For years, Susan Choi had Dickens pegged as the author behind the cringe-worthy Christmas TV specials. But after reading Bleak House for the first time during the pandemic, Choi discovered a whole new side of the beloved author.
Choi's journey to appreciating Dickens began with her early reading habits. Growing up, she devoured books by Roald Dahl and Mary Norton, both known for their whimsical tales of miniatures living in secret worlds. As she grew older, Choi found herself drawn to authors like Donald Barthelme, whose irreverent style and clever storytelling captivated her.
However, it wasn't until she read Sigrid Nunez's short story Chang that Choi's perception of literature was forever altered. The multiracial protagonist in the story shook Choi out of her literary comfort zone, forcing her to confront the default whiteness of fictional characters. This epiphany led Choi to re-examine her own writing habits, recognizing the tendency to erase specificity from non-white characters.
Choi's love affair with Virginia Woolf and Henry James also played a significant role in shaping her reading tastes. But it wasn't until she reread To the Lighthouse that she realized she wanted to emulate Woolf's unique style. The experience was so overwhelming that Choi's own writing suffered as a result.
Fast forward to her late teens, when Choi discovered F Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. Despite initially despising the novel in school, she has since come to appreciate its comfort food quality – a reminder that sometimes, it's okay to indulge in familiarity rather than pushing boundaries.
So, what changed? For Choi, the answer was Charles Dickens. After years of associating him with Christmas TV specials, she finally found herself enthralled by his work. The experience was nothing short of transformative, and Bleak House became one of her greatest reading experiences ever.
It's a fascinating journey that highlights the complexities of taste and literary appreciation. Who knew that a beloved author like Dickens could evoke such strong emotions? As Choi continues to explore the world of literature, it will be interesting to see how she navigates this newfound love for the often-maligned Dickens.
Choi's journey to appreciating Dickens began with her early reading habits. Growing up, she devoured books by Roald Dahl and Mary Norton, both known for their whimsical tales of miniatures living in secret worlds. As she grew older, Choi found herself drawn to authors like Donald Barthelme, whose irreverent style and clever storytelling captivated her.
However, it wasn't until she read Sigrid Nunez's short story Chang that Choi's perception of literature was forever altered. The multiracial protagonist in the story shook Choi out of her literary comfort zone, forcing her to confront the default whiteness of fictional characters. This epiphany led Choi to re-examine her own writing habits, recognizing the tendency to erase specificity from non-white characters.
Choi's love affair with Virginia Woolf and Henry James also played a significant role in shaping her reading tastes. But it wasn't until she reread To the Lighthouse that she realized she wanted to emulate Woolf's unique style. The experience was so overwhelming that Choi's own writing suffered as a result.
Fast forward to her late teens, when Choi discovered F Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. Despite initially despising the novel in school, she has since come to appreciate its comfort food quality – a reminder that sometimes, it's okay to indulge in familiarity rather than pushing boundaries.
So, what changed? For Choi, the answer was Charles Dickens. After years of associating him with Christmas TV specials, she finally found herself enthralled by his work. The experience was nothing short of transformative, and Bleak House became one of her greatest reading experiences ever.
It's a fascinating journey that highlights the complexities of taste and literary appreciation. Who knew that a beloved author like Dickens could evoke such strong emotions? As Choi continues to explore the world of literature, it will be interesting to see how she navigates this newfound love for the often-maligned Dickens.
! I mean, who wouldn't fall in love with a good ol' fashioned Victorian drama? But what I think is really interesting is that it was reading a story like Chang that opened her eyes to the importance of representation in literature 
. As a parent, it's so important for us to expose our kids to diverse stories and characters - not just to broaden their perspectives, but also to help them become empathetic and understanding human beings 
. It's great that Choi is now re-examining her own writing habits and striving to create more inclusive stories 
. Can't wait to see what other authors she'll discover! 
So I'm reading this article about Susan Choi's journey into appreciating Charles Dickens and I gotta say its kinda cool how her tastes changed over time 
. She started off loving Roald Dahl and Mary Norton, but then got into more complex authors like Donald Barthelme...but what really blew her mind was Chang by Sigrid Nunez 
. It made her realize she's been writing from a pretty white perspective for too long 
.
. It just goes to show that taste and literary appreciation are super complex 
.
. I mean, who knew he was more than just some cheesy Christmas TV special author? 
Anyway, it's gonna be fun to see where her love for Dickens takes her next 
. That's some heavy stuff right there...
like that...it feels like a long essay on her reading habits 
meanwhile, dickens fans are still gonna think he's cringeworthy 
! I wonder what other books are gonna surprise her next? 
. But seriously, it's refreshing to see someone acknowledge the importance of representation in literature and how it can change our perspective on authors we thought we knew. Can't wait to see what she does next! 
Susan Choi's journey is literally so fascinating! Like what even is this transformation from thinking Dickens was just about Christmas TV specials to actually loving his work?! 
