The Reception of Charles Dickens in Europe

As Hollington reveals in his introduction, this monumental work (part of Bloomsbury’s ‘Reception of British and Irish Authors in Europe’ series) grew out of Ada Nisbet’s uncompleted ‘International Guide to the Study of Dickens,’ which was itself an outgrowth of her essay in Victorian Fiction: A Guide to Research, ed. By Lionel Stevenson (CH, Jan’65). The 40 essays – on translation, cricital commentary, literary influence, and adaptations – provide fascinating reading as the contributors (each an expert in the field) trace the ups and downs of the novelists reputation, reflecting the changing tastes in literature. The geographic areas included are Germany, Russia, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, the Slavonic countries, the Baltic, the Balkans, and Hungary. There is also a chapter on film and television. A time line shows the dates of first translations of works into various languages. A 79-page bibliography provides a wealth of sources for further research. Though even the casual student is aware of Dickens’s taking the English-speaking world by storm, this valuable study gives good insight into his international popularity and brings the reader to realize that Dickens was and is a writer of global significance. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty. -- J. D. Vann, University of North Texas * CHOICE *
[An] outstanding new collection of essays … Michael Hollington’s collection is a major contribution to the field, offering a definitive account of the great novelist’s standing in both the academy and popular culture. -- Grace Moore * Times Literary Supplement *
One of the most significant contributions to Dickens studies in recent years, Michael Hollington’s The Reception of Charles Dickens in Europe (2013) examines Dickens’s influence across Europe in a two-volume study that is remarkable in the depth and breadth its coverage achieves ... This is, however, a slight omission in a work that is otherwise so comprehensive in its undertaking; The Reception of Charles Dickens in Europe marks an important advancement in the internationalism of Dickens studies, establishing a wealth of new directions for understanding Dickens’s lasting legacy across Europe and in turn, it is hoped, beyond. -- Charlotte Mathieson, University of Warwick, UK * Victoriographies *
…superb, and much needed, collection of essays. -- Nirshan Perera * Dickens Quarterly *
It’s hard to know where to begin with this extraordinary two-volume collection that charts the reception of Charles Dickens in Europe. Its innocent-sounding title covers a huge array of material, including not just translations and criticism of Dickens but also theater, film, and television adaptations. … This study makes the range of reference of much contemporary Dickens studies (and literary debate more generally) look alarmingly provincial in its timespan and shamelessly monoglot. … Much praise is due then to the general editor Michael Hollington who has recruited and marshalled a large team of national specialists who between them cover all of Europe outside of Great Britain and Ireland. The result of their labors in an indispensable reference book, which both records and analyzes – often for the first time – Dickens’s part in the fast-moving, multilingual print culture of modern Europe. … Hollington and his team have thus opened up a great quarry of material for future work, particularly in possible comparisons between and across national traditions. Every chapter, almost every page, opens up a number of such potential research projects. -- John Bowen * Victorian Studies *