Dickens
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Readers from Maidstone have been chosen as national
'champions’ of Charles Dickens, on the 200th anniversary of his
birth.
They are members of the Hollingbourne Reading
Group, one of 10 such groups nationwide who will take part in a
'readathon’ between February and December.
Audiences will hear them read and review about
five of his titles.
Dickens was born on February 7, 1812, and
become one of Britain’s greatest novelists of the Victorian period,
responsible for some of English literature’s most famous novels and
characters.
“We are very grateful to Jeremy Clarke,
educational officer at the Guildhall museum for initiating this
project,” said Dawn Perry, co-ordinator of the Hollingbourne
Reading Group which has 10 members.
“We all come from Hollingbourne and all our
readings in this project will take place in Hollingbourne. We feel
very excited and privileged.”
The Maidstone group was selected by The
Reading Agency, an independent charity which actively encourages
people to read more.
Great Expectations is one of the author’s many
admired works, written in and set in Kent, by a man who loved
living in the county.
Many local places appear recognisably in its
pages, including churches at Cooling and Higham, and also Guildhall
and Restoration House in Rochester.
Reading to enthralled audiences in Britain and
America played a big part in Dickens’ life.
In one year he made a home tour through
English counties reading 87 times. He also made reading tours in
America before his death on June 9, 1870, aged 58
Tuesday, February 07 2012
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