A Dab of Dickens & a Touch of Twain: Literary Lives from Shakespeare's Old England to Frost's New England

I really didn't know what to expect when I picked this book up. A friend heard the author lecture on Shakespeare and bought a copy for our daughter, a Ph.D. candidate in English (Shakespeare). She sent it to us to deliver, since she didn't have our daughter's address. My wife and I both read a little bit, and then decided we had to read it all. Our daughter will have to write a thank-you for a used book. Engel belongs to the school of biographical literary criticism, and thinks that authors' works are influenced strongly by their lives and the times in which they live them. The brief, and partial sketches of these nineteen literary greats are based on his classroom lectures. All I can say is that I wish he had been one of my teachers. These lectures in writing are cleverly written, with a very pleasing dry wit, and are informative while being interesting. Do you know the origin of the term "box office" and the actors' wish to "break a leg"? You will after you read Engel's snapshot of Shakespeare. And no one ever told me before that Chaucer was satire. Finding this book was a fortuitous accident. I hope my daughter enjoys it as much as I did.

If you've ever heard one of Dr. Engel's lectures, you know what a captivating storyteller he is. Now, for the first time, the content of his lectures has been put into book form. You can almost hear his voice as you read through the pages of this book.As other reviewers have already stated, A Dab of Dickens is a collection of short biographical sketches of over a dozen of the greatest authors of all time. What is unique about these sketches is that, although they are short, they are filled with fascinating tales about the lives of our most beloved authors - tales that I am sure most of us did not ever know. For instance, I was fascinated to find that when he was only 3 years old, Edgar Allan Poe was forced to sit on the front row of the theatre and watch his mother, who played Juliet, stab herself and "die" - eight times a week. No wonder he wrote the kind of macabre stories that he did!The great thing about Dr. Engel's new book is that it gives you just enough to keep your interest, it doesn't overwhelm you, and it makes you want to know more. You want to keep reading the chapter on Poe because you just cannot believe that even more horrible things could have possibly happened to one person. You may be bored by Ernest Hemmingway (for instance), but you don't mind reading his entire chapter because it's not information overload. And at the end of this wonderful book you have a list of authors whose major works you now cannot wait to read.If you love literature and are fascinated by the authors who have brought us so many priceless works of art, this book is for you. If you don't know much about literature at all but are curious to find out more, this book is for you as well. But this book is also perfect for the person who hated English class in high school, avoided literature like the plague in college, and has been glad to forget it completely ever since. I promise that even you will find something fascinating and inspiring among the pages of this book.

I heard Elliot Engel speak recently. I found him to be one of the most entertaing and informative speakers I have heard. So I bought A Dab of Dickens and found it equally captivating. He takes a subject that I found rather laborious in school a long time ago and makes it come alive with anecdotes about the author's lives and brief analyses of some of their works. I could not put it down. In a relatively short chapter on each of 17 of the greatest authors in the English language from Chaucer to Robert Frost he gives fascinating, little known stories of their childhoods, loves and careers. He then briefly analyzes one or two extracts from their works to demonstrate why they are recognized as the greatest. And he does it with easy to read eloquence and humor. I was so impressed that I just bought three more copies for gifts to my adult kids and friends.

I first discovered Dr. Engel when my sister loaned me an audio recording of one of his lectures. Being an engineer, my interest and exposure to classic literature was quite limited. However, after listening to the lecture, I wanted to hear more about the authors I was once forced to read.Regarding this book, allow me to borrow a phrase from Dr. Engel:Why should you purchase and read this book? Let me tell you.Dab of Dickens, written in the same clear and elegant language I heard on the tapes, profiles 19 different authors from time periods ranging from Chaucer to Frost. Each profile successfully balances interesting facts and trivia with an effective biography of the author's life. Dr. Engel's infectious fascination with these authors permeates each chapter.You will gain fresh insight into the life of these literary giants and you will discover (or rediscover) why their works are so highly respected.

I admit I am biased. As the acquiring editor of this book, I of course love it, but I wanted to share with readers why. When I first heard Dr. Elliot Engel's lectures, I was mesmerized. He has the uncanny ability to really bring authors to life, sharing little known gems and anecdotes, and providing insight into how some of our greatest authors' works were affected by the lives they led. Everyone who I've spoken to who has read it can't put it down. If you're curious about why people debate who Shakespeare really was, or why Twain is considered the founder of American humor. If you want to know what the Bronte sisters were really like, or find out about the romance between poets Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning. If you want to know how Dickens invented mass-market publishing, or why Oscar Wilde was considered so scandalous, this is the book for you. It's not didactic, nor dry, and whether you majored in English, or you've never read a classic because you found them too daunting, this book is equally rewarding. Each chapter stands on its own, and focuses on a different author. It tells of their childhood, what led them to write, how their career developed and how the public reacted. It gives great insight into each author's works, as well as some fascinating anecdotes. You don't even need to have read anything by the author to enjoy the story of his or her life, though it might inspire you to dust off a few classics. Dr. Engel has had extensive experience lecturing to groups of all ages, from middle school students to adults, and his work is written to entertain as it informs. If you're a student, a teacher, or just a lover of books, you'll be fascinated by these biographical sketches.