Here's Richness

I fell under the spell of the great man's 'funny side' at around the age of ten, and I have been a Dickens junkie ever since. His humour seemed, and seems, so real to me and true for all times. There are, of course, certain Victorian references which are no longer relevant today, but the characters he drew and the foibles and eccentricities they embody remain all too fresh and real, easily recognisable. Readers who might be deterred by the prospect of trawling through the lengthy twists and turns of the convoluted storylines required and expected in the Victorian novel might never get as far as the oases of wit and humour that abound along the way. Perhaps this little selection might encourage them to explore further. It is a rewarding journey. LAURIE JOHNSON