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Sunday
Mar232008

Poe Discovers Dickens

I just discovered that my book reviews have appeared in the same paper that first published some of Dickens' novels in America.  According to Scharf and Westcott's History of Philadelphia, The Philadelphia Inquirer was first published as the Pennsylvania Inquirer on June 29, 1829:

But while publishing all of the news it aimed for a circulation among families, and general literature was a feature in its pages.  Several of Charles Dickens' novels, among them "Master Humphrey's Clock" and "Barnaby Rudge," were published in The Inquirer for the first time in this country . . .

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Grip at the Phila Free Library
It's likely that Edgar Allan Poe first read about Grip the talking raven, inspiration for Poe's own Raven in the pages of the Philly Inq.  And of course, it was while residing in Philadelphia that Poe first met Dickens at the United States Hotel. 

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Reader Comments (4)

Very cool.

BTW...any idea where you can get a ood cup of coffee in Philly on a Monday morning?
March 23, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterDaniel
I know exactly where to get one. Are you in town already?
March 23, 2008 | Registered CommenterEd Pettit
You must have visited the old Dickens Inn a time or two. I don't know if Dickens' descendants still own the place now that it has a new name.
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April 8, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterPeter
I was at the Dickens Inn many years ago, but I can't recall much from it. Now it's called the Dark Horse and I hear it's pretty much the same joint.
April 9, 2008 | Registered CommenterEd Pettit

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