Jack Maggs
11 journalers for this copy...
From Amazon: Jack Maggs is a variation on Great Expectations, in which Dickens's tale is told from the viewpoint of Australian convict Abel Magwitch. The names, it's true, have been tinkered with, but the book's literary paternity is unmistakable. So, too, is the postcolonial spin that Carey puts on Dickens's material: this time around, the prodigal Maggs is perceived less as an invading alien than a righteous (if not particularly welcome) refugee.
Sending to Freepages to help her pass the time. Take care!
Journal Entry 3 by FreePages from Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Thursday, December 6, 2007
Thanks Lisagt for Mr Maggs company. Also the gorgeous card and cute bookmark...really made my day. Looks like a good read and I enjoyed Peter Careys "True History of the Kelly Gang" so I'm looking forward to "Jack Maggs".I'll let you know how it goes
:-)
Journal Entry 4 by FreePages from Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Thursday, May 14, 2009
This is a splendid read. It is a novel on how Charles Dickens could have come by way of the "Great Expectations" story told from Abel Magwitch's view. I read "Great Expectations" before it so I could get a real feel for the story, but if you are aware of the general gist of the Great Expectations story, I'm not really sure that you need to read "Great Expectations" before reading Jack Maggs. In fact it stands alone as it's own story reasonably well, but I loved visualising the main characters."Great Expectations" took me quite a while to read but I found "Jack Maggs" to be much easier. "Jack Maggs" brought Dicken's London to life for me better than "Great Expectations" did. Much easier to read a historical fiction written in a modern style about 19th century London then a novel written in that era.
I liked the character of Abel Magwitch in Great Expectations better than Pip, when he became a young adult, so I loved the perspective of the story. It is not a classic in the sense of "Great Expecations' but it is great fun.
The names have been changed but the characters are Tobias Oates for Charles Dickens, Jack Maggs for Abel Magwitch and Henry Phillips for Pip.
Read 12- May 2009.
Paperback. 392 pages.
This book is Number 97 on the original 1001 books list. I'm going to offer it as a bookray very soon.
Journal Entry 5 by FreePages from Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Thursday, May 14, 2009
FINISHED
Bookray
Participants so far
Elddau1 (prefer Aus post)
cat207 (prefer Aus post)
bookseekerAT(Aus only)
peggypostcard (prefer Aus post)
bekoh (Aus only)
charliewendy (?)
Dancesports (aus only)
countdebeans
Ed2009(end of ray)=> Book is Here
Bookray has ended thanks to everyone for participating in a very successful bookray.
:-)
Bookray
Participants so far
Elddau1 (prefer Aus post)
cat207 (prefer Aus post)
bookseekerAT(Aus only)
peggypostcard (prefer Aus post)
bekoh (Aus only)
charliewendy (?)
Dancesports (aus only)
countdebeans
Ed2009(end of ray)=> Book is Here
Bookray has ended thanks to everyone for participating in a very successful bookray.
:-)
Released 14 yrs ago (5/18/2009 UTC) at Bungendore, New South Wales Australia
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
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The Bookray has started.
This is being released at my Aunty's Antique shop in Bungendore for Elddau1 to pick-up.
Enjoy :-)
The Bookray has started.
This is being released at my Aunty's Antique shop in Bungendore for Elddau1 to pick-up.
Enjoy :-)
Thanks FreePages so much!
We toddled round to Deniston Cottage yesterday arvo for a chat and to pick up Jack Maggs. (I left the other books for D to read and pass them to me when she's done.)
I've jumped in straight away with Jack Maggs to get it moving and I'm about a 1/4 of the way through and enjoying it very much.
We toddled round to Deniston Cottage yesterday arvo for a chat and to pick up Jack Maggs. (I left the other books for D to read and pass them to me when she's done.)
I've jumped in straight away with Jack Maggs to get it moving and I'm about a 1/4 of the way through and enjoying it very much.
I enjoyed reading this. It was a good story and well written. It has been compared with Dickens and I can see the links: obviously the period and setting of the book, and there are meant to be parallels with Great Expectations. I can’t remember all of that classic but I think it’s just as well. Jack Maggs stands on its own. Carey also has good, strong characterisations.
Though my experience of Jack Maggs suffered a little from knowing certain things I had read in a bookseller’s review. It made part of the book go slowly for me because there was no surprise there. Without prior knowledge I think it would be a more striking read.
But I enjoyed losing myself in Jack Maggs’ mid-nineteenth century world (I’m a history buff and genealogist). And I loved meeting all the people who shared Jack’s world with him. It was a good story and thoroughly enjoyable. And it’s a pleasant thing not to have to wade through Dickens’ language to enjoy it!
Though my experience of Jack Maggs suffered a little from knowing certain things I had read in a bookseller’s review. It made part of the book go slowly for me because there was no surprise there. Without prior knowledge I think it would be a more striking read.
But I enjoyed losing myself in Jack Maggs’ mid-nineteenth century world (I’m a history buff and genealogist). And I loved meeting all the people who shared Jack’s world with him. It was a good story and thoroughly enjoyable. And it’s a pleasant thing not to have to wade through Dickens’ language to enjoy it!
Released 14 yrs ago (6/25/2009 UTC) at
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CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Being posted to cat207, to continue on it's way out into the world.
Hope you enjoy it too. :-)
Being posted to cat207, to continue on it's way out into the world.
Hope you enjoy it too. :-)
Arrived in today's mail. Thank you Elddau1 for the lovely bookmarks and the postcard (I have read 'Oscar and Lucinda' and I think I read 'The Unusual Life of Tristan Smith' many years ago.) And thank you FreePages for sharing your books.
A great read. So many colourful characters!
Waiting for an address from bookseekerAT to mail on.
Waiting for an address from bookseekerAT to mail on.
Journal Entry 12 by bookseekerAT from Sydney CBD, New South Wales Australia on Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Lovely to come home to a waiting book parcel. Am really looking forward to reading it. Have a few others ahead of it in the queue though...
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I really enjoyed this, and finished it quite quickly once I started (being on a few days off work also helped!). It was a great insight into the life and issues of that era. I am not sure if it makes any difference if you have read Great Expectations or not - the story stands pretty well on its own.
Thanks so much for sharing. This is a book that I probably would not have read if it had not been for bookcrossing.
Happy bookcrossing everyone!
I really enjoyed this, and finished it quite quickly once I started (being on a few days off work also helped!). It was a great insight into the life and issues of that era. I am not sure if it makes any difference if you have read Great Expectations or not - the story stands pretty well on its own.
Thanks so much for sharing. This is a book that I probably would not have read if it had not been for bookcrossing.
Happy bookcrossing everyone!
The book is here with me now - thanks for dropping it off bookseekerAT! I read your PM and thought, ooh, better go see if the book is outside - I opened the door and it tumbled in. I'll try to start reading it as soon as I can.
Journal Entry 15 by peggypostcard at Petersham, New South Wales Australia on Sunday, August 23, 2009
Released 14 yrs ago (8/23/2009 UTC) at Petersham, New South Wales Australia
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This was a great story, as you would expect from Peter Carey, really vivid, complex characters. I think the structure of the book reflects the tangled plots you read in Dickens but essentially this story stands alone.
The book is now on its way to its next reader.
This was a great story, as you would expect from Peter Carey, really vivid, complex characters. I think the structure of the book reflects the tangled plots you read in Dickens but essentially this story stands alone.
The book is now on its way to its next reader.
in the mail today - thanks!
I've never read any Peter Carey books before & haven't read Great Expectations either (a serious hole in my literary education I know)and I loved this book. I liked the fast pace, the colourful characters & almost comical narration of the situation they find themselves in (despite the fact that a lot of what was being narrated was actually quite cruel & selfish & in places horrific).
I will definitely try & read more of Carey's works; I don't know why I haven't before (just lazy I guess).
I will definitely try & read more of Carey's works; I don't know why I haven't before (just lazy I guess).
Received today, thanks bekoh for sending it on and thanks Freepages for sharing!
I enjoyed this although in places I felt it got a bit bogged down - but I often feel that way about Carey's novels. It has a great Dickensian feel about it though. By the way, check out the cover art, it is by Atkinson Grimshaw, painted 1887 and called Liverpool Quay by Moonlight and I think it is perfect for this book.
This is going in the mail to Dancesports today.
Thanks Freepages!
This is going in the mail to Dancesports today.
Thanks Freepages!
Book arrived from charliewendy today - (It was my lucky day - three book parcels arrived). Will read as soon as I can so I can keep it moving.
I enjoyed this book. I've read two other Peter Carey books but struggled through. This one was an easier read and I was pleasantly surprised.
Journal Entry 22 by Dancesports at Bungendore, New South Wales Australia on Monday, November 16, 2009
Released 14 yrs ago (11/16/2009 UTC) at Bungendore, New South Wales Australia
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CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
released earlier today - sent on to the next person on the list
released earlier today - sent on to the next person on the list
(Elddau1 on behalf of cdeb)
countdebeans has been caught up with family things and asked me to journal to let you know that Jack Maggs and friends arrived safely on Monday. Thanks for sending it on Dancesports.
(By the look of it he's about half way through too.)
countdebeans has been caught up with family things and asked me to journal to let you know that Jack Maggs and friends arrived safely on Monday. Thanks for sending it on Dancesports.
(By the look of it he's about half way through too.)
(on behalf of countdebeans) *sigh*
countdebeans has finished reading Jack Maggs and will write a journal entry.
Jack Maggs will travel after Christmas.
Edited to add: PMed next on the list Ed2009 and waiting for address.
Added M11Jan2010: PMed Ed2009 again for address. Must be on hols.
countdebeans has finished reading Jack Maggs and will write a journal entry.
Jack Maggs will travel after Christmas.
Edited to add: PMed next on the list Ed2009 and waiting for address.
Added M11Jan2010: PMed Ed2009 again for address. Must be on hols.
With thanks to FreePages for the chance to read this book - I enjoyed it.
Jack Maggs was well worth the time to read it. The images of London were particularly well done.
The only thing I was troubled by was I found the bulk of the characters quite unpleasant. Jack Maggs himself was the best character and, even though the logic of his personal quest was questionable, he could be admired because he believed in something.
Jack Maggs was well worth the time to read it. The images of London were particularly well done.
The only thing I was troubled by was I found the bulk of the characters quite unpleasant. Jack Maggs himself was the best character and, even though the logic of his personal quest was questionable, he could be admired because he believed in something.
Journal Entry 26 by countdebeans at Civic, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Friday, January 22, 2010
Released 14 yrs ago (1/22/2010 UTC) at Civic, Australian Capital Territory Australia
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CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Taking to the Canberra meet-up at King O'Malley's to pass to the next person in the bookray, Ed2009.
Taking to the Canberra meet-up at King O'Malley's to pass to the next person in the bookray, Ed2009.
Journal Entry 27 by Ed2009 from Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Tuesday, January 26, 2010
I really enjoyed this one although I found it much easier to put down and come back to than other books I have read recently. Agree that it is very much a variation on Dickens'Great Expectations, Magwitch reinvented as Jack Maggs, returns to England with great expectations - a different perspective from that of Pip's. A worthwhile read and much easier in modern english! I also agree that you don't have to have read Great Expectations to fully appreciate this book.
