A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens is an enduring Christmas classic for many reasons. The story of an unfeeling, pragmatic person coming to an understanding that his inaction is going to lead to not only a bad end for himself but for others as well, and making a change for the better is something that connects with many people. Old Ebenezer Scrooge is not a hardened criminal. He hasn't done anything illegal. But his greed and his selfishness have made him into a mean old miser. When his old business partner's ghost (Jacob Marley has been dead for seven years) and three other ghosts, one after the other, pay Mr. Scrooge a visit, he begins to realize what an idiot he's been. While Charles Dickens is a bit wordy (writers tended to be back in those days) the story is still a wonderful tale of hope and redemption, and I highly recommend it. A Christmas Carol was first published in 1843.