"Charles Dickens, Francais naturalise, et Citoyen de Paris." This is how Dickens signed a letter from France to his friend John Forster in 1847. Behind the joke lay a fascination for French life and culture and a sense of affinity with the country that would take him back often and that would find expression in some of his finest work. "Dickens on France" brings together short stories, extracts from novels and travel writing. Among its journalistic highlights, are accounts of a train journey from London to Paris, a rough Channel crossing, the pleasures of Boulogne, and Parisian life in the 1850s and 1860s. Extracts from the travelogue Pictures from Italy, take us by coach from Paris to Marseille. The selected short stories include "His Boots", a section of "Mrs Lirriper's Legacy" and "The Boy at Mugby", and there are extracts from "A Tale of Two Cities", "Little Dorrit", "Dombey and Son", "Nicholas Nickleby", and "Our Mutual Friend". Dickens was interested primarily in the character of places he visited, the behaviour of people he observed in them, and in the sensation and psychology of travelling. These preoccupations keep the writing fresh and accessible. It requires no leap through time to appreciate his musings on his fellow passengers, his reflections on sitting in a Paris cafe, his random exploration of city streets or small country towns, or his opposition to cultural bigotry. Infused with energy, perception and open-mindedness, this collection vividly evokes life in France and Britain in the nineteenth century and reminds us, however much progress we make, how little we change. "Dickens on France" is extensively annotated to provide historical and autobiographical contexts, and to highlight literary and other allusions. Brief chapter introductions and a general introduction to the volume, highlight key aspects of the selections and discuss the nature of Dickens's enduring relationship with France.

About the Author
JOHN EDMONDSON is a writer and publisher with a long-standing interest in both Charles Dickens and France. He is the author of France: A Traveller's Literary Companion (1997).

Reviews
"I have been reading this lovely book with interest. For a Dickens enthusiast, it's a welcome addition to current information. The extracts are perfectly chosen, it's wide-ranging & clear-sighted & again refreshes my knowledge at the same time as delighting me. It serves the Master well & I am really thrilled to have it." Miriam Margolyes, Presenter of Dickens in America "The book is very fully annotated and John Edmondson's enthusiasm for the subject, as well as his considerable knowledge, is evident all through. Dickens on France offers much more than a selection of extracts, some familiar, some less so. It is a book which explains and illustrates one of Dickens's strongest relationships and is to be strongly recommended." The Dickensian



Book Information
ISBN 9781904955061
Author Charles Dickens
Format Hardback
Page Count 448
Imprint Signal Books Ltd
Publisher Signal Books Ltd