Record Number: 33716
Reading Experience:
Evidence:
'As a reader he [the Hudson children's tutor, a Mr Trigg] certainly was great, and every evening, when the evenings were long, he would give a two hours’ reading to the household. Dickens was then the most popular writer in the world, and he usually read Dickens, to the delight of his listeners. Here he could display his histrionic qualities to the full. He impersonated every character in the book, endowing him with voice, gestures,manner, and expression that fitted him perfectly. It was more like a play than a reading.'
Century:1850-1899
Date:Between 1847 and 1849
Country:Argentina
Timeevening: summer evenings only, when light enough
Place:county: Chascomus District, south of Buenos Aires
specific address: Las Acacias
location in dwelling: parlour/sitting room/verandah
(Reader):
silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown
(Listener):
solitary reactive unknown
single serial unknown
Reader / Listener / Reading Group:
Listener: Age:Child (0-17)
Gender:Male
Date of Birth:4 Aug 1841
Socio-Economic Group:Professional / academic / merchant / farmer
Occupation:Child
Religion:Protestant
Country of Origin:Argentina
Country of Experience:Argentina
Listeners present if any:e.g family, servants, friends
n/a
Additional Comments:
n/a
Text Being Read:
Author: Title:The Pickwick Papers
Genre:Fiction
Form of Text:Print: Book
Publication Detailsn/a
Provenanceowned
Source Information:
Record ID:33716
Source:William Henry Hudson
Editor:n/a
Title:Far Away and Long Ago: A History of My Early Life
Place of Publication:London
Date of Publication:1918
Vol:n/a
Page:29
Additional Comments:
n/a
Citation:
William Henry Hudson, Far Away and Long Ago: A History of My Early Life, (London, 1918), p. 29, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=33716, accessed: 20 April 2024
Additional Comments:
This is reading/listening remembered 70 years later. The Hudson family had at least 400 books at their ranch (see source text p.298). Hudson refers (p. 27) to 'Mr Pickwick' which makes it very likely that the Dickens readings included 'Pickwick Papers'. Hudson's formal education was minimal: the family unsuccessfully employed 3 tutors in rapid succession, and the young Hudson in fact spent much of his childhood roaming the pampas on horseback.
