The Old Curiosity Shop

Dashed up to London after a very busy day at work for another of TSMs treats for my Year Of Living Amazingly, namely a walk around the city in the company of Mark, a tour guide who took us on a route that bought Charles Dickens to life. Lots of little alleyways and corners, some of which we knew but most of which we didn’t. It was brilliant and full of great connections and conversations. We were fortunate to have him to ourselves and the whole thing was wonderfully moody in the damp streets after dark.

Mark painted a very vivid picture of Dickens as a showy rock star of his literary age, someone who saw all his experiences as material and even used his writing to extract revenge on people who had offended him. Particularly vivid descriptions of life in debtors gaol and not romanticised in any way.

Brilliant evening.