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jgwc54e5's review against another edition
3.0
This is an enjoyable read. Dickens writes about his travels in Italy in 1844 when he was there for almost a year. He is witty and observant as always and shows great energy and adventure (the mt Vesuvius climb while it sounds like it’s erupting would be an insurance nightmare I’d imagine these days!). The chapter on Venice is the highlight. Written as though seen in a dream it is a beautiful piece of writing.
amadswami's review against another edition
4.0
Clearly Charlie enjoys old mud more than new mud (see his American Notes). Interesting insights from nearly 200 years ago!
booking_along's review against another edition
3.0
i am still it sure how to rate this book!
i loved some parts of it, dickens sharp, sometimes even biting descriptions on main land European lives hat he found lacking or too extreme (mostly there is no in between for him, either he finds if highly lacking and in poor taste or way over the top and mostly in poor taste because of that) but the way he describes moments, scenery and towns is wonderful!
but at the same time i constantly felt as if dickens saw himself and ever english men (person) as something better than everyone else in europe.
he seems to be constantly criticizing, comparing and complaining about all the differences between where he was and england.
and while that clearly brings something to the book and makes the way it is written different it’s not really how i personally enjoy travel writing.
on the other hand this was one of the very first books of this kind published, so is there really a way to say that dickens did it wrong if he was one of the first to do it?
and anyway is there really a wrong way to travel or share that experience?
i guess not even if not every reader will absolutely love how the experience is shared - since i didn’t really love this, but i also didn’t hate it.
i can certainly appreciate how dickens shares his view and it did transport me back in time in some aspects, so it wasn’t that bad.
all on all i do think that’s something every sickens lover should read and give a try.
or if you are interested in it without loving dickens other works.
it’s defiantly readable and interesting and worth a try!
but please don’t read the introduction of the penguin black library book before reading the actual book - because of you do why even bother with the rest of it seeing that it’s basically a shortened version of what dickens is going to share?
i loved some parts of it, dickens sharp, sometimes even biting descriptions on main land European lives hat he found lacking or too extreme (mostly there is no in between for him, either he finds if highly lacking and in poor taste or way over the top and mostly in poor taste because of that) but the way he describes moments, scenery and towns is wonderful!
but at the same time i constantly felt as if dickens saw himself and ever english men (person) as something better than everyone else in europe.
he seems to be constantly criticizing, comparing and complaining about all the differences between where he was and england.
and while that clearly brings something to the book and makes the way it is written different it’s not really how i personally enjoy travel writing.
on the other hand this was one of the very first books of this kind published, so is there really a way to say that dickens did it wrong if he was one of the first to do it?
and anyway is there really a wrong way to travel or share that experience?
i guess not even if not every reader will absolutely love how the experience is shared - since i didn’t really love this, but i also didn’t hate it.
i can certainly appreciate how dickens shares his view and it did transport me back in time in some aspects, so it wasn’t that bad.
all on all i do think that’s something every sickens lover should read and give a try.
or if you are interested in it without loving dickens other works.
it’s defiantly readable and interesting and worth a try!
but please don’t read the introduction of the penguin black library book before reading the actual book - because of you do why even bother with the rest of it seeing that it’s basically a shortened version of what dickens is going to share?
rinda's review against another edition
2.0
A little slow and random musings about a trip taken through Italy. Listened to as an audio from Librivox in preparation for our trip to Italy this summer. NF
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