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![A Christmas Carol [Illustrated]: Being a Ghost Story of Christmas by Charles Dickens](https://assets.thestorygraph.com/assets/placeholder-cover-a3ae92250eb3301e32dc3eabf8d50576c2f047dda89f6ee7cfa9a859cb1fd746.jpg)
4.29k reviews for:
A Christmas Carol [Illustrated]: Being a Ghost Story of Christmas
Charles Dickens
3.99 AVERAGE
4.29k reviews for:
A Christmas Carol [Illustrated]: Being a Ghost Story of Christmas
Charles Dickens
3.99 AVERAGE
“It is a fair, even-handed, noble adjustment of things, that while there is infection in disease and sorrow, there is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humour.”
What can I say that hasn’t been said thousand of times before? :O) This is a Classic tale, and for good reason. Dickens entertains us with his vivid descriptions and we can but follow him and Scrooge through his journey. Lovely!
What can I say that hasn’t been said thousand of times before? :O) This is a Classic tale, and for good reason. Dickens entertains us with his vivid descriptions and we can but follow him and Scrooge through his journey. Lovely!
I'll admit that I adore movie adaptations of A Christmas Carol and yes, I have watched the newest movie, Spirited twice already this month. I love the Bill Murray version from the 1980's and I love the Muppets' version, of course. I had never actually read the book, though, ever. I got a recommendation that there was an audio version read by Hugh Grant and it was a free download from Audible. Because it is the Scrooge season, I downloaded it right away and enjoyed listening to this story so much. I was surprised how much of the dialogue from my favorite movie adaptations comes directly from Charles Dickens, "Business? Mankind was my business!". Do yourself a favor this month and listen to this wonderful audio. And then go watch the Bill Murray version from the 1980's!
Even though I've heard and watched the story my whole life, it was easy getting invested in Scrooge's desperation and eventual jubilation. Wholesome and easy to read.
Everyone knows the story of A Christmas Carol. Be nice to those around you, and the people close to you. Good will and merriment among all men. It's a timeless story that we've all heard of, studied in school, seen one of the many, many movies on the story.
But what about the original story?
Not many people know the very original, not the book. We know watered down versions and we know adaptations. We know the gist of the story, but we don't know what Dickens wanted us to know and to feel.
When I read this the first time, I was in year eight, in a shitty little school, in a mobile classroom. We were in a rickety little hut in the playground because we were being moved to another site. My English teacher, Mr. Dooley, hated Christmas. He didn't let us celebrate when December came around. Instead, we began to read A Christmas Carol. It was as Christmasy as he would ever let us be.
None of us really wanted to read this. We wanted to play games, we wanted to play Christmas hangman, or watch a movie of a book adaptation, but we had to read this. Never in my life did I ever see that class as quiet as it was when we were doing our guided reading of A Christmas Carol. Loud, pre-pubescent teenage boys not screaming and hollering, teenage girls not worried about their make up, or their chipping nail varnish. Sports kids not complaining about being cooped up in a classroom. Fashion lovers not concerned with how the uniform looked speckled with snow and rain, and not straightening out the wrinkles in their skirts for the first time in all the time I had known them so far.
This book is a wonder, truly. Dickens wrote this in order to be able to support his family, his income weak and small, and not enough for his family or his home; rather like Bob Cratchit, after all. Upon reading this, you feel the slight desperation behind the words that Dickens penned, begging silently for just a few meagre people to buy this book, even if it were only for kindling.
The characters that Dickens creates within this are absolutely wonderful. We have the miser, Ebeneezer Scrooge who hates everyone and everything except himself and money. He has no care for anyone in the world, as shown when he cares not for the people he throws out of their properties for not being able to keep up their payments. He cares naught for little Tim Cratchit, walking with a stick, and Bob Cratchit unable to support his son and family. Scrooge cares unbelievably little, and even tries to have Bob work on Christmas Day, showing great contempt when he eventually gives Bob the day off.
It's Christmas Eve night when things start getting strange. Scrooge is alone in his chambers, trying to enjoy his evening meal, when the ghost of his old partner, Jacob Marley.
Three ghosts will visit you, Ebeneezer Scrooge. Follow their advice before it's too late.
We all know this. We all know that the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future come to visit Ebeneezer during the night and spook him. The things he finds terrify him and he begs them to let him know what he must do to change the future bestowed onto him. They leave without an answer. Scrooge eventually finds love in his heart and it's a big hurrah from the audience as he begins to celebrate Christmas in the 'proper' fashion for the time of year.
The world that Dickens created is amazing. I love the setting of A Christmas Carol. He focuses on characters, other than Scrooge, that are down on luck and are struggling to get by in the world. It's a cold, cold Christmas, and everyone is struggling to make ends meet. The characters are wonderfully three dimensional. It's hard to believe that they're mere book characters when you've finished reading it. I feel like I could walk out of my house and bump into Scrooge on the street. I feel like I could see Bob and Tim Cratchit, and spend some time helping Tim when he falls over and needs his stick. I feel like the ghosts themselves could appear in my room at any given second, and forewarn me of the horrible future ahead of me. It's so hard to create a book full of three dimensional characters, and Dickens has done this wonderfully.
The moral of this story truly is a beautiful one. Everyone knows what comes from A Christmas Carol, everyone knows Scrooge's story. It's something that has been handed down through generations, amongst friends, and through the many, many retellings of this classic.
Care for all those close to you.
This is my interpretation of the moral, myself, but there are many. "Don't be a Scrooge." "Be positive." "Don't do that which is considered a sin." There are countless.
My personal one is that, everyone is going through something, and kindness may be all they need. It takes nothing to be kind, it really doesn't, and this book taught me that from an young age. The Muppets Christmas Carol taught me it from the age of a toddler.
This is a story that has stayed with me throughout my childhood, into my teenage years, and I cannot wait for it to follow on into my adult years. Dickens has created a story that I can disappear into at any given point in my life, and I thank the man for it. This is a book that deserves many, many things more than it has.
A true classic, that has shaped literature and slang as we know it. A solid five out of five and a solid recommendation from me.
But what about the original story?
Not many people know the very original, not the book. We know watered down versions and we know adaptations. We know the gist of the story, but we don't know what Dickens wanted us to know and to feel.
When I read this the first time, I was in year eight, in a shitty little school, in a mobile classroom. We were in a rickety little hut in the playground because we were being moved to another site. My English teacher, Mr. Dooley, hated Christmas. He didn't let us celebrate when December came around. Instead, we began to read A Christmas Carol. It was as Christmasy as he would ever let us be.
None of us really wanted to read this. We wanted to play games, we wanted to play Christmas hangman, or watch a movie of a book adaptation, but we had to read this. Never in my life did I ever see that class as quiet as it was when we were doing our guided reading of A Christmas Carol. Loud, pre-pubescent teenage boys not screaming and hollering, teenage girls not worried about their make up, or their chipping nail varnish. Sports kids not complaining about being cooped up in a classroom. Fashion lovers not concerned with how the uniform looked speckled with snow and rain, and not straightening out the wrinkles in their skirts for the first time in all the time I had known them so far.
This book is a wonder, truly. Dickens wrote this in order to be able to support his family, his income weak and small, and not enough for his family or his home; rather like Bob Cratchit, after all. Upon reading this, you feel the slight desperation behind the words that Dickens penned, begging silently for just a few meagre people to buy this book, even if it were only for kindling.
The characters that Dickens creates within this are absolutely wonderful. We have the miser, Ebeneezer Scrooge who hates everyone and everything except himself and money. He has no care for anyone in the world, as shown when he cares not for the people he throws out of their properties for not being able to keep up their payments. He cares naught for little Tim Cratchit, walking with a stick, and Bob Cratchit unable to support his son and family. Scrooge cares unbelievably little, and even tries to have Bob work on Christmas Day, showing great contempt when he eventually gives Bob the day off.
It's Christmas Eve night when things start getting strange. Scrooge is alone in his chambers, trying to enjoy his evening meal, when the ghost of his old partner, Jacob Marley.
Three ghosts will visit you, Ebeneezer Scrooge. Follow their advice before it's too late.
We all know this. We all know that the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future come to visit Ebeneezer during the night and spook him. The things he finds terrify him and he begs them to let him know what he must do to change the future bestowed onto him. They leave without an answer. Scrooge eventually finds love in his heart and it's a big hurrah from the audience as he begins to celebrate Christmas in the 'proper' fashion for the time of year.
The world that Dickens created is amazing. I love the setting of A Christmas Carol. He focuses on characters, other than Scrooge, that are down on luck and are struggling to get by in the world. It's a cold, cold Christmas, and everyone is struggling to make ends meet. The characters are wonderfully three dimensional. It's hard to believe that they're mere book characters when you've finished reading it. I feel like I could walk out of my house and bump into Scrooge on the street. I feel like I could see Bob and Tim Cratchit, and spend some time helping Tim when he falls over and needs his stick. I feel like the ghosts themselves could appear in my room at any given second, and forewarn me of the horrible future ahead of me. It's so hard to create a book full of three dimensional characters, and Dickens has done this wonderfully.
The moral of this story truly is a beautiful one. Everyone knows what comes from A Christmas Carol, everyone knows Scrooge's story. It's something that has been handed down through generations, amongst friends, and through the many, many retellings of this classic.
Care for all those close to you.
This is my interpretation of the moral, myself, but there are many. "Don't be a Scrooge." "Be positive." "Don't do that which is considered a sin." There are countless.
My personal one is that, everyone is going through something, and kindness may be all they need. It takes nothing to be kind, it really doesn't, and this book taught me that from an young age. The Muppets Christmas Carol taught me it from the age of a toddler.
This is a story that has stayed with me throughout my childhood, into my teenage years, and I cannot wait for it to follow on into my adult years. Dickens has created a story that I can disappear into at any given point in my life, and I thank the man for it. This is a book that deserves many, many things more than it has.
A true classic, that has shaped literature and slang as we know it. A solid five out of five and a solid recommendation from me.
I've seen this in movie/play form many times, and I have to say I much prefer it in that form. I didn't really enjoy reading this very much. It's just a good thing it was so short. The message of the story is great, and I think that's why it's so timeless and has been redone so many times. I just didn't care for all the extra details (yes, it felt like extra even in this very short book), and couldn't quite figure out the point of them.
Love this one so much, I read it twice this year!
Correte ad ascoltare l'audiolibro di Storytel, immancabile per immergersi nell'atmosfera Natalizia.
Charles Dickens A Xmas Carol is such a part of the culture of Xmas that each year I have experienced it in some way, whether as a child watching The Muppets a Xmas Carol and countless other film versions or at the theatre, but I had never read the original source. So it’s Xmas time and this was my classic read for December.
It didn’t disappoint and I thoroughly enjoyed this story (only about 3 hours to read). Whilst the complete change in Ebenezer Scrooge after being visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future, was probably stretched a little far! the message of what’s important in life – compassion, family and charity won me over. I think this will become a re-read every Xmas from now on.
It didn’t disappoint and I thoroughly enjoyed this story (only about 3 hours to read). Whilst the complete change in Ebenezer Scrooge after being visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future, was probably stretched a little far! the message of what’s important in life – compassion, family and charity won me over. I think this will become a re-read every Xmas from now on.
A Christmas Carol was BILLs klassieker van de maand december:
http://www.bill.be/boeken/klassiekers/klassieker-van-de-maand
http://www.bill.be/boeken/klassiekers/klassieker-van-de-maand
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens is such a dear story to me and never gets old. There have been so many book/movie adaptations of this kind of premise but nothing compares to the original. I love books that renew or make you consider life from a different perspective. Would definitely recommend reading this book leading up to Christmas❤️