A Christmas Carol in WACKY READING CHALLENGES

Oct 17, 2008 Book Concierge rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 19th-century, 1001-books-you-must-read-before-you, british, classic, book-club, concierge, library, abuse, literature, own

Of course, I'd had this story read to me as a young child, and I'd read it myself in high school (or thereabouts), but my book group was looking for a work that was "seasonal." We decided to have an English Tea for our meeting and several members brought their children along. The younger set made a number of insightful comments. This is a true classic. We especially found it interesting to note that Dickens was writing of the effects of child abuse so many years ago.

Update August 2011
Long befor Of course, I'd had this story read to me as a young child, and I'd read it myself in high school (or thereabouts), but my book group was looking for a work that was "seasonal." We decided to have an English Tea for our meeting and several members brought their children along. The younger set made a number of insightful comments. This is a true classic. We especially found it interesting to note that Dickens was writing of the effects of child abuse so many years ago.

Update August 2011
Long before Dr Suess created the Grinch with a heart “two sizes too small,” Dickens wrote about a character so iconic that he became synonymous with a stinginess, bitterness, and smallness. But you have to love Scrooge. When he gets his wake-up call, in the form of the ghosts of Christmas Present, Christmas Past and Christmas Future, he heeds their message and reforms. I’ve read this many times since childhood. But my adult self is particularly struck by how so many centuries ago, Dickens wrote of the long-lasting effects of child neglect on the person now grown to adulthood. What a timeless treasure this work is!

UPDATE - 29 Nov 2011
I listened to the audio book, performed by Jim Dale. He is a wonderful actor, and voice-over artist. Many will know him as giving voice to the many characters in J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter audio books. To say that Dale is talented doesn’t begin to express what a wonderful job he does.

He’s expressive, including chortles or grunts or sighs, as the text requires. His pacing is spot-on perfect, giving the listener enough time to absorb the information but not dragging it out. The voices he uses are sufficiently distinct that you have no trouble distinguishing who is talking when there is a two-(or even three-)way conversation.

UPDATE - 04 Dec 2015
For my birthday, my brother (who is an estate-sale junkie) sent me an ancient leather-bound edition of this classic. It's too fragile to actually read, but the back page has a faint date stamp that appears to read March 8,1897. Inside there is a gentleman's calling card on which is written (in a lovely script) To Mrs Fannie from Frank L Williams, with best wishes for a Happy Xmas

Anyway ... I'll treasure it always, but read the newer edition I have in my library. ...more

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Dec 26, 2021 Elle rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: classic, 5-star-reads

A classic for a reason. The story is well known due to so many adaptations, but the text still holds its own. I loved this quick little novella and it is certain to be one that I revisit during occasional holiday seasons. The writing is so good and easy to read through with vibrant characters and such a great message. Some classics are boring and stuffy and hard to get through. That is not the case with A Christmas Carol. I'm only sorry it took me this long to finally pick it up. Wonderful. ...more

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Sep 09, 2013 Jody rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: bbc-100, bbc-big-read, rory-gilmore, 1001-before-you-die, owned-books

Although I am, like most 'adults', very familiar with the story (I write this as I'm sitting watching Scrooged!) I had never read the book. Again, as I found with Great Expectations, Charles Dickens is a funny guy! Despite its age, it's very readable & really accessible. It's so easy to see why this is such a well-loved and much-adapted classic. ...more

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Jan 10, 2025 Angie H rated it liked it · review of another edition

2.5 🌟
It's sad that I didn't like this book. I know how well loved it is, and I wanted to love it too. Honestly, I felt very confused during this book, which I was not expecting. I even tried the audiobook but I just couldn't get into it. The ending is what upped the rating for me. I enjoyed that part.
I will take a full-length Dickens novel any day over this one... but at least I can mark this one off my Dickens checklist. So many left to go..... ...more

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Jan 25, 2009 Kelly (Maybedog) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: what-classic, how-play

I agree that in this day and age the story is trite, predictuable, overdone and a bit Pollyanna but I think it was quite original for its time and many a story nowadays has gained inspriation from this tale.

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