chairmanbernanke's review against another edition
3.0
A broad overview of certain American topics and issues. Clearly reflects the author’s storytelling inclination.
lgotmilk's review against another edition
3.0
Really interesting to see Dickens' perspective on American sights, people, and travel (the roads then were as bad as African roads are now! Weird) in 1840-something. Also his perspective on slavery at the time.
pattricejones's review against another edition
Notable mostly for its insightful discussion of the torture inherent in solitary confinement. (Dickens visited numerous prisons and asylums, presumably as part of the purpose of the voyage.) Uneven in the quality of its descriptive passages, some small number of which sing with wit and vivid depiction but others of which drag. The description of the workings of Washington, D.C. is not to be missed, particularly by those patriots who tend to forget that the country was forged by tobacco-chewing knuckle-heads.
robinwalter's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.75
My first and last Dickens. His undoubted skill as a writer clearly evident in this travelogue, but his social worthiness too strong for my recreational reading tastes.
gilljames's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
joannam13's review against another edition
4.0
charles dickens did not like spitting i will tell you smth
ruthiella's review against another edition
3.0
This was the last book I needed to read to complete the Back to the Classics Challenge 2015 hosted at the blog Books and Chocolate. The category in this case was a Non-Fiction Classic. I am a big fan of Dickens’ fiction and I know that much of this U.S. visit served as an inspiration for part of Martin Chuzzelwit, which was the first Dickens’ novel I ever read, so I was keen to check this title out. Generally I liked it, but I still prefer his fiction. Famously American Notes engendered quite a bit of controversy and ill-feeling on this site of the Atlantic at the time it was published. However, as an American reading this over 150 years later, I don’t feel that Dickens’ was particularly unfair or even mean-spirited in his critiques of the U.S. A lot of what he found distasteful: the obsession with money, regardless of whether it was earned honestly or not, the obsession with partisan politics, etc. has not changed much in the intervening century and a half.