A Christmas Carol and Other Christmas Stories (1984)

Read just The Battle of Life

This was the fourth of Dickens's Christmas stories. It starts off quite well, drawing a comparison between an old battle field and the struggles of modern (1846) life, but then peters out into dullness. Gave up about half way through. ( )

I've loved watching various incarnations of A Christmas Carol since I was a kid. This year I decided to actually read the thing.

By now I (like everyone else) am so familiar with the story that there aren't really any surprises. Just about every character, phrase and event is known almost by heart.

But Dickens' writing is wonderful. He constantly 'breaks the fourth wall' or whatever they would have called it in the days before TV, passing judgment on his characters and making asides to his readers. The book (novella really) might have started as a quicky cash-in, but Dickens obviously had a good time writing it and that feeling shows. There is absolute joy in the narrative. At times the dialog gets a little too cloyingly sweet (mainly when Scrooge is observing his nephew's or the Cratchit's Christmas parties), but it's a small sin.

If you've not read the book, you owe it to yourself to do so, regardless of how many adaptations you've seen. At around a hundred and fifty pages, it is perfect to read in the days right before Christmas. ( )

Like many people, I have seen many versions of this, including my brother's favourite - the Muppet Christmas Carol. It is strange reading a book you know so well before having read it.

Ebeneezer Scrooge is a bitter old man, and though 'Tis the Season, he refuses to enter into the Christmas spirit, barking 'Humbug!' at one and all. His dead partner, Jakob Marley returns in spirit form to warn him where the path Scrooge is on is leading. Jakob informs him that he will be visited by three spirits - the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come. With them, he has a look at his life as well as the ones around him, in the hope that he will change his ways.

A ghostly Christmas tale, Dickens' love of the supernatural is apparent in the form of the spirits, the most chilling being the silent Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. Dickens social concerns are also to be seen, especially that of the poor - we have Bob Cratchit's family struggling with a large family and an ill son.

The impact of this book on British (and the English speaking world's) culture can't be denied, from Scrooge becoming a noun in the English language to the phrase "God bless us, every one".

I did enjoy reading the Christmas Carol, but wasn't that bothered by the other stories in the collection. ( )

This is another classic I’ve read this year that has helped dispel my belief that classics are daunting. Short and sweet, this really is the perfect Christmastime read. As is true with most books, the original is far better than any adaptation I’ve seen. I’m already looking forward to re-reading this novella many Christmases to come. Maybe next year I will even get to the other Christmas stories included in my copy. And then follow up the reading with a viewing of The Muppet Christmas Carol.

Reviewed here: http://alitareads.wordpress.com/2009/12/31/three-fantastic-books-final-thoughts/ ( )

I reread A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens just about every Christmas. I love the story of personal redemption as Ebenezer Scrooge learns from his past, recognizes the facts of the present, and learns to hope for the best in the future.

For me, the appeal of this ghostly tale is the recognition that I likewise forget the past, present, and future; hopefully I can recognize my errors before I become a “ba-humbug!”.

The three spirits, to me, create the “magic” of the story. For me, the haunting by three spirits is incredibly well thought of and well executed. The three spirits follow a universal theme for everyone, for aren’t we all made up of our pasts, our present life, and our hopes and fears for the future?

I love A Christmas Carol. It’s the definitive Christmas story of personal change, and a great reminder that Christmas is about being generous with others and sharing our lives.

More detailed review on my blog