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As profiled in the Summer 2018 issue of The Dickensian...
Our member Ed Smith - a long time fan of Dickens and of wine - began a year or so ago bringing at his own expense various wines to each of our meetings, supplying tastings for any interested members during our half-hour social and snack time before each session. Recently, he's taken to sending out to the membership list a couple of days before the session a colour picture of the wines to be tasted that evening. His warmth and enthusiasm have added a dimension to our gatherings, as Ed is at least as effervescent as any of the wine he brings. Thus we recently named him "Sommelier to the Dickens Society of Baltimore", with all the privileges - not to mention the immense prestige - that the position carries. For September - December, 2018, we have selected for study Dickens's final and unfinished novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood. We'll also read the mock trial of the suspected but uncertain murderer, John Jasper, carried out by the Dickens Fellowship 44 years after Dickens's death interrupted the novel's writing about half-way through. Such famous literary figures as George Bernard Shaw and G.K. Chesterton took prominent roles in that trial. Then in our final session in December we'll take our turn, as so many others have, in sharing our own ideas, based on the novel, as to the true culprit. A Sampling of Old News
Mar 4
Many members will attend the matinee performance (2pm) at Everyman Theatre of the recent Gale Childs Daly adaptation of Great Expectations, directed here by Tazewell Thompson. We plan to have a discussion afterwards at a nearby restaurant. Some members will attend other performances as more convenient for them. Dear friends!
It is a big pleasure to inform you about the official opening of the Dickens Fellowship Carrara Branch. The headquarter of the DF Carrara branch is located in the oldest part of Carrara, along Via Carriona, the Roman road built by the Romans 2000 years ago. The building hosting the Carrara branch dates back to the XVI century and it is really nice. We really hope we will meet all of you in Carrara next year (20-25 July 2017) on the occasion of the International Conference Dickens, Art and Landscape. I will inform you about the programme as soon as possible. In fellowship Best wishes Marzia For updated Conference information and reservation details see "Annual Conference" on the website: www.dickenscarrara.it
  Benefits of Belonging. Above Mary Jane Mallonee is shown at the Winterthur Museum with her neighbor Sheri Young and Gerald Dickens, when he performed works by his famous great-great grandfather several years ago.
(Here is an email I received from member Mary Jane after attending my first annual conference of the international Dickens Fellowship in July 2014. It speaks of the importance to her of this larger body, to which our Baltimore Branch now belongs. ~~ Menalcus Lankford) I'm glad you enjoyed the conference in Chicago and have experienced the best of the Dickens Fellowship, which is not just a literary society but also a big family. This conference was my 15th, and I plan to attend as many more as I possibly can. Not only do I learn more about Dickens and his works, but it's wonderful to learn about the host city of the conference. The speakers and participants are friendly, and sometimes we all have to deal with the inconveniences and glitches that occur. I hope we can convince others in the Baltimore branch to consider attending the conferences and thinking of themselves as part of a worldwide organization. FYI, here are the conferences that I have been able to attend (from memory!): 1998 Connecticut 2000 Rochester/Chatham2001 New York 2002 London 2003 Bristol/Clifton 2005 Canterbury 2006 Amsterdam 2007 Philadelphia 2008 Durham/North East England 2009 Cleveland 2010 Eastbourne 2011 Christchurch (not official because of earthquake) 2012 Portsmouth 2013 Boulogne-sur-Mer 2014 Chicago I'm looking forward to reading Dombey again and to seeing the Baltimore Dickens "family" in September. |
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