a Thousand Words: Alexandra and Elena Pavlovna

Alexandra and Elena Pavlovna, painted by Louise Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun.

I love these two sweet sisters, painted by one of my favorite artists. It makes me think of when Hannah and Rose were little. They were such loving sisters.

On behalf of the former sinners of the future ...

... Julie and Scott are going to keep right on running this podcast, even though they have been running it since they were juvenile delinquents ... and they are tired from weariness! Brando. Sinatra. Guys and Dolls. Get Episode 130 at A Good Story is Hard to Find.

Worth a Thousand Words: Leaping

Leaping
taken by the incomparable Remo Savisaar

In which we discover how a victory can be a catastrophe.

Can Captain Bors turn it back into a victory again? Forgotten Classics, Episode 299, featuring chapters 5-6 of Talents Incorporated by Murray Leinster.

What We've Been Watching: Hits and Misses

HITS

Steve Jobs

Set backstage at three iconic product launches and ending in 1998 with the unveiling of the iMac, Steve Jobs takes us behind the scenes of the digital revolution to paint an intimate portrait of the brilliant man at its epicenter.

Wow. Brilliant.

All the performances were wonderful, especially those of Michael Fassbender and Kate Winslet. I saw some critics complaining because they felt there was too much talking, though I'm not sure how you have a movie about ideas without, you know, talking. Kudos to both director Danny Boyle and screenwriter Aaron Sorkin for making the movie feel dynamic and exciting despite the fact that it is set backstage before three different product launches. The most fascinating thing, though, was that the revelation of Steve Jobs' personality and growth was so wonderfully revealed as we watched the progress of his products.

Tom and I knew so much about Steve Jobs already (for reasons I won't go into here - suffice it to say that we were amused when Jobs began being treated like a rock star by friends who "discovered" Apple because of iPods and iPhones) ... and about those launches in particular that it was fascinating to see how they were used as springboards for a character study.

It's also interesting thinking about how the stories of Mark Zuckerberg and Steve Jobs are told, considering Aaron Sorkin wrote both but David Fincher directed one and Danny Boyle the other.

My Italian Secret (doc.)

A heroic story that was all but lost to history, until now. The film recounts how WWII bicycling idol Gino Bartali, physician Giovanni Borromeo and other Italians worked with Jewish leaders and high-ranking officials of the Catholic Church, risking their lives by defying the Nazis to save thousands of Italy’s Jews.

It never occurred to me before that the Italian Jewish experience during WWII would have been so different from what we've heard about so much of Germany or France. Fascinating.

MISSES

A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night

In the Iranian ghost-town Bad City, a place that reeks of death and loneliness, the townspeople are unaware they are being stalked by a lonesome vampire.

If Fellini made a vampire movie, this would be the movie he made.

So much atmosphere, so little story.

The Verdict

Frank Galvin is a down-on-his luck lawyer, reduced to drinking and ambulance chasing. Former associate Mickey Morrissey reminds him of his obligations in a medical malpractice suit that he himself served to Galvin on a silver platter: all parties willing to settle out of court. Blundering his way through the preliminaries, he suddenly realizes that perhaps after all the case should go to court; to punish the guilty, to get a decent settlement for his clients, and to restore his standing as a lawyer.

And to restore his self respect. Let's not forget his self respect.

I was looking for legal thrillers for my movie discussion groups and The Verdict kept popping up on every "law film" or "legal thriller" list I found.

Paul Newman is, needless to say, terrific. The rest of the movie felt more like a slow character study than either a legal or thriller story. It was a good character study but not good enough to carry the entire film.

The Intern

70-year-old widower Ben Whittaker has discovered that retirement isn't all it's cracked up to be. Seizing an opportunity to get back in the game, he becomes a senior intern at an online fashion site, founded and run by Jules Ostin.

Another movie I tried to see if it would be good for movie discussion groups. Short answer: no.

There is much to like in this movie but the slow pacing removes any punch, whether for humor or angst. If they'd have cut 20-30 minutes out (and there were plenty of places to do it) it would have been a much improved film.

That wasn't the only problem. For example, there were a couple of speeches by Robert DeNiro's character which sounded as if they should've been coming from a best girlfriend instead of a 70 year old man who'd been married 42 years.

However, as I said most of it works adequately enough, or would if the editing had been tighter.

Too Late for an Autopsy - I talk about books with Jenny at Reading Envy

I haven't talked books with Jenny at her Reading Envy podcast since episode 3. This week I was again her guest, on episode 55! Yes, it has been several years since the last time.

Maybe that's why the list of extra books mentioned is so long. Or it could simply be that I can't help peppering people with lots and lots of book ideas.

Join us to see what we've both been reading lately. Reading Envy, episode 55.

Tom Hiddleston and Stephen Colbert See the Light

I was already interested in seeing I Saw the Light, the Hank Williams biopic, though I did wonder how Tom Hiddleston could possibly pull off the role. I liked both the insights and the brief music sample from this clip.

An Easter Weekend Story American Media Isn't Mentioning

I was shocked and saddened to see the story of terrorists bombing a park and playground in Pakistan because Christians are known to gather there on Easter. I know this might seem like a stupid reaction but I can't help thinking, "what is wrong with these people?"

I was equally shocked to read reports that the Indian priest kidnapped by ISIS linked terrorists was crucified on Good Friday. (Though those reports are currently unsubstantiated.) I've been praying for him and the report unexpectedly brought tears to my eyes.

Mother Angelica died on Easter and that news seems so appropriate. I've never paid much attention to EWTN but I know the huge contribution it made and the big impact that Mother Angelica has had on so many lives.

These are all stories you see floating around news aggregators and social media.

Here's one, though, that American media has all but ignored. As reported by GetReligion,

Coverage in British newspapers [as opposed to BBC broadcast] has been much more blunt. Consider the top paragraphs in The Telegraph, which jump straight to the religious details that make this crime so dramatic.

A popular shopkeeper was stabbed to death by another Muslim in a "religiously prejudiced" attack hours after posting an Easter message on Facebook to "my beloved Christian nation".

Asad Shah, 40, a devout Muslim originally from the Pakistani city of Rabwah, had his head stamped on during a savage attack, according to one eyewitness.

Around four hours earlier the victim wrote online: "Good Friday and a very Happy Easter, especially to my beloved Christian nation. "Let's follow the real footstep of beloved holy Jesus Christ and get the real success in both worlds."

On Friday afternoon, police confirmed that a 32-year-old Muslim man had been arrested in connection with Mr Shah's death.

The victim had a history – in social media – of rejecting violence by radicalized Muslims and calling for peace and understanding between people of different faiths. His neighbors, of all faiths, immediately began raising funds to try to help his family.

My husband and I were just discussing this morning why more moderate Muslims weren't speaking up or otherwise helping to stop the radicalized terrorists. Of course, one answer was just the sad response that we see from the story above.

But I love that Mr. Shah didn't let that stop him, though the danger would be obvious. He is a real life hero. His courage deserves to be celebrated. Shame on American media for not even reporting the story.

Worth a Thousand Words: October and November again

October and November series
by Brian at the blue hour

Worth a Thousand Words: Dog's Head

James Ward, Dog’s Head
via Arts Everyday Living

That looks like essence of terrier, doesn't it!

Worth a Thousand Words: The Bow

The Bow
painted by Edward B Gordon

Well Said: Christ and the Interesting Life

There is no need to fear that living in Christ and working for him would be consigning ourselves to a drab, colorless life. The life stories of the saints are a refutation of that worry. As a general rule, the saints who lived and worked for God are seen to have highly interesting lives. There is an ancient Latin phrase that runs: cui servire regnare est — to serve him is perfect freedom — a freedom, one might add, that is not devoid of joy.

Monsignor James Turro

Worth a Thousand Words: Fin

Fin
painted by James Neil Hollingsworth

Worth a Thousand Words: Henrietta Ward’s Pet Guinea Pigs

James Ward, Double Portrait of Henrietta Ward’s Pet Guinea Pigs, 1843
via Arts Everyday Living

Mother Teresa to be Canonized on Sept. 4

This was announced with the upcoming canonization of four other saints. Having just finished Dante's Paradiso, I can't help thinking of all of them using that imagery: as part of the Empyrean (the celestial rose formed by Mary and the saints as they gaze on the face of God in the center, with angels fluttering back and forth like bees).

...  the Holy Father announced the upcoming canonization of five new saints, including Blessed Mother Teresa of Kolkata (née Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu), whose work among the “poorest of the poor” won her worldwide acclaim. Hundreds of Missionaries of Charity, members of the religious order founded by Mother Teresa, are expected to be in Rome for her canonization, set for 4 September 2016.

From Poland, Blessed Stanisłaus of Jesus and Mary (né Jan Papczynski) was a member of the Piarist Order. After leaving the Piarists, Bd Stanisłaus founded the Marians of the Immaculate Conception.

Blessed Maria Elizabeth Hesselblad of Sweden, a convert from Lutheranism, founded a new branch of Bridgettine sisters, dedicated to working and praying for the unity of Scandinavian Christians with the Church. She will be the first Swedish saint in more than 600 years.

The two northern Europeans will be canonized together on Sunday, 5 June, of this year.

The Holy Father also announced the canonization of Blessed José Gabriel del Rosario, from Pope Francis’ native Argentina, known as the “gaucho priest.” Like the famous Argentinian cattlemen, he travelled on a mule throughout the vast territory of his parish in order to be close to the members of his flock.

He will be canonized on 16 October 2016, along with Blessed José Luis Sánchez del Río of Mexico. Blessed José was just fourteen-years-old when he was martyred by the Mexican government during the Cristeros War, after refusing to deny his Faith.

Vatican Radio

Worth a Thousand Words: October and November once more

October and November series
by Brian at the blue hour

The Holly is Alive with Bees!

Stock photography

Idly looking out the window on Sunday I saw a lot of gnats flitting around our holly bushes. When I got out there it turns out they were actually bees. So many bees, all busily going from blossom to blossom. Even the occasional wasp was in the crowd. They had a very different style though. Instead of quick canvassing, the wasps were slowly and methodically covering each blossom thoroughly before moving to another.

Now I'd never even noticed the holly bushes had blossoms. They are tiny and nondescript to our eyes. But they have a heavenly scent. I'd wondered for years what was giving off  that scent as I'd go into our office or front yard. As I said, the blossoms are so nondescript that I never noticed them before.

When I walked onto our porch after bee watching I was hit with the scent which had accumulated under our eaves. Directly sniffing the blossoms (at my own risk from busy bees) yielded nothing. The scent had to gather, it seemed.

These holly bushes suddenly took on extra value. I'd always liked that they provided berries for sparrows, cardinals, and robins in late winter. I also appreciated that squirrels and small birds liked hiding in them. Now I could see they perfume the air and feed the bees!

It makes me look at those prickly leaves much more forgivingly. Once again, there is so much that we think we know all about but which has hidden dimensions, if only we open our eyes and see. (Or noses and sniff. Take your pick!)

Ours are Burford Holly bushes which you may read about here.

Worth a Thousand Words: Margin O

A face drawn inside the O on the title page
of Rye House Plot Trials, 1683-4.
Via Letterology