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A CHRISTMAS CAROL AND OTHER STORIES
A Christmas Carol, The Chimes, The Cricket on the Hearth
299 pages, Hardcover
First published December 19, 1843
348 people are currently reading
10740 people want to read
About the author
Charles Dickens
12.8k books31.4k followersCharles John Huffam Dickens (1812-1870) was a writer and social critic who created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era. His works enjoyed unprecedented popularity during his lifetime, and by the twentieth century critics and scholars had recognised him as a literary genius. His novels and short stories enjoy lasting popularity.
Dickens left school to work in a factory when his father was incarcerated in a debtors' prison. Despite his lack of formal education, he edited a weekly journal for 20 years, wrote 15 novels, five novellas, hundreds of short stories and non-fiction articles, lectured and performed extensively, was an indefatigable letter writer, and campaigned vigorously for children's rights, education, and other social reforms.
Dickens was regarded as the literary colossus of his age. His 1843 novella, A Christmas Carol, remains popular and continues to inspire adaptations in every artistic genre. Oliver Twist and Great Expectations are also frequently adapted, and, like many of his novels, evoke images of early Victorian London. His 1859 novel, A Tale of Two Cities, set in London and Paris, is his best-known work of historical fiction. Dickens's creative genius has been praised by fellow writers—from Leo Tolstoy to George Orwell and G. K. Chesterton—for its realism, comedy, prose style, unique characterisations, and social criticism. On the other hand, Oscar Wilde, Henry James, and Virginia Woolf complained of a lack of psychological depth, loose writing, and a vein of saccharine sentimentalism. The term Dickensian is used to describe something that is reminiscent of Dickens and his writings, such as poor social conditions or comically repulsive characters.
On 8 June 1870, Dickens suffered another stroke at his home after a full day's work on Edwin Drood. He never regained consciousness, and the next day he died at Gad's Hill Place. Contrary to his wish to be buried at Rochester Cathedral "in an inexpensive, unostentatious, and strictly private manner," he was laid to rest in the Poets' Corner of Westminster Abbey. A printed epitaph circulated at the time of the funeral reads: "To the Memory of Charles Dickens (England's most popular author) who died at his residence, Higham, near Rochester, Kent, 9 June 1870, aged 58 years. He was a sympathiser with the poor, the suffering, and the oppressed; and by his death, one of England's greatest writers is lost to the world." His last words were: "On the ground", in response to his sister-in-law Georgina's request that he lie down.
(from Wikipedia)
Dickens left school to work in a factory when his father was incarcerated in a debtors' prison. Despite his lack of formal education, he edited a weekly journal for 20 years, wrote 15 novels, five novellas, hundreds of short stories and non-fiction articles, lectured and performed extensively, was an indefatigable letter writer, and campaigned vigorously for children's rights, education, and other social reforms.
Dickens was regarded as the literary colossus of his age. His 1843 novella, A Christmas Carol, remains popular and continues to inspire adaptations in every artistic genre. Oliver Twist and Great Expectations are also frequently adapted, and, like many of his novels, evoke images of early Victorian London. His 1859 novel, A Tale of Two Cities, set in London and Paris, is his best-known work of historical fiction. Dickens's creative genius has been praised by fellow writers—from Leo Tolstoy to George Orwell and G. K. Chesterton—for its realism, comedy, prose style, unique characterisations, and social criticism. On the other hand, Oscar Wilde, Henry James, and Virginia Woolf complained of a lack of psychological depth, loose writing, and a vein of saccharine sentimentalism. The term Dickensian is used to describe something that is reminiscent of Dickens and his writings, such as poor social conditions or comically repulsive characters.
On 8 June 1870, Dickens suffered another stroke at his home after a full day's work on Edwin Drood. He never regained consciousness, and the next day he died at Gad's Hill Place. Contrary to his wish to be buried at Rochester Cathedral "in an inexpensive, unostentatious, and strictly private manner," he was laid to rest in the Poets' Corner of Westminster Abbey. A printed epitaph circulated at the time of the funeral reads: "To the Memory of Charles Dickens (England's most popular author) who died at his residence, Higham, near Rochester, Kent, 9 June 1870, aged 58 years. He was a sympathiser with the poor, the suffering, and the oppressed; and by his death, one of England's greatest writers is lost to the world." His last words were: "On the ground", in response to his sister-in-law Georgina's request that he lie down.
(from Wikipedia)
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December 20, 2021
Old Marley was as dead as a door-nail.
A Christmas Carol ~~ Charles Dickens
I have a tradition of reading something by Dickens over the Christmas holidays. Sometimes a full novel, often a short story, mostly re-readings of A Christmas Carol, this being my favorite of all Dickens' writings. This year I read this with a good friend from Goodreads. It was his introduction to Dickens and my keeping up with tradition. Rather than writing a review for this I thought I would make some general observations I have on the work.
1) It is a timeless biblical story of redemption and grace without reference to any scripture. But reading A Christmas Carol you somehow feel that Charles Dickens knew what he was doing.
2) Dickens writes a better ghost story than most horror writers do.
3) Dickens must have been familiar with Hindu philosophy as karma is a prevalent theme.
4) I can't help but think that Scrooge is largely biographical -- a profound confession by a man terrified at the way he may have misspent his life amongst his fellow human beings.
5) Although it is a ghost story, it is largely optimistic and filled with hope.
6) Dickens was very bright as he saw the role ignorance would play in the world. Look at how the world has been dumbed down and how it, ignorance, has played a role in Brexit and in Trump's appointment to the presidency.
7) Question for you, is A Christmas Carol a manifesto from Dickens?
December 2, 2021
I knew what to expect of A Christmas Carol going into this reading, what I wasn’t expecting was the emotional impact it would have on me. Perhaps it was due to losing my father this year. 175+ years later, A Christmas Carol still endures in a world that is almost unrecognizable from the world Dickens lived in when he first published A Christmas Carol.
A Christmas Carol ~~ Charles Dickens
I have a tradition of reading something by Dickens over the Christmas holidays. Sometimes a full novel, often a short story, mostly re-readings of A Christmas Carol, this being my favorite of all Dickens' writings. This year I read this with a good friend from Goodreads. It was his introduction to Dickens and my keeping up with tradition. Rather than writing a review for this I thought I would make some general observations I have on the work.
1) It is a timeless biblical story of redemption and grace without reference to any scripture. But reading A Christmas Carol you somehow feel that Charles Dickens knew what he was doing.
2) Dickens writes a better ghost story than most horror writers do.
3) Dickens must have been familiar with Hindu philosophy as karma is a prevalent theme.
4) I can't help but think that Scrooge is largely biographical -- a profound confession by a man terrified at the way he may have misspent his life amongst his fellow human beings.
5) Although it is a ghost story, it is largely optimistic and filled with hope.
6) Dickens was very bright as he saw the role ignorance would play in the world. Look at how the world has been dumbed down and how it, ignorance, has played a role in Brexit and in Trump's appointment to the presidency.
7) Question for you, is A Christmas Carol a manifesto from Dickens?
December 2, 2021
I knew what to expect of A Christmas Carol going into this reading, what I wasn’t expecting was the emotional impact it would have on me. Perhaps it was due to losing my father this year. 175+ years later, A Christmas Carol still endures in a world that is almost unrecognizable from the world Dickens lived in when he first published A Christmas Carol.
October 4, 2018
This collection of Christmas stories had three different stories including Dickens most celebrated Christmas story of all time, the Christmas Carol. All the stories are interesting but the Christmas carol is outstanding. The message it conveys always warm my heart. It is my favorite Christmas story to date.
I believe Dickens subtle writing and his philosophical thinking is more expressed in his Christmas stories. For this reason, these stories have always held readers attention. And for my part, I really did enjoy them.
I believe Dickens subtle writing and his philosophical thinking is more expressed in his Christmas stories. For this reason, these stories have always held readers attention. And for my part, I really did enjoy them.
December 19, 2024
12/19/24: This year was another Tim Curry audio year. He's simply divine.
.
12/15:22: This year's reread was a Hugh Grant narration on Audible. It was wonderful! This story just never gets old.
.
12/16/21: Just when I thought I couldn't love A Christmas Carol any more than I already do, I discovered a Tim Curry narrated version on Audible. It was simply magnificent.
.
A Christmas Carol may be the best book Dickens wrote. I do love David Copperfield and Great Expectations, but there's just something about the simple message in A Christmas Carol.
The Chimes was the strangest of these stories. It has an It's a Wonderful Life vibe to it, pointing out the importance of keeping hope, and the importance one person has to those around him.
The Cricket on the Hearth was a crazy rollercoaster of emotions. It was so funny and lighthearted at first, but turned pretty dark in the second chapter. It ultimately ended on a happy note, pointing out the importance of family and home, whether that's a family you're born into or a family you create from the circumstances you find yourself in.
Dickens in so unbelievably clever in everything he does. The chapters in A Christmas Carol (staves) and The Chimes (quarters) are musical terms, and the chapters in The Cricket on the Hearth are "chirps." His character names in all 3 works are so clever and descriptive...I mean, Mrs. CHICKENSTALKER?! Brilliant.
These 3 stories are definitely worth reading!
12/15/19: Reread A Christmas Carol. What a wonderful story. I'm not sure if I'll get to these other stories again this year or not.
12/8/2020: I listened to the librivox audio and I thought the narrator did an excellent job in his performance. I love this story so much. God bless us, every one.
.
12/15:22: This year's reread was a Hugh Grant narration on Audible. It was wonderful! This story just never gets old.
.
12/16/21: Just when I thought I couldn't love A Christmas Carol any more than I already do, I discovered a Tim Curry narrated version on Audible. It was simply magnificent.
.
A Christmas Carol may be the best book Dickens wrote. I do love David Copperfield and Great Expectations, but there's just something about the simple message in A Christmas Carol.
The Chimes was the strangest of these stories. It has an It's a Wonderful Life vibe to it, pointing out the importance of keeping hope, and the importance one person has to those around him.
The Cricket on the Hearth was a crazy rollercoaster of emotions. It was so funny and lighthearted at first, but turned pretty dark in the second chapter. It ultimately ended on a happy note, pointing out the importance of family and home, whether that's a family you're born into or a family you create from the circumstances you find yourself in.
Dickens in so unbelievably clever in everything he does. The chapters in A Christmas Carol (staves) and The Chimes (quarters) are musical terms, and the chapters in The Cricket on the Hearth are "chirps." His character names in all 3 works are so clever and descriptive...I mean, Mrs. CHICKENSTALKER?! Brilliant.
These 3 stories are definitely worth reading!
12/15/19: Reread A Christmas Carol. What a wonderful story. I'm not sure if I'll get to these other stories again this year or not.
12/8/2020: I listened to the librivox audio and I thought the narrator did an excellent job in his performance. I love this story so much. God bless us, every one.
June 29, 2020
Three books in one A Christmas Carol is the story, about a tight fisted bitter and selfish miser in 19th century London, who despises all that brings joy and comfort, has a plethora of adaptations but is best in it's original.
Ebenezer Scrooge is visited on Christmas Eve by three ghosts who show him the evil of his ways and its consequences.
A Christmas Carol is one of Dickens's most famous narratives, and written in lively, intelligent, penetrating and witty prose, a prime example of Dickens's literary genius.
Certainly there is the very strong theme, for which Dickens works are well known, about social injustice and poverty, which we read in such works as Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, Bleak House and Hard Times.
It is also a ghost story for which Dickens also showed a flare, although his other ghost stories are less well known but equally enthralling.
Essentially the story revived the spirit and message of Christmas and contains a powerful social message about those members of the wealthier classes who shun responsibility for the less fortunate people in their country.
Such pearls as the following light up this story:
"Men's courses will foreshadow certain ends, which if persevered in, must lead, but if the courses be departed from, the ends will change".
Charming and engaging in it's original
The Chimes is a follow up of A Christmas Carol, but not nearly as well known. while the protagonist of A Christmas Carol is a wealthy employer who despises the poor, the protagonist of this novel is one of the poor himself, lowly porter Trotty, who sadly has been infused with feeling of low self-worth with which he views the working class as a whole.
His daughter Meg is engaged to married to Richard, and while he has misgivings Trotty hides them ,but then three pompous, judgemental upper class figures visit and make Trotty , Meg and Richard feel they have barely any right to exist let alone marry.
The bottom lines is Trotty's feelings are a large part of what is running his family (he will not allow his daughter to marry because of that the upper class villains have said) and his dream when he visits the church bells at midnight on New Years EVe, provide the nightmare of what is set to happen, and the waking up seeming to bring deliverance and happiness and the tragedy averted
Important essay on class and culture in 19th century Britain and relevant as ever today in a country where the native working class are still despised by the middle classes and elites, and called names like 'chavs' and made to feel they have no right to exist and accused of myriad of things from being 'feckless and lazy' that 'the men are yobs and the women slags' as one middle class academic I overheard, and now native working class are being persecuted with accusations of 'racism' to boot. Many sleep in the streets and need food banks to survive
Nothing has really changed and it is sad.
The Cricket on the Hearth is A heartwarming tale about a middle aged carrier, John Peerybingle, his young wife, Dot . the long suffering Caleb Plummer the latter's blind daughter , Bertha, and Caleb's tight fisted and spiteful employer Mr Tackleton
The cricket on the hearth of the delivery man and his wife's home is the guardian spirit of the family, and warns them of all sorts of things to come.
When Tackleton leads John to believe his wife is involved with a young man, it is the cricket who must act as the voice of reason and point the way to the truth of her innocence, making for a happy ending
I did like the turn of phrase(especially Dot's) and the humour and those who say that this novella lacked Dicken's usual wordcraft were missing something.
Ebenezer Scrooge is visited on Christmas Eve by three ghosts who show him the evil of his ways and its consequences.
A Christmas Carol is one of Dickens's most famous narratives, and written in lively, intelligent, penetrating and witty prose, a prime example of Dickens's literary genius.
Certainly there is the very strong theme, for which Dickens works are well known, about social injustice and poverty, which we read in such works as Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, Bleak House and Hard Times.
It is also a ghost story for which Dickens also showed a flare, although his other ghost stories are less well known but equally enthralling.
Essentially the story revived the spirit and message of Christmas and contains a powerful social message about those members of the wealthier classes who shun responsibility for the less fortunate people in their country.
Such pearls as the following light up this story:
"Men's courses will foreshadow certain ends, which if persevered in, must lead, but if the courses be departed from, the ends will change".
Charming and engaging in it's original
The Chimes is a follow up of A Christmas Carol, but not nearly as well known. while the protagonist of A Christmas Carol is a wealthy employer who despises the poor, the protagonist of this novel is one of the poor himself, lowly porter Trotty, who sadly has been infused with feeling of low self-worth with which he views the working class as a whole.
His daughter Meg is engaged to married to Richard, and while he has misgivings Trotty hides them ,but then three pompous, judgemental upper class figures visit and make Trotty , Meg and Richard feel they have barely any right to exist let alone marry.
The bottom lines is Trotty's feelings are a large part of what is running his family (he will not allow his daughter to marry because of that the upper class villains have said) and his dream when he visits the church bells at midnight on New Years EVe, provide the nightmare of what is set to happen, and the waking up seeming to bring deliverance and happiness and the tragedy averted
Important essay on class and culture in 19th century Britain and relevant as ever today in a country where the native working class are still despised by the middle classes and elites, and called names like 'chavs' and made to feel they have no right to exist and accused of myriad of things from being 'feckless and lazy' that 'the men are yobs and the women slags' as one middle class academic I overheard, and now native working class are being persecuted with accusations of 'racism' to boot. Many sleep in the streets and need food banks to survive
Nothing has really changed and it is sad.
The Cricket on the Hearth is A heartwarming tale about a middle aged carrier, John Peerybingle, his young wife, Dot . the long suffering Caleb Plummer the latter's blind daughter , Bertha, and Caleb's tight fisted and spiteful employer Mr Tackleton
The cricket on the hearth of the delivery man and his wife's home is the guardian spirit of the family, and warns them of all sorts of things to come.
When Tackleton leads John to believe his wife is involved with a young man, it is the cricket who must act as the voice of reason and point the way to the truth of her innocence, making for a happy ending
I did like the turn of phrase(especially Dot's) and the humour and those who say that this novella lacked Dicken's usual wordcraft were missing something.
March 20, 2022
This is one book I purchased because of its cover! I saw this illustrated hardbound beauty sitting on the roadside, priced at a pittance - and of course I had to buy it!
A Christmas Carol is, of course, one of my favourite tales ever since I read it in middle school. It must be one of the most heart-warming tales ever penned. My review can be found here.
The Chimes is also a festival tale - here, Trotty Veck the porter takes a dream journey through a possible future on New Year's Eve. He is the other side of scrooge, a poor labourer forced to think badly of himself and the rest of the proletariat due to the constant putting down by the aristocrats and the moneyed class. His eyes are opened through the machinations of the spirits of the chimes in the local church.
The Cricket on the Hearth too, happens during the festive last week of December. Here, a middle-aged husband's jealousy is assuaged by the cricket, which happens to be a fairy (?) and he moves away at the last minute from committing a terrible crime. Of course, his doubts are misplaced and there are happy tidings all around at the end.
The themes and treatments are similar for all three stories. All are enjoyable, but A Christmas Carol stands apart.
A Christmas Carol is, of course, one of my favourite tales ever since I read it in middle school. It must be one of the most heart-warming tales ever penned. My review can be found here.
The Chimes is also a festival tale - here, Trotty Veck the porter takes a dream journey through a possible future on New Year's Eve. He is the other side of scrooge, a poor labourer forced to think badly of himself and the rest of the proletariat due to the constant putting down by the aristocrats and the moneyed class. His eyes are opened through the machinations of the spirits of the chimes in the local church.
The Cricket on the Hearth too, happens during the festive last week of December. Here, a middle-aged husband's jealousy is assuaged by the cricket, which happens to be a fairy (?) and he moves away at the last minute from committing a terrible crime. Of course, his doubts are misplaced and there are happy tidings all around at the end.
The themes and treatments are similar for all three stories. All are enjoyable, but A Christmas Carol stands apart.
December 20, 2024
Reread A Christmas Carol! The best Christmas book ever! I haven’t read the other two stories in this yet.
December 26, 2018
Overall 4 stars for this collection of Charles Dickens’ Christmas stories.
5 stars for A Christmas Carol
4 stars for The Chimes
3 stars for The Cricket on the Hearth
This was a great way to complete my 2018 GR reading challenge and to finish up my reading year.
I’m looking forward to a New Year of reading and sharing books in 2019! I hope everyone has a wonderful and happy New Year!
5 stars for A Christmas Carol
4 stars for The Chimes
3 stars for The Cricket on the Hearth
This was a great way to complete my 2018 GR reading challenge and to finish up my reading year.
I’m looking forward to a New Year of reading and sharing books in 2019! I hope everyone has a wonderful and happy New Year!
December 30, 2017
It's been a few years since I've read A Christmas Carol, and it was just perfect timing. I always enjoy a good reread of this novel! Now to watch the Muppet version...
December 15, 2022
With its many footnotes, this Barnes and Noble edition is great. A Christmas Carol is so much better than any movie rendition. The Chimes should be better known.
December 25, 2025
2025: Read this again tonight. Fantastic. Our family started celebrating Christmas again this year after a whole year of losing "friends" (from our former fellowship group) over the fact that we were planning to. The following quote, again, is most fitting:
"Some people laughed to see the alteration in him (Scrooge), but he let them laugh, and little heeded them; for he was wise enough to know that nothing ever happened on this globe, for good, at which some people did not have their fill of laughter at the outset; and knowing that such as these would be blind anyway, he thought it quite well that they should wrinkle up their eyes in grins, as have the malady in less attractive forms."
2024: Fantastic read through again. This time I made lots of notes in preparation for a video I'm doing. Reading it more focused this time, I noticed so much humor and other things I'd not noticed before. I may update this later with my video link.
2023: This year’s reading had me being a little more contemplative. I loved the description toward the end of Stave Two of how the narrator valued the woman he was observing. He says, ”I should have liked, I do confess, to have had the lightest license of a child, and yet to have been man enough to know its value.”
By the time the second spirit is on the scene, Scrooge is willing to be taught lessons he knows he needs to learn. It made me think how sometimes we are the way we are because we don’t know any other way or because we’ve forgotten there is one. In this stave, he begins to look outside himself and starts to realize the needs within the family of his clerk. Before this, he told himself people’s needs were their own fault. Now he realizes some are beyond our control.
In Stave Three, Scrooge is definitely changed; although he is still a bit narcissistic as he doesn’t imagine the dead man people are speaking of is himself. But, I guess the first step is recognizing there is a problem! Haha!
I thought about how happiness is found in the simplicity of life. My own father knew this but was too afraid to walk in it; for my mom, in her younger years, the simple life wasn’t good enough. Thankfully, she learned this in later years and has found peace. The simple life has been my life most of my marriage; but now that we are more financially thriving, I’m fighting to keep it.
A couple things I noticed from a Biblical perspective: one is that there were references to Biblical stories in the way Scrooge interacts with the spirits. I didn’t catch on to this until toward the end so there is probably more, but I noticed how he holds the robe of the second spirit and how he wrestles, fairly evenly matched, with the third.
Also, I found it interesting that he had a dialogue with someone about stores closing Sundays because it kept people from obtaining the things they needed. I wondered why people didn’t shop the day before, but also wondered if this issue was part of his greater social justice cause. It’s a topic I’ll pay attention to in future reading to see if I can make some connections.
2022: Even though we stopped celebrating Christmas two years ago, I'm still reading through this every Christmas week. Ha! It has a good message that should be applied every day.
This time through I focused on humor. Dickens is stinking hilarious. The entire exchange between Scrooge and Marley is super funny---especially considering how terrified and curmudgeonly Scrooge was at the time. The last stave is also super funny. Additionally, I loved these quotes:
"Marley's face...had a dismal light about it...like a bad lobster in a dark cellar." WHAT?!! Hahaha! Has anyone ever experienced a bad lobster in a dark cellar? Do lobsters give off dim light?
"Scrooge had often heard it said that Marley had no bowels, but he had never believed it until now." (This page also contains the "shade" joke)
"'What has he done with his money?' asked a red-faced gentleman with a pendulous excrescence on the end of his nose, that shook like the gills of a turkey cock." WHY??? Hahaha! There is absolutely no reason for this very minor character to be described thus, other than to just make us laugh. I love it.
And finally, I loved this quote that just really gives off the attitude of "shove-itousness" that Dickens seems to often take:
"Some people laughed to see the alteration in him (Scrooge), but he let them laugh, and little heeded them; for he was wise enough to know that nothing ever happened on this globe, for good, at which some people did not have their fill of laughter at the outset; and knowing that such as these would be blind anyway, he thought it quite well that they should wrinkle up their eyes in grins, as have the malady in less attractive forms."
Love it. Timeless lessons to be learned. As a friend said to me this morning, "Merry Everyday Christ!"
2021: This year I thought, "Ah, I should talk a little about two specific parts that always stand out to me: the fireplace tiles and the quote about 'Standing in the spirit at your elbow'..." Welp. Guess this review is just a rerun of last year's. Ha! Love this story. This is the first year we've not celebrated Christmas. Am I now a Scrooge???
2020: I read through A Christmas Carol this last week---it was wonderful, as usual. This year I paid special attention to a few things that were endearing to me:
The fireplace tiles: I love how they illustrated different stories from the Bible. I bet it was beautiful and I'm curious where Dickens saw these or what gave him the idea to include them in his story.
"I am standing in the Spirit at your elbow." Every. single. time. I read that, I look to my right and imagine him there. I wonder how far into future history he imagined his stories would go. I thought about that today as I laid in my 21st century bed in a little village in the American South thinking about this man who wrote the story 170 years ago somewhere in England. Fascinating.
I loved thinking about how Scrooge didn't seem to ever care about how people viewed him, but at the end of the story, it's a good thing. "Some people laughed to see the alteration in him, but he let them laugh, and little heeded them; for he was wise enough to know that nothing ever happened on this globe, for good, at which some people did not have their fill of laughter in the outset; and knowing that such as these would be blind anyway, he thought it quite as well that they should wrinkle up their eyes in grins, as have the malady in less attractive forms. His own heart laughed: and that was quite enough for him."
It has that distinctive ring of not casting one's pearls before swine...good for you, Scrooge!
2018: Each time I've read this book, I've only read the first story, A Christmas Carol. After finishing it, for the fifth time, a few days ago, I thought I'd give The Chimes a try.
My Dad once told me (about 16 years ago) I couldn't live on love (in a conversation in which he was berating my husband for not going to college yet). He was SO wrong. Trotty Veck finds this out in this spooky New Year story and, like Scrooge, has a second chance to change his ways.
I found the story to be a little convoluted but I think it will grow on me over time. I'll see how I feel about it next year.
"Some people laughed to see the alteration in him (Scrooge), but he let them laugh, and little heeded them; for he was wise enough to know that nothing ever happened on this globe, for good, at which some people did not have their fill of laughter at the outset; and knowing that such as these would be blind anyway, he thought it quite well that they should wrinkle up their eyes in grins, as have the malady in less attractive forms."
2024: Fantastic read through again. This time I made lots of notes in preparation for a video I'm doing. Reading it more focused this time, I noticed so much humor and other things I'd not noticed before. I may update this later with my video link.
2023: This year’s reading had me being a little more contemplative. I loved the description toward the end of Stave Two of how the narrator valued the woman he was observing. He says, ”I should have liked, I do confess, to have had the lightest license of a child, and yet to have been man enough to know its value.”
By the time the second spirit is on the scene, Scrooge is willing to be taught lessons he knows he needs to learn. It made me think how sometimes we are the way we are because we don’t know any other way or because we’ve forgotten there is one. In this stave, he begins to look outside himself and starts to realize the needs within the family of his clerk. Before this, he told himself people’s needs were their own fault. Now he realizes some are beyond our control.
In Stave Three, Scrooge is definitely changed; although he is still a bit narcissistic as he doesn’t imagine the dead man people are speaking of is himself. But, I guess the first step is recognizing there is a problem! Haha!
I thought about how happiness is found in the simplicity of life. My own father knew this but was too afraid to walk in it; for my mom, in her younger years, the simple life wasn’t good enough. Thankfully, she learned this in later years and has found peace. The simple life has been my life most of my marriage; but now that we are more financially thriving, I’m fighting to keep it.
A couple things I noticed from a Biblical perspective: one is that there were references to Biblical stories in the way Scrooge interacts with the spirits. I didn’t catch on to this until toward the end so there is probably more, but I noticed how he holds the robe of the second spirit and how he wrestles, fairly evenly matched, with the third.
Also, I found it interesting that he had a dialogue with someone about stores closing Sundays because it kept people from obtaining the things they needed. I wondered why people didn’t shop the day before, but also wondered if this issue was part of his greater social justice cause. It’s a topic I’ll pay attention to in future reading to see if I can make some connections.
2022: Even though we stopped celebrating Christmas two years ago, I'm still reading through this every Christmas week. Ha! It has a good message that should be applied every day.
This time through I focused on humor. Dickens is stinking hilarious. The entire exchange between Scrooge and Marley is super funny---especially considering how terrified and curmudgeonly Scrooge was at the time. The last stave is also super funny. Additionally, I loved these quotes:
"Marley's face...had a dismal light about it...like a bad lobster in a dark cellar." WHAT?!! Hahaha! Has anyone ever experienced a bad lobster in a dark cellar? Do lobsters give off dim light?
"Scrooge had often heard it said that Marley had no bowels, but he had never believed it until now." (This page also contains the "shade" joke)
"'What has he done with his money?' asked a red-faced gentleman with a pendulous excrescence on the end of his nose, that shook like the gills of a turkey cock." WHY??? Hahaha! There is absolutely no reason for this very minor character to be described thus, other than to just make us laugh. I love it.
And finally, I loved this quote that just really gives off the attitude of "shove-itousness" that Dickens seems to often take:
"Some people laughed to see the alteration in him (Scrooge), but he let them laugh, and little heeded them; for he was wise enough to know that nothing ever happened on this globe, for good, at which some people did not have their fill of laughter at the outset; and knowing that such as these would be blind anyway, he thought it quite well that they should wrinkle up their eyes in grins, as have the malady in less attractive forms."
Love it. Timeless lessons to be learned. As a friend said to me this morning, "Merry Everyday Christ!"
2021: This year I thought, "Ah, I should talk a little about two specific parts that always stand out to me: the fireplace tiles and the quote about 'Standing in the spirit at your elbow'..." Welp. Guess this review is just a rerun of last year's. Ha! Love this story. This is the first year we've not celebrated Christmas. Am I now a Scrooge???
2020: I read through A Christmas Carol this last week---it was wonderful, as usual. This year I paid special attention to a few things that were endearing to me:
The fireplace tiles: I love how they illustrated different stories from the Bible. I bet it was beautiful and I'm curious where Dickens saw these or what gave him the idea to include them in his story.
"I am standing in the Spirit at your elbow." Every. single. time. I read that, I look to my right and imagine him there. I wonder how far into future history he imagined his stories would go. I thought about that today as I laid in my 21st century bed in a little village in the American South thinking about this man who wrote the story 170 years ago somewhere in England. Fascinating.
I loved thinking about how Scrooge didn't seem to ever care about how people viewed him, but at the end of the story, it's a good thing. "Some people laughed to see the alteration in him, but he let them laugh, and little heeded them; for he was wise enough to know that nothing ever happened on this globe, for good, at which some people did not have their fill of laughter in the outset; and knowing that such as these would be blind anyway, he thought it quite as well that they should wrinkle up their eyes in grins, as have the malady in less attractive forms. His own heart laughed: and that was quite enough for him."
It has that distinctive ring of not casting one's pearls before swine...good for you, Scrooge!
2018: Each time I've read this book, I've only read the first story, A Christmas Carol. After finishing it, for the fifth time, a few days ago, I thought I'd give The Chimes a try.
My Dad once told me (about 16 years ago) I couldn't live on love (in a conversation in which he was berating my husband for not going to college yet). He was SO wrong. Trotty Veck finds this out in this spooky New Year story and, like Scrooge, has a second chance to change his ways.
I found the story to be a little convoluted but I think it will grow on me over time. I'll see how I feel about it next year.
Read
December 23, 2024I cheated on this a little bit. I read 90% of the book in 2015 so it can be counted as a 2015 book even though I finished it 30 hours into 2016.
But anyway, I read A Christmas Carol on Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day, The Cricket on the Hearth on Boxing Day and on the following 3 days and the The Chimes on New Year's Eve's Eve, New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, and in the first hours of the 2nd day of January.
I really enjoyed A Christmas Carol it was a great story with incredible morals up to date. 5 stars.
I can't say I enjoyed The Cricket on the Hearth. It was not a Christmas Story, it was a Victorian Soap Opera, with family relationships and morals, just bleh.
The Chimes started pretty well but by the end I was lost and I wasn't sure who was who and whether I was reading the protagonist's visions or the actual reality, hence 3 stars.
So, overall A Christmas Carol gets 5 stars, The Cricket on the Hearth 2,7 stars and The Chimes 3 stars, that means 5+2.7+3=10.7/3=3.56 so that's (almost) around 4 stars. A Christmas Carol was great the other two were just a combination of meh, bleh, and ugh!
But anyway, I read A Christmas Carol on Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day, The Cricket on the Hearth on Boxing Day and on the following 3 days and the The Chimes on New Year's Eve's Eve, New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, and in the first hours of the 2nd day of January.
I really enjoyed A Christmas Carol it was a great story with incredible morals up to date. 5 stars.
I can't say I enjoyed The Cricket on the Hearth. It was not a Christmas Story, it was a Victorian Soap Opera, with family relationships and morals, just bleh.
The Chimes started pretty well but by the end I was lost and I wasn't sure who was who and whether I was reading the protagonist's visions or the actual reality, hence 3 stars.
So, overall A Christmas Carol gets 5 stars, The Cricket on the Hearth 2,7 stars and The Chimes 3 stars, that means 5+2.7+3=10.7/3=3.56 so that's (almost) around 4 stars. A Christmas Carol was great the other two were just a combination of meh, bleh, and ugh!
Read
May 17, 2025κάθε Δεκέμβρη
από το 2015
διαβάζω την χριστουγεννιάτικη ιστορία
το έχω κάνει θεσμό
ξαναζώ αυτή την
υπέροχη ιστορία
κάθε χριστούγεννα
και ταυτόχρονα
συλλέγω διάφορες εκδόσεις
κάποτε τυχαίνει
να διαβάζω και κάποιες
από τις άλλες
4 χριστουγεννιάτικες νουβέλες
του Τσαρλς Ντίκενς
και κάποτε σολάρω
με τον φίλο μου τον Σκρουτζ
φίλος από το 2ο κεφάλαιο φυσικά
φέτος εκτός των άλλων αλλαγών
που είχα σε υγεία και εργασία
είχα κι εδώ
μπήκε ο Δεκέμβρης
και δεν προλάβαινα
να παραγγείλω εξ Αγγλετέρας
νέα έκδοση
έτσι βρήκα την συγκεκριμένη
παλιά έκδοση ξεχασμένη σε
ένα ράφι βιβλιοπωλείου
σε εξευτελιστική φθήνια
που το πήρα
όμως η γραμματοσειρά σαν ψείρες
ήταν το μόνο αρνητικό
αλλά λόγω του ότι δεν ήταν η
πρώτη ανάγνωση δε μου
φάνηκε το ένα τρίλεπτο ανά
σελίδα κουραστικό
απλά αργό.
για να δούμε φέτος
ποια έκδοση θα πάρει σειρά
από το 2015
διαβάζω την χριστουγεννιάτικη ιστορία
το έχω κάνει θεσμό
ξαναζώ αυτή την
υπέροχη ιστορία
κάθε χριστούγεννα
και ταυτόχρονα
συλλέγω διάφορες εκδόσεις
κάποτε τυχαίνει
να διαβάζω και κάποιες
από τις άλλες
4 χριστουγεννιάτικες νουβέλες
του Τσαρλς Ντίκενς
και κάποτε σολάρω
με τον φίλο μου τον Σκρουτζ
φίλος από το 2ο κεφάλαιο φυσικά
φέτος εκτός των άλλων αλλαγών
που είχα σε υγεία και εργασία
είχα κι εδώ
μπήκε ο Δεκέμβρης
και δεν προλάβαινα
να παραγγείλω εξ Αγγλετέρας
νέα έκδοση
έτσι βρήκα την συγκεκριμένη
παλιά έκδοση ξεχασμένη σε
ένα ράφι βιβλιοπωλείου
σε εξευτελιστική φθήνια
που το πήρα
όμως η γραμματοσειρά σαν ψείρες
ήταν το μόνο αρνητικό
αλλά λόγω του ότι δεν ήταν η
πρώτη ανάγνωση δε μου
φάνηκε το ένα τρίλεπτο ανά
σελίδα κουραστικό
απλά αργό.
για να δούμε φέτος
ποια έκδοση θα πάρει σειρά
December 12, 2022
Four stars for A Christmas Carol and The Chimes, and parts of The Cricket and the Hearth, but some bits were heavy handed and sickly.
December 10, 2009
A Christmas Carol was wonderful. It was just like seeing the movie, but better, because prose on paper really stimulates the imagination much more. Scrooge is a man who had lost his hope, and it showed in how his heart seemed to shrink, and his world with it. He got a second chance when he was visited by the three ghosts on a cold Christmas Eve. Just like the movie, this story made me cry. I guess some would call me sentimental. I don't know if that's the right word. But I love to see a person go from the dark to the light emotionally. This is the evolution we see with Scrooge.
5 Stars. If you love the movies, you really should read this story. I don't think you'd regret it. It is very readable and keeps your interest.
I can't really say that for The Chimes. This story moved pretty slowly, and it took a while to figure out where Dickens was going. At first, it read like a satire against the upper class and the government in its treatment of the poor and the working class. Then it seemed as though it was a story about being grateful for what one has and appreciating the time that you have with your family. It was an ambitious story, and I liked the elements of the ghosts of regret (I think) that manifested themselves as the chiming of bells that Totty, our protagonist, makes his daily routine around. Some parts were really tedious, and some parts were beautiful and poignant. At the end, I could only give this one 3.5 stars because it was a difficult and somewhat unrewarding read for this reader. If you have read The Chimes, I would love some feedback on what you believe was the point of this story.
I have started The Cricket on the Hearth, and it's really hard to focus my attention on the writing. I haven't given up yet! Soldier on!
Update: I've come to the conclusion that life is too short to keep trying to read The Cricket on the Hearth. It's dreadfully boring. I can feel my hair growing as I try to read it. I feel that I did my best with it, and I'm calling this one a day. I will have to give this one a rating of 1 star because it was too boring to finish reading.
So my overall rating is four stars, because of my love for A Christmas Carol, and my half-hearted enjoyment of The Chimes. I pray that Dickens' longer fiction isn't dry like this. I'd really like to read some of it.
5 Stars. If you love the movies, you really should read this story. I don't think you'd regret it. It is very readable and keeps your interest.
I can't really say that for The Chimes. This story moved pretty slowly, and it took a while to figure out where Dickens was going. At first, it read like a satire against the upper class and the government in its treatment of the poor and the working class. Then it seemed as though it was a story about being grateful for what one has and appreciating the time that you have with your family. It was an ambitious story, and I liked the elements of the ghosts of regret (I think) that manifested themselves as the chiming of bells that Totty, our protagonist, makes his daily routine around. Some parts were really tedious, and some parts were beautiful and poignant. At the end, I could only give this one 3.5 stars because it was a difficult and somewhat unrewarding read for this reader. If you have read The Chimes, I would love some feedback on what you believe was the point of this story.
I have started The Cricket on the Hearth, and it's really hard to focus my attention on the writing. I haven't given up yet! Soldier on!
Update: I've come to the conclusion that life is too short to keep trying to read The Cricket on the Hearth. It's dreadfully boring. I can feel my hair growing as I try to read it. I feel that I did my best with it, and I'm calling this one a day. I will have to give this one a rating of 1 star because it was too boring to finish reading.
So my overall rating is four stars, because of my love for A Christmas Carol, and my half-hearted enjoyment of The Chimes. I pray that Dickens' longer fiction isn't dry like this. I'd really like to read some of it.
January 24, 2009
This was my first Dickens novel. I know it is kind of cheesy to make my foray into Dickens’s work by reading A Christmas Carol during the holidays but hey…whatever helps break the ice right?
This book, as most people already know, is about a tight-fisted, bitter old man named Ebenezer Scrooge. Scrooge is visited one night by the ghost of his partner who has come to warn Scrooge of his fate in the afterworld and that Scrooge will face similar persecution in the afterlife if he does not change his ways. Scrooge is warned that more ghosts will appear to help him redeem himself in life and prevent the perils his partner has faced in death. Scrooge is then visited by the ghost of Christmas past, the ghost of Christmas present, and the ghost of Christmas future. Scrooge is shown the actions of different people during each Christmas and he is given a choice at the end. Can he ever change?
The story was an inspiring Christmas story and helps remind people how their behavior affects others. This novel reminds us that we need to give to others who need more than we ourselves are and that the payoff for this assistance is much more fulfilling than any amount of money in the pocket or the bank could ever be.
I found this book surprisingly fun and easy to read. The novel was shorter than I expected and was not inundated with old world terms that I could not understand. I had been somewhat intimidated by Dickens prior to reading this book. However, now that I know the humorous and witty writing style of Charles Dickens I will definitely be reading more of his work in the future.
This book, as most people already know, is about a tight-fisted, bitter old man named Ebenezer Scrooge. Scrooge is visited one night by the ghost of his partner who has come to warn Scrooge of his fate in the afterworld and that Scrooge will face similar persecution in the afterlife if he does not change his ways. Scrooge is warned that more ghosts will appear to help him redeem himself in life and prevent the perils his partner has faced in death. Scrooge is then visited by the ghost of Christmas past, the ghost of Christmas present, and the ghost of Christmas future. Scrooge is shown the actions of different people during each Christmas and he is given a choice at the end. Can he ever change?
The story was an inspiring Christmas story and helps remind people how their behavior affects others. This novel reminds us that we need to give to others who need more than we ourselves are and that the payoff for this assistance is much more fulfilling than any amount of money in the pocket or the bank could ever be.
I found this book surprisingly fun and easy to read. The novel was shorter than I expected and was not inundated with old world terms that I could not understand. I had been somewhat intimidated by Dickens prior to reading this book. However, now that I know the humorous and witty writing style of Charles Dickens I will definitely be reading more of his work in the future.
December 17, 2025
2025: I don't understand how a book that is so ubiquitous and beloved can simultaneously be so ignored and neglected. It's unbelievable to me how many people this year will read this book with a mug of hot cocoa at their elbow or watch one of its many adaptations with a bowl of popcorn, and they'll smile at Tiny Tim's salvation and nod piously as Scrooge learns to "keep Christmas." But they'll continue to support ICE raids and cuts to healthcare coverage that will directly lead to the deaths of children and the destruction of families in the real world right now. There's a common misconception that the novel is about how you shouldn't be grumpy at Christmas, or that the moral of the story is that one ought to say "Merry Christmas" rather than "Happy Holidays." That couldn't be more wrong. The book is a condemnation of zero-sum, isolationist politics. It's an exhortation to reforge our ties to community, to show mercy and charity to the poor.
I worry that our nation will echo Marley's regrets: “Why did I walk through crowds of fellow-beings with my eyes turned down, and never raise them to that blessed Star which led the Wise Men to a poor abode? Were there no poor homes to which its light would have conducted me?”
2024: While I don’t think the Bible should be taught in public grade schools, this should be taught in every MBA program.
2022:
A perfect book. The premise, the structure, the characters, the prose all sing brilliantly together.
I worry that our nation will echo Marley's regrets: “Why did I walk through crowds of fellow-beings with my eyes turned down, and never raise them to that blessed Star which led the Wise Men to a poor abode? Were there no poor homes to which its light would have conducted me?”
2024: While I don’t think the Bible should be taught in public grade schools, this should be taught in every MBA program.
2022:
A perfect book. The premise, the structure, the characters, the prose all sing brilliantly together.
January 28, 2008
It is hard to give this book one overall rating, since it is three books in one. I have read A Christmas Carol before and think it is a must to read each Christmas season. I would give it 5 stars!
I am going to base my review on the book The Chimes. It is a New Year's Tale, so I thought it was fitting to read it in January. It is not a long book but it did take me several days to really get into it. Once I did, I finished it in one sitting.
It was sad to see how terribly the poor people during Dicken's time were treated. They were continually told they were bad people and their life was not of value. This story follows a poor man and he dreams (or is shown - story doesn't make it quite clear) the terrible things that could happen to his family. When he wakes up it is the New Year and he realizes all the terrible things didn't happen. It is a joyous New Year's Day.
I think the ending lines of the book sum up the book's theme: "So may the New Year be a happy one to you, happy to many more whose happiness depends on you! So may each year be happier than the last, and not the meanest of our brethren or sisterhood debarred their rightful share in what our Great Creator formed them to enjoy."
I am going to base my review on the book The Chimes. It is a New Year's Tale, so I thought it was fitting to read it in January. It is not a long book but it did take me several days to really get into it. Once I did, I finished it in one sitting.
It was sad to see how terribly the poor people during Dicken's time were treated. They were continually told they were bad people and their life was not of value. This story follows a poor man and he dreams (or is shown - story doesn't make it quite clear) the terrible things that could happen to his family. When he wakes up it is the New Year and he realizes all the terrible things didn't happen. It is a joyous New Year's Day.
I think the ending lines of the book sum up the book's theme: "So may the New Year be a happy one to you, happy to many more whose happiness depends on you! So may each year be happier than the last, and not the meanest of our brethren or sisterhood debarred their rightful share in what our Great Creator formed them to enjoy."
December 30, 2021
It's amazing to read lines written literal centuries ago that will become so SO iconic in western culture and will be adapted so so SO many times
Read
December 31, 2023slaps
(listened to the audiobook, which was pretty great. Do recommend.)
(listened to the audiobook, which was pretty great. Do recommend.)
December 20, 2020
There's not much I can say about this legendary book that has not already been said countless times. It is a classic for a reason. I've seen movie adaptations many times in my life, but this was my first time diving into the book. I read and listened on audio. Dickins' prose is so distinct and gorgeous: he can say in a few words what some would struggle to say adequately in many. If you have *somehow* managed to get this far in life without knowing the storyline, here it is in a nutshell.
Ebeneezer Scrooge is a greedy miser who has no joy in his life and has managed to lose his humanity as well. Not even the poverty of his only employee, Bob Cratchett, is enough to soften his steely heart. On Christmas Eve, four ghosts visit Scrooge to show him the error of his ways and attempt to alter the trajectory of his sad existence. Scrooge's moral regeneration and subsequent course corrections are some of the most beautiful things I've ever read. Do yourself a favor and read this one. It's short. You won't regret it.
Oh, and God Bless Us Every One.
BOOK QUOTES:
♥️While there is infection in disease and sorrow, there is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor.
♥️For it is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas, when its mighty Founder was a child Himself.
♥️I wear the chain I forged in life," replied the Ghost. "I made it link by link, and yard by yard; I girded it on of my own free will, and of my own free will I wore it.
♥️I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach.
Ebeneezer Scrooge is a greedy miser who has no joy in his life and has managed to lose his humanity as well. Not even the poverty of his only employee, Bob Cratchett, is enough to soften his steely heart. On Christmas Eve, four ghosts visit Scrooge to show him the error of his ways and attempt to alter the trajectory of his sad existence. Scrooge's moral regeneration and subsequent course corrections are some of the most beautiful things I've ever read. Do yourself a favor and read this one. It's short. You won't regret it.
Oh, and God Bless Us Every One.
BOOK QUOTES:
♥️While there is infection in disease and sorrow, there is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor.
♥️For it is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas, when its mighty Founder was a child Himself.
♥️I wear the chain I forged in life," replied the Ghost. "I made it link by link, and yard by yard; I girded it on of my own free will, and of my own free will I wore it.
♥️I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach.
August 5, 2021
Being as it is near impossible to gauge the narrative strength of “A Christmas Carol”—the basic story and its many film and animated adaptations being so ingrained in our culture—I still can’t help myself from wondering if “The Cricket on the Hearth” would not be an even more beloved holiday staple if only more people knew of it. “Cricket” was, after all, more beloved in Dickens’s own time. The narrative twists and beautifully written passages give ample reason why a 19th Century readership, if not even a 20th and 21st century one, would prefer it. Of course, how many people are even thinking of Dickens’s knotty sentences and didactic moralizing in his original “Carol” text when they claim to love the book? Aren’t they usually just thinking of Alastair Sim or Mickey Mouse?
The real dud out of these first three of Dickens’s five holiday novellas is definitely “The Chimes,” another supernatural holiday story about the mistreatment of the poor, this time at New Year’s Eve. However, instead of Ebenezer Scrooge, one of literature’s most villainous of characters who is long overdue a comeuppance, Dickens’s New Year's goblins pile their heartbreak upon the seemingly good-hearted and undeserving Toby “Trotty” Veck. This was clearly an attempt by Dickens to try to cash in again on the earlier success of “Carol” to much lesser results.
The real dud out of these first three of Dickens’s five holiday novellas is definitely “The Chimes,” another supernatural holiday story about the mistreatment of the poor, this time at New Year’s Eve. However, instead of Ebenezer Scrooge, one of literature’s most villainous of characters who is long overdue a comeuppance, Dickens’s New Year's goblins pile their heartbreak upon the seemingly good-hearted and undeserving Toby “Trotty” Veck. This was clearly an attempt by Dickens to try to cash in again on the earlier success of “Carol” to much lesser results.
December 6, 2010
I have always loved Dickens Christmas Carol, but have never read his trilogy of Christmas stories.
I did find them worthwhile, but not as intriguing as Christmas Carol itself.
The Chimes is slightly grim, but still has a good outcome(it is rather the typical beat them down then pull a good lesson out of it type of story)-thankfulness for what you are given and have, a good lesson.
And of course these stories are extremely time driven, so you have to think as if you were in that day(it does pull you there, and some of the ways in which the stories are written paint the picture of writers at the time.)
The Cricket was more of an upbeat story with a twist untwist at the end. Amusing and fun to read, but still not as good as the carol. For it's time, and originality i would have upped the stars to 31/2 but that is not available so i'll keep it at 3 as i don't think the last 2 stories are of the same quality as the first.
I did find them worthwhile, but not as intriguing as Christmas Carol itself.
The Chimes is slightly grim, but still has a good outcome(it is rather the typical beat them down then pull a good lesson out of it type of story)-thankfulness for what you are given and have, a good lesson.
And of course these stories are extremely time driven, so you have to think as if you were in that day(it does pull you there, and some of the ways in which the stories are written paint the picture of writers at the time.)
The Cricket was more of an upbeat story with a twist untwist at the end. Amusing and fun to read, but still not as good as the carol. For it's time, and originality i would have upped the stars to 31/2 but that is not available so i'll keep it at 3 as i don't think the last 2 stories are of the same quality as the first.
December 16, 2016
Three of the five holiday stories written by Charles Dickens. The Chimes and The Cricket on the Hearth were not previously known to me. A Christmas Carol will remain my favorite, however, I can see why the other two would have been popular during the Victorian era.
It is impossible to read these short stories and miss Dickens' cry for the conversion of selfish hearts into caring ones. Keep Christmas with you. Always believe in better things to come. And, "if you haven't got charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble".
It is impossible to read these short stories and miss Dickens' cry for the conversion of selfish hearts into caring ones. Keep Christmas with you. Always believe in better things to come. And, "if you haven't got charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble".
February 28, 2016
When my daughter was in college, I gave her English professor a small plum pudding for Christmas and in return, she presented me with a copy of this book, which I cherish and try to read a bit each Christmas.
This year I'm starting with A Cricket on the Hearth.
This year I'm starting with A Cricket on the Hearth.
December 17, 2023
Love A Christmas Carol and read it every year, cannot make it through The Chimes or Cricket on the Hearth. They just cannot hold my attention at all!
December 22, 2017
5/5stars
The OG heart warming Christmas story - so cute and iconic
The OG heart warming Christmas story - so cute and iconic
July 16, 2019
I just... I love Dickens. Don't really have more to say about this one.
December 23, 2025
12/2025:
-“There are a great many things from which I might have derived good, by which I have not profited.”
-“a good time: a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time…when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and think of people as if they really were fellow-passengers…it has done me good, and will do me good; and I say, God bless it!”
-"Because I fell in love!"
-(Is Fred my favorite character this year??)
-Abundance rejoices
-The misery with them all was, clearly, that they sought to interfere, for good, in human matters, but had lost the power for ever.
-All these boys were in great spirits, and shouted to each other, until the broad fields were so full of merry music, that the crisp air laughed to hear it
-Laughing heartily if it went right and not less heartily if it went wrong
-Hugged his daughter to his heart’s content
-The gravy hissing hot,
-But they were happy, grateful, pleased with one another, and contented with the time
-But the words choked themselves, rather than be parties to a lie of such enormous magnitude.
-“They are Man’s.”
-The Time before him was his own.
-“I don’t know anything. I’m quite a baby. Never mind. I don’t care, I’d rather be a baby. Hallo!”
-And found that everything could yield him pleasure
-His own heart laughed, and that was quite enough for him
*****
The summer of the soul in December
As Freedom Comes from Giving Love
Life is made up of meetings and partings. That is the way of it.
-“There are a great many things from which I might have derived good, by which I have not profited.”
-“a good time: a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time…when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and think of people as if they really were fellow-passengers…it has done me good, and will do me good; and I say, God bless it!”
-"Because I fell in love!"
-(Is Fred my favorite character this year??)
-Abundance rejoices
-The misery with them all was, clearly, that they sought to interfere, for good, in human matters, but had lost the power for ever.
-All these boys were in great spirits, and shouted to each other, until the broad fields were so full of merry music, that the crisp air laughed to hear it
-Laughing heartily if it went right and not less heartily if it went wrong
-Hugged his daughter to his heart’s content
-The gravy hissing hot,
-But they were happy, grateful, pleased with one another, and contented with the time
-But the words choked themselves, rather than be parties to a lie of such enormous magnitude.
-“They are Man’s.”
-The Time before him was his own.
-“I don’t know anything. I’m quite a baby. Never mind. I don’t care, I’d rather be a baby. Hallo!”
-And found that everything could yield him pleasure
-His own heart laughed, and that was quite enough for him
*****
The summer of the soul in December
As Freedom Comes from Giving Love
Life is made up of meetings and partings. That is the way of it.
December 14, 2024
I reread this for a book club. There are so many layers of richness and wisdom that it is truly a classic.
I normally do not watch a movie before I’ve read the book, but in this case, I think a telling such as Patrick Stewart’s A CHRISTMAS CAROL watched ahead of time can make reading this story an even richer experience.
I normally do not watch a movie before I’ve read the book, but in this case, I think a telling such as Patrick Stewart’s A CHRISTMAS CAROL watched ahead of time can make reading this story an even richer experience.
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