I’m reading Bleak House these days, feeling that my Dickens knowledge is lacking. I can’t say I’m loving it, but I can respect it and it is certainly very funny. I was surprised to come across Miss Wisk the feminist, and learned of JS Mill’s extreme disapproval of how she’s presented in the book. I did think as I was reading it that Mr Jellyby, though an object of pity, was hard to sympathise with given that he didn’t step up and take responsibility where his wife would not. And as for Mrs Jellyby, she had definite leaning-in notes; I wondered what she would have been had African missionary societies not been her passion.
A startling result in the Tory election contest, as the only sane candidate (if somewhat slippery) was knocked out after being the frontrunner. Speculation is that Cleverly’s team tried to play tactically and offered votes to other candidates, accidentally beating themselves. Dimly, the Guardian sketch writer calls him, justifiably.
I didn’t get much work done today as my head was full of the move to Bali next year, moving between dismay and anticipation. I tried to find something to occupy myself, and think I will take Bahasa Indonesia lessons. They run every morning for 2 hours so would not interfere with work, though work itself will run till midnight at least until the clocks change in Europe.