My “summer classic” last year was David Copperfield. I enjoyed it so much I decided to read another Dickens’ novel this summer. Bleak House was a big mistake. It is a criticism of the British legal system during the mid 1800’s. Dispersed within this indictment is a huge cast of characters, most having long, weird names and pathetic tales of woe. It was only after I had read over half of the book that I knew who was who, and even then I was unable to feel for their plights. In Dickens’ time, Bleak House was read in installments, and I can’t imagine how any reader then could keep the characters and the experiences straight. My advice: If you have the urge to read some Dickens, don’t read Bleak Street. It’s a chore with very little pleasure.