Christmas Carol LE?

So, I don’t know if Folio is leaking things on Reddit now (it is a strange new world indeed), but someone has posted a picture and specs for a rumored LE of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. I’m not at my computer so I can’t post the photo at the moment, but here’s the link to the post if someone feels inclined to do so. No idea where the person got the information or if it is true, so take it with a grain of salt.

https://www.reddit.com/r/foliosociety/s/FzTSZXKACZ

Some info:

350 copies @ $525

Cover design inspired by the first edition from 1843
Full-bound in leather, blind-blocked with a decorative border and blocked with a golden wreath
Gilded on 3 edges
Two colour printing throughout
Housed in a clamshell box decorated with an inset illustration by the artist of a traditional Christmas tree

1 full-colour frontispiece depicting the Three Ghosts of Christmas
Hand-drawn wreath on the title page
Full colour double-page spread at the beginning of each stave (chapter)
2 additional illustrations per chapter

Arrives: Oct 14th

That doesn't look FS to me.

It looks legit: https://www.foliosociety.com/uk/a-christmas-carol-limited-edition

>3 TonjaE: That doesn't look FS to me.

Probably because it's a facsimile.

>5 folio_books: I guess so :) cool, ugly but cool...

>5 folio_books:

It isn’t a facsimile. It is ‘inspired by’. Very different things.

>7 stubedoo:

You're right, of course. I wasn't paying sufficient attention.

Although a favourite of mine, this has been produced by every man and his printer. I do wish Folio would be more adventurous.

Now a copy of the medieval Ars Moriendi done really well would remind us that Folio used to cater for not just the in vogue.

NOOOOO--the only good news here is this will sell out in less than an hour so hopefully I'll forget about it and won't check the site until it's already gone.

>9 LesMiserables: A Christmas Carol is considered en vogue?

>11 What_What: Precisely so, it's perennially popular, both with the population at large and publishers in both print and screen.

>11 What_What:
Maybe not in vogue, but utterly lacking in any imagination or creativity. In terms of classics nowadays all FS do is churn the same old 'best seller' titles, milking the LE market. Probably good for the finances, but little else. I think this is at least their 8th edition of Christmas Carol, maybe more..

It seems like it will be well illustrated for a novella.

1 full-colour frontispiece depicting the Three Ghosts of Christmas
Hand-drawn wreath on the title page
Full colour double-page spread at the beginning of each stave (chapter)
2 additional illustrations per chapter

I am happy to see this LE publication of A Christmas Carol. Boring perhaps for those who already have a nice edition. Wonderful for those that don't.

Unboxing video:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DOvpeRAiSf1/?hl=en

More emphasis on the clamshell box than the book itself...

>17 foliolibrary: Just the opening teaser. We'll be getting weekly promos up until release next month.

>16 HonorWulf: Unboxing video

It does look very nice. I already have three Folio versions of A Christmas Carol so it's easy to talk myself out of another one.

Not for me (I'm not a fan of the whole "modern" Christmas concept!), but on the surface it appears quite nice from the short promo.

>20 stubedoo: Essentially the work is far richer in spiritual depth than the feel good factor that I suppose a largely secular audience derives from it. It also is carried by that irresistible resurrection narrative where one is brought low only to be raised high, and I further suppose gives the reader a sense of joy and hope.
On theme and central to tale is the detachment from material wealth as an end in itself, and this sense of poverty it directly speaks to the Nativity itself and to the wider Gospel. So in that understanding it is far from modern.

The Easton Press Rackham version was quite nice. I am sure this will be great too but appears to be only available in the UK right now.

>24 cu29640: It is up on the US site but but like everywhere else will not be released until 14th October.

https://www.foliosociety.com/usa/a-christmas-carol-limited-edition

>15 Pendrainllwyn: "I am happy to see this LE publication of A Christmas Carol. Boring perhaps for those who already have a nice edition. Wonderful for those that don't."

Totally agree. I'm lucky to have Lyra's edition, but if I didn’t, I would have gotten this one.

>12 LesMiserables: It used to be popular. Still is popular actually, but used to, too.

>26 Dr.Fiddy: Snap. Still tempting but Lyra’s is just magnificent so it’s not likely I’ll be persuaded.

Oh my, I'd love to have that. Can't afford LE prices, though. Well, I will live vicariously through those of you who get it! :-)

The illustrations leave much to be desired…

https://www.instagram.com/p/DO_ZYhEj8pw/?img_index=2&igsh=MWZzYzFrbjV1eXNlbg...

>30 foliolibrary: Not at all what I expected. Rather unappealing to me, unfortunately.

I actually like the illustrations. They're different, but there've been so many CC editions, an artist would pretty much have to come up with something different to keep it interesting. :-) There's a warmth and liveliness to them that appeal to me.

I think the illustrations are both successful and unsuccessful. The former on purely on aesthetic: not great but a pass. The latter is just way off: where is the poverty of the Cratchett’s? The nephew’s small gathering presents as more like a ball. The graveyard is wholly artificial: where is the intensity, the creeping horror, the chill?

The "ball" effect comes from the game of blind man's buff, I think, when they're all chasing each other around the room.

>30 foliolibrary: Books Illustrated had their own unusual take on illustrating this story that probably falls in the "love it or hate it" category. There's a lot to love or hate, with 24 color full-page illustrations.

>35 A.Nobody: Love it! Arthur Rackham meets J. J. Granville.

Oh dear, that looks really unpleasant; like the sort of thing Marks & Spencer used to sell at Christmas in the 1980s ...

>38 red_guy: 😆 uncanny

>38 red_guy: 👍Seems like it should come with a tin of licorice all-sorts. Or a bag of Stilwells Humbugs.

>38 red_guy:

Yeah. Is a bit tacky. That's in the nature of Christmas stuff, unfortunately.

Some of the art just feels flat and empty. Maybe that’s the style.

Awful

I was excited to see FS announce A Christmas Carol, however the illustrations are a disappointment and the cover and slipcase designs give the impression about 5 minutes of thought went into it. I am now left hoping another press will produce yet another quality edition of A Christmas Carol which will probably further annoy those who already have one!

I really wanted this one, but those illustrations are really disagreeable,,, pity!

>38 red_guy: I was wondering what the pictures reminded me of, and you have nailed it! Thank you.

The red leather cover had me tempted but I'm sadly disappointed with the illustrations. Pass for me.

>37 assemblyman: Oof. $525 dollars too? The Christmas Carol by Lyra's Books with Gary Gianni's artwork was £500 for the numbered edition. Just as a point of comparison. Two colour letterpress, 250 limitation. Still, FS has sold out a lot of questionable LEs.

Interesting that Simon Callow has written the introduction for this book as he did the afterword for the Lyra's Book edition. I guess he's the go to person for A Christmas Carol.

The illustrations are very much a Retold for the Kiddies edition, aren't they? Still, nice of the Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam to pop in and contribute to the festive cheer. I expect she's got a lot on.

>37 assemblyman: Thanks for posting. These look like AI generated images artwork.

Simon Callow wrote “Dickens’ Christmas: A Victorian Celebration” in 2009 that included a Christmas Carol and a couple of the other Christmas books in their historical context.

Simon Callow has a strong connection to Dickens, having written about him, performed some of his works on stage, and appeared as Dickens in Doctor Who and several other shows.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Callow

I have to agree on the illustrations. Not really all that great. A nice edition of the Christmas Carol is welcome, but I would appreciate some better art work.

More on the illustrations here - I am not inspired.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DPjKQXPCE4w/

Oh, the illustrations are digitally drawn! How traditional.

>54 njritchie: Yikes.

>55 LesMiserables:

To be fair, Procreate is used by a LOT of artists these days. You see a recently painted illustration in a book, there is a very good chance it was done with Procreate. It isn’t the same as using AI - it is just digital pencils and brushes - the artistic vision still belongs to the artist.

I don’t like this particular art at all, but that isn’t the fault of the tooling.

>57 stubedoo: It isn’t the same as using AI - it is just digital pencils and brushes - the artistic vision still belongs to the artist.

And from there only a short throw to digital woodcuts/ wood engravings and digital sculpting. In the interest of full disclosure, digital creations (or artistic visions?) should be clearly defined in the colophon alongside font, paper and binding. :/

>57 stubedoo: Yeah but still, there is an art to mixing a palette, choosing the correct brush, pencil, charcoal etc. And the particulars count: the idiosyncrasies of the artist, the individual expression transformed onto paper.

I'd really consider anything other than traditional illustrations, a lesser product. Something like a lab grown diamond if that makes sense.

So, should artists have to grind their own natural pigments to be considered authentic, as tube paints or modern pigments do not allow them to interact fully with their media?
We all know what Hockney would think about all this. AI is another beast entirely. Where exactly do you draw the arbitrary line between artistic vision and expression and the use of technology?

>60 cwl: it's pretty straightforward. Digital/mechanical or not.

>58 mr.philistine:

Much of the art you already experience is digital. You likely just don’t know it. That Alan Lee or John Howe painting? Digital touch ups, colour grading or in some cases completely digital. I have the raw for the cover of Fall of Numenor — that whole thing has digital footprints all over it.

Who cares? What matters is that it is good.

>59 LesMiserables:
Tell that to David Hockney! It's simply art using a different medium which has its own challenges. Personally I'm generally not a fan of it, but only as a medium, just as some other mediums don't appeal either. But certainly not a lesser product.

Each to their own, but I'm not convinced. Its artificial. Sure, there is some skill in pulling off an etch-a-sketch masterpiece but it's still etch-a-sketch.

>60 cwl: So, should artists have to grind their own natural pigments to be considered authentic...

All authentic grinding to be carried out with bare fingers or feet as acceptable. :)


>62 stubedoo: Who cares? What matters is that it is good.

What matters is that they keep sacrilege under wraps but if exposed in an Instagram video, make public penance. Bah! Humbug! :)

>65 mr.philistine: but if exposed in an Instagram video

Anyone else having trouble with that link?

>66 folio_books: The link in >65 mr.philistine: leads to >54 njritchie: wherein lies the path to damnation.

Thanks for that. I was just curious. I think we're agreed that the new Folio Christmas Carol is an abomination.

>68 folio_books:

I hope lots of people share your sentiment because I'm afraid that "abomination" will sell out in less than an hour.

>69 podaniel:

You might be right. There's no accounting for people's taste. That it will sell out eventually I have no doubt. If FOMO drives it to the point of doing so in an hour all we can do is shrug and be grateful.

Edited to add:

It must be available now. I just received an invitation by email to acquire a copy. Lemme think ...

>70 folio_books: Do we want it to sell out quickly? Why would Folio Society bother to put effort into their production if they know they can sell this slop in no more than an hour?

>70 folio_books:

I think you may have misunderstood my message. I'd much prefer that it didn't sell at all.

Looks like FSD has been at the drink again, seeing double message 70's.

>70 folio_books: I suspect you are not going to be buying this one ;) I received the link as well as checking on their website, it is still not available for purchase, they must be having IT issues.

I jus checked the site and it has the count at 213 left.

For some reason they started selling early--I just bought a copy and the count is already down to 167 copies.

Now it's down to 135--could this be the LE that sells out before its release time?

>76 podaniel: It was released on time - 4pm BT / 11am ET, which was 50 minutes ago.

>77 HonorWulf:

Thanks, I forget I'm six hours back, not five.

it is working now, for some reason it was not showing as available for the first 20 minutes. I am on Pacific time, so it only became available around 8.20am Pacific. Weird.

110 left. It didn't sell out in the first hour.

Below 50 copies...

They seem to have balanced the fact that this is a book everybody knows even if they've never actually read it (Muppets, Blackadder, etc) against the number of copies they can sell given the number of other versions available quite well.

It was never likely to go in minutes unless they'd got Banksy to stencil a few pages but it's not looking like it will last for months either.

Not too bad a showing for a title it looks like they'll have the standard of available a week from now.

Below 10 copies...

Sold out in 3 hours and 45 minutes! This puts it in a tie for #6 all-time fastest seller alongside Neuromancer (albeit at 150 less copies).

>85 HonorWulf: I still have 3 copies showing and am able to add to cart here.

>86 FitzJames: Sold out for me! It blinks between 1 and 4, but I can't actually purchase it.

>87 HonorWulf: Quite correct now, apologies! Attempting to add gives the error message.

Curious how many of these purchases are resellers, given it's probably one of the more recognisable titles to shift around the holiday season, at least to a less knowledgeable (or discerning) secondary market.

>88 FitzJames: Could call it closer to 3 hours and 50 minutes to break the Neuromancer tie :)

>90 HonorWulf: Your terms are acceptable.

>91 FitzJames: 'Tis a scholar and a gentleman

>89 Shadekeep: four listed on eBay so far, with asking prices £491-542.

Sold out quickly for something so utterly hideous!

>93 cyber_naut: Thanks, figured it wouldn't take long before they started to appear. Should eventually be some listed in the US too, given our society's penchant for the popular and the tacky.

SE on the way as part of next week's Christmas Collection:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DP1K8A0DW0n/?hl=en

Has anyone received theirs and care to share their initial review?

For anyone who might have an interest in Books Illustrated's unusual take on A Christmas Carol, they are offering a 50% discount on their last few copies, including 1 full vellum version.

>98 A.Nobody: Just tried to order a deluxe and shipping to the US is $268.

>98 A.Nobody: Thank you, I wasn't aware of this edition. It's ridiculous how much more appealing and interesting this is when compared to the recent Folio LE

Ended up buying it anyway, as at $670 total it's still a reduction from the original price. And I wasn't even aware it was still available or I would have bought it sooner, so I guess in the end I still saved money. Even if I feel humbugish about the shipping.

>99 Shadekeep: Well that's ridiculous, even in today's over-the-top shipping environment.

Even shipping within the uk is £75, is it being hand delivered on a velvet cushion? Books illustrated are based in the uk so I have no idea where that cost is coming from, that seems like a same day private courier costing?

I wrote to them and they apparently corrected the shipping, though I don't know yet to what. I asked if they can refund the difference. It's a good thing I went ahead and ordered, they're all gone now.

Yeah I also emailed them and got the same response but missed the opportunity to order after it was fixed. Oh well, my wallet breathes a sigh of relief.

Just got notification of a refund in process for the shipping. They're refunding $176, which I find very reasonable, so hurrah to them for this!

>47 A.Godhelm: A copy of Lyra’s edition is available on eBay (uk) but appears to have appreciated somewhat!

With the first Sunday of Advent fast approaching its almost time to have my annual reading of A Christmas Carol. Dickens never fails to bring out the seasonal fear and trembling, the hope for salvation, that this work inspires. I hope all of you are fortunate enough to own lavishly adorned productions of this book, take a day or do to once again to delight in the message of the tale: one that never grows stale. I'll be dusting off a paperback probably, an old Penguin, that I paid a quid for back decades ago. What an investment!

An oddity on ebay. It seems someone has done a rebinding of a copy of A Christmas Carol from the collectables run:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/277511238869

>108 LesMiserables:

I'll be reading Cricket on the Hearth.

In addition to his Christmas books, Dickens wrote almost 1000 pages of Christmas stories (I have a collected works of Dickens and there are two volumes devoted to his Christmas writings).

>110 podaniel: Nice, I think I'll give that a turn too.

This might be of interest, the obituary of Dickens scholar Michael Slater (free to read):

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/dec/26/michael-slater-obituary