In the eighteenth and nineteenth century, book publishing was an expensive and uncertain venture. In response, many authors chose instead to publish their novels serially. A magazine or newspaper would publish a chapter or two of a novel in each issue, with the author often writing just ahead of publication. If the novel was successful, this ensured a steady income for the author and a steady readership for the magazine.
The serial novel reached its height in the nineteenth century. Charles Dickens, Wilkie Collins, and William Makepeace Thackeray in England, Alexandre Dumas pere in France, and Fyodor Dostoevsky in Russia achieved worldwide fame in this format. When the last installment of Dickens' Old Curiosity Shop arrived in New York, crowds reportedly gathered at the docks to ask the sailors about Little Nell's fate.
The demands of serial publication inevitably affected the novel. Popular minor characters became more prominent; popular novels stretched out to incredible length; cliffhangers were introduced to bring readers back for the next chapter, and artful recapitulation reminded them of what they had read the week or month before.
Most of the popular serial novels were quickly reprinted in book form, but they still retained these telltale signs of their serial character. Mousehold Words was created to help modern readers appreciate these novels by experiencing them in something like their original form.
Mousehold Words is a volunteer service, which emails you a section or chapter of a serial novel periodically, on a schedule you choose. There is no charge, and Mousehold Words will use your email address only to send you your subscription, and will not give or sell it to spammers.
To begin your subscription, please visit our catalog of available novels. If you'd like to know more about the site, please review our Frequently Asked Questions or contact the editor at mousehold@hapka.com. To ensure that I see your email and respond to it promptly, please mention "Mousehold Words" in the subject line.
Sincerely,
Christopher Hapka,
Editor-in-Chief, Mousehold Words
