Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Way Back Wednesday - A Christmas Carol

A Christmas Carol (full title, A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being A Ghost Story of Christmas) is a novella by English author Charles Dickens

This book was first published in December 1843 and quickly became a commercial success and won critical acclaim. The story has been credited with returning the holiday to one of merriment and festivity throughout Britain and America. A Christmas Carol remains popular, has never been out of print - it has been adapted to film, opera, and other media.

Ebenezer Scrooge is a miserly, cold, unfeeling, old man who denounces Christmas. In one last attempt to redeem his soul, Scrooge is visited by four ghosts on Christmas Eve seven years after the death of his business partner, Jacob Marley. The ghost of Marley is the first to appear before Scrooge and warns him that his soul will be bearing heavy chains for eternity if he does not change his greedy ways. Marley tells Scrooge he will be visited by 3 more ghosts.

The first, The Ghost of Christmas Past takes Scrooge to the scenes of his boyhood and youth which stir the old skinflint's gentle and tender side. The Ghost of Christmas Present, takes Scrooge to the market with people buying the makings of Christmas dinner and to the family feast of Scrooge's near-impoverished clerk Bob Crachit. The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come shows Scrooge his impending death.

I'm sure most of you have watched some version of A Christmas Carol on television or at the movies, but you are missing a treat if you have never read the book. Why not check it out this year with your family? It could be the start of a new Christmas tradition for your family.


CymLowell

4 comments:

Mari - Escape In A Book said...

Thanks for the great review! I've seen some versions of A Christmas Carol but never actually read the book. I might just check to see if the library has a Norwegian version so I can read it with my son :) (A bit complicated translating it from English to Norwegian while reading LOL).

Dr. Bill (William L.) Smith said...

Great recommendation! Great review!

Katy said...

I'm planning to read this book over the weekend. :) I'm glad it's going to be good--I've only seen the film adaptations and always hesitated reading it because of that.

DesLily said...

I have this exact book and the illustrations in it are fantastic! It's the first year I ever "read" the book too and it won't be the last.