After reading, and loving, Great Expectations by Charles Dickens earlier this year, I've been looking forward to the book I was saving for December, A Christmas Carol, also by Dickens.
"A Christmas Carol is the most famous, heart-warming and chilling festive story of them all. In these pages we meet Ebenezer Scrooge, whose name is synonymous with greed and parsimony: 'Every idiot who goes about with "Merry Christmas" on his lips, should be boiled with his own pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart'. This attitude is soon challenged when the ghost of his old partner, Jacob Marley, returns from the grave to haunt him on Christmas Eve. Scrooge is then visited in turn by three spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Future, each one revealing the error of his ways and gradually melting the frozen heart of this old miser, leading him towards his redemption. On the journey we take with Scrooge we encounter a rich array of Dickensian characters including the poor Cratchit family with the ailing Tiny Tim and the generous and jolly Fezziwig.
When Charles Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol in 1843 he fashioned an enduring gift to the world, capturing the essence of the love, kindness and generosity of the Christmas season. It is a timeless classic and the story's uplifting magic remains as potent today as when it was first published".
Of course, I already knew the story of A Christmas Carol, but I'm kicking myself now for not reading the book sooner. This is only the second book by Dickens that I've read but I'm really enjoying his writing style and the way he weaves a story peppering it with some fantastic characters. I loved this book, I know many people feel the same as they bring it out to reread each December and I may do the same myself in the years to come. I definitely want to read more by Dickens.
I love Great Expectations, haven't read it in a while though. I've downloaded A Christmas Carol on audible to listen to this week.
ReplyDeleteNot sure I've read, but seem to know the story well, so maybe it was one of our books I had to read at school(a long time ago). Thanks for a great post about it. Take care & hugs.
ReplyDeleteSuch a good book to read at this time of year.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
This is certainly one of his best and so much better than an adaptation for screen (no matter how good they are). I re-read it every Christmas. Dickens does write a good story and invents some wonderful characters. However, as his books were written in episodes, there can be quite a lot of 'filling' and when you really want to find out what happens next, that can take a while to read through. For what it's worth, my favourites are David Copperfield, Great Expectations, Nicholas Nickleby and Bleak House.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes
Ellie
I have only read Dickens at school, it's the only time I've read classics.
ReplyDeleteGood to see that you really liked reading this book. I've always enjoyed Dickens books, although I've not reread any for some time. xx
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love this story I'm glad that you enjoyed reading it Jo. xx
ReplyDeleteI've never actually read the book, but I really should. I've visited the grave of Ebenezer Scrooge (as featured in the 1980s film).
ReplyDeleteI 'suffered' the classics at school and it certainly put me off - may be I should try again 🙂
ReplyDeleteI have a copy of this book buried somewhere on the bookshelves. I really should dig it out and read it again. :o)
ReplyDeleteWe read Christmas Carol every Christmas here, I started it a couple of years ago when I thought the children were old enough to appreciate it. We read Chapter One today. I am so glad you enjoyed reading it too. Dickens does have a wonderful way with words and his characters are so well described too. Like others have said I suffered the Classics at school and am thinking that I should re-read some of them again now as I so love Christmas Carol now.
ReplyDeleteIt's a classic that has lasted for years.
ReplyDeleteYou have inspired me to give it a read.xxx
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