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Drew Gummerson's avatar

I loved that. ‘Bum jobs gone wrong.’ One review of my Seven Nights at the Flamingo Hotel was, ‘if you are bum obsessed you will love this book.’ 3 stars. Someone wrote this about my Saltburn, ‘Drew Gummerson is evidently a writer from the "more is more" school of creativity, like a speeded-up Dickens with additional body-parts.’ Of course, I like all those odd nooks and moments, lists.

Teaching in Prague after communism I had a class which contained a former film star, a tv presenter, a journalist, teachers, a road sweeper, and someone who worked in a snuff factory. She was my favourite and looked exactly like you would imagine - pale white skin, straight black hair, androgynous, black clothes. She was my favourite. ‘Do you have a brother?’ I once asked. I wanted to be part of that family.

Sarah Smith's avatar

That was a great read. I started reading all the Dickens novels in order in 2012 because it was his 200th birthday and I thought it would be a cool thing to do. It was. When I visited the museum, there was a dining room, set up with references to his friends and colleagues, as if they were all in after-dinner discussion with each other. The sheer number and complexity of his characters is breathtaking.

Wendy Varley's avatar

Such an entertaining read, Camilla. Looked at the link to the cat’s paw letter opener. Gosh. Dickens did like body bits, didn’t he?!

Camilla Grudova's avatar

he did! He is quite the goth. i should have said that he waited till Bob was dead of course!

A Arbor's avatar

Have you ever visited the Sir John Soane's Museum? It's just a few streets away from the Dickens Museum, and although obviously not of a writer, it's a house museum that completely obliterates any sense of the domestic to the extrent that you turn a corner and there's an enormous Egyptian sarcophagus sitting in what I'm guessing was once a pantry or something.

Camilla Grudova's avatar

yes! I went on a special eve where everything was lit w candlelight, magical place

A Arbor's avatar

Oh wow, that sounds amazing.

Symon Vegro's avatar

I enjoyed that very much, thank you. I love Dickens - I’ve just completed my fifth re-read of all of his novels (this time in order of how much I like them; joint favourites are ‘Dombey and Son’ and ‘Bleak House’, ‘Barnaby Rudge is in last place. And I will reveal that the first time I finished Dombey and Son’ I cried as I anticipated missing Mr. Toots, who I adored. But it’s of no consequence …)

Camilla Grudova's avatar

my favourites are nicholas nickleby our mutual friend and david copperfield! I love the creepy mr venus shop in our mutual friend most of all