Giving you the Dickens...

In my last post featuring a photo of an original copy of A Christmas Carol, I noted in a response to Rebecca that Charles Dickens loved to read this story aloud and had edited the text especially for public readings. I can't believe I missed this short feature yesterday on NPR's "Morning Edition" which addresses this very subject, but thank goodness, the ever attendant Colonel did not. He was telling me all about it this morning over his coffee & my tea! Additionally, he reported that he had read in the Wednesday, December 2nd New York Times of a hand written manuscript of this Dicken's classic which is on display at the Morgan Library & amp; Museum in Manhattan . This historical manuscript has profuse editorial notes revealing the author's writing process concerning such details as converting "a spot of mustard" to a "blot of mustard" -- all are particularly fascinating when one considers he wrote the book in less than six weeks. He was trying to raise some extra funds.

As my students would say, "I feel you, Mr. Dickens!"

Now here is the fun part , dear bloggy readers: The NYT invites us to examine this manuscript online, and submit what we think is the most interesting edit in the work. Declan Keily, curator of literary and historical manuscripts, will read the submissions. He will select the most worthy response, and that reader will be invited to afternoon tea at the Morgan. When you get a chance, take a look, and let me know what you think! Also, can you guess who has finally taught herself how to create text links today for her 50th post? As we say in the South, "Lawdy......who'd 've thaaawt it!"