Great Expectations is Charles Dicken’s thirteenth novel and only the second one after David Copperfield that is written in the first person -according to Wikipedia.

I am listening to the audio version of it in the car and must say I am thoroughly enjoying it. More so than most books I have read this year.  According to academic sources it includes  themes of wealth, poverty, love, rejection, and the eventual triumph of good over evil.

I have not read Dickens before and have felt guilty for many years. It wasn’t emphasised in American high schools in the 1960’s.  Then life got in the way and I never made time for these very long books.

The version I am listening to is performed by Martin Jarvis and I love his interpretation of it. (Audible.com).

Dickens paints pictures with his words. The swamps with the convicts hidden, Miss Haversham’s old dilapidated house. Pip’s sister and brother in law are exceptionally well spoken.  The characters are three dimensional and I expect to look over in the passenger seat of the car and see Pip or Joe sitting there.  Sometimes if I get distracted by traffic I will rewind the chapter and listen to it again.

Other news:

I have been reading several magazine articles from Womankind and Philosopher magazines that are published in Hobart.  There is a brand new book shop in Hobart connected to the publishing establishments of these magazines. I went in for the first time the other day and talked to the staff. They let me take some photos. I will do a separate post on this wonderful new shop.

I am also reading the blogs listed on my post regularly.  Although I don’t always have the time or strength to comment I do enjoy them.

I have been seriously decluttering the house. I have joined a fitness centre and am working on ‘getting old gracefully.’  Stretching, balance and weight bearing are the goals. I have lost a few pounds and am working on strengthening my upper body and torso muscles as I get achey while riding my motorbike.  It is like riding a horse. I hobble the day after.

I have a week coming up in Sydney beginning the 19th of this month but more on that later too.

Our photo club challenges are taking up a lot of time. I watch countless videos on You Tube to learn all the settings of my Canon 5D Mark III.  It is like learning to fly a plane. Lightroom and Photoshop are also extensions of that.

I will leave you with a happy honey bee I photographed this morning as I practised various camera settings.

How is your week going?