I bought this little leather bound book in 1971 when I went to Victoria University in Wellington and studied (amongst many other things) English. I never finished the book. Actually, I hardly started it, reading only about the first 30 or so pages. I bluffed and bullshitted my way through tutorials, tests and exams with the various characters (there are so many in this novel) bewildering me.
I've had the book all this time and have only just finished reading it.
As I sometimes do, I coincided my reading with listening to the audio book version and watching the 2005 TV series on TV On Demand. The novel, with all of its plots and sub-plots, characters, themes and settings fell into place and the experience was sumptuous. It took me 48 years but I've done it and it makes me hungry to read some more Dickens although I doubt that any others will come close except for Great Expectations. I might in fact repeat the exercise with Great Expectations as I remember a stunning British TV series of years ago. If I can find this to watch and line up with both the audio and written novel then I'll do it.
As I said, I finally caught up with the characters in Bleak House, most of whom I never knew existed.
One couple, Mr and Mrs Bagnet are case in point here for this post. Mr Bagnet, a minor character was a military friend of Mr George who was a central character to the main plot. He was a dealer in musical instruments and a right bore. He loved his wife though and deferred to her in all things.
He always referred to her as THE OLD GIRL.
I find this to be funny as I, in this blog always refer to my partner Lynn as THE OLD GIRL.
She's also worth her weight in gold.
