Reading Rambo

WELL HERE WE ARE. We have read an entire biography of esteemed Victorian Wilkie Collins. Was it good? Well, not really. Should this 420 page biography have been appx 100 pages? Yes. But now we have a list of Wilkie fiction to read! Wilkie fiction and also things like East Lynne by Ellen Wood, because do not think for a moment that we are not reading that. "It is remembered chiefly for its elaborate and implausible plot, centering on infidelity and double identities."



But again, Lycett seems to have taken random notes and then put them together into a book, and some of it's about Wilkie but most of it's tangentially related? I mean, sure, it's funny that troops were called in to protect animals in the zoos, but also WHY ARE WE HEARING A STORY ABOUT WILKIE'S EX-GIRLFRIEND'S DEAD HUSBAND'S PARENTS. 

I didn't feel like I learned that much about Wilkie from this, but also it really seems like he didn't want us to learn that much about him. Which I ki…

Wilkie Collins wrote so many books, and this author insists on detailing the plots of all of them, which I must invariably skim over because I don't want them spoiled, thank you, sir.

As one reads through Wilkie Collins: A Life of Sensation, one gets the sense that this book could have been much shorter than it is, and therefore more satisfying, as much much much of it is filler. Yes! It is indeed sad that Dickens did not keep Wilkie's letters but instead burned them in some sort of pyratic ecstatical moment he apparently had with much of his correspondence, but that does not mean you then just summarize novel plots and talk about the histories of his friends' and acquaintances' families.



Some of this I am greatly enjoying, because I like knowing about The Bigger Picture and how everyone jigsaw puzzleish fits in, but I do not need to know about the family background of the man Wilkie's sometimes live-in girlfriend married for like a year.

Which brings us to another po…

EPOCH ONE in the life of Wilkie Collins, as described by Andrew Lycett in his eminently readable biography Wilkie Collins: A Life of Sensation, comprises his birth to the meeting of Charles Dickens.


If you want to know about Wilkie Collins's early life, here're some main points: 

1) His dad was a painter who made some serious CASH MONEY.

2) His dad was also super into God, who Wilkie, in the grand tradition of children, was therefore NOT into.

3) The ladies around him inspired him to see women as actual people, as opposed to a certain other Victorian author who seemed to regard them as vessels to be filled with adoration for their future husband. That or as loveless shrews we should all laugh at. (DICKENS I'M TALKING ABOUT DICKENS)

4) Wilkie told Dickens a story later in life about how when his family lived in Italy, he banged a married lady when he was like 13. While normally I wouldn't believe this sort of story, with Wilkie Collins, it seems like it maybe happened.

5) Wil…

WELCOME TO THE WILKIE COLLINS BIOGRAPHY READALONG. We are very cazh-like reading the Andrew Lycett bio Wilkie Collins: A Life of Sensation. This week's introductions! I have QUESTIONS.

1. Where are you located!
Chicago, IL. It's currently emphasizing its swampy river nature with 90-something degree temperatures and 65% humidity, but I STILL LOVE IT.

2. What do you know about Wilkie Collins already?
I know he has a giant forehead. And enjoys the back view of a lady the most. And was Dickens's BFF and MAYBE responsible for pushing Dickens to be a better writer.

3. What have you read of his?
THE MOONSTONE AND WOMAN IN WHITE, of which I loved the latter much more than the former.

4. How much do you love the cover of this book?
SO MUCH.


We're splitting this book into 4 sections, and a schedule will be posted here be Friday!

DO YOU LOVE WILKIE COLLINS? Have you barely heard of him? Do you vaguely know him as Dickens's BFF and owner of a magnificent forehead? Starting June 14th, we will be reading Wilkie Collins: A Life of Sensation by Andrew Lycett. You can get a copy pretty much anywhere online, but I recommend AbeBooks or The Book Depository so you can get the version with the fun cover. 


It's not very long, so Wednesday, June 14th, we'll do intro posts, then split the book up into 4 readings and chat about how much we love Wilkie Collins and how he led a LIFE OF SENSATION. 

Signup below via Mr Linky and get your copy soon. WILKIE COLLINS FOR THE SUMMER.