A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Re-release Date: May 17, 2012 (originally published December 19, 1843)
Publisher: Atria Books
Pages: 71
Source: Book provided free through Amazon
Charles Dickens’ masterfully crafted Christmas fable tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a man with wealth to match the coldness of his heart. On a mystical Christmas Eve, a visitation with spirits forces Scrooge to make a choice: change, or perish.
Review: A Christmas Carol has been a long-loved holiday movie of mine (the Alastair Sim version from 1951, with Mr. Magoo running a close second). While I’ve seen almost every version of the movie, I’d never read the book. This year I happened upon a free version of the story on Amazon and decided it was time. And a wonderful book it is!
While there are moments in the book I don’t remember seeing in any of the films, I can understand why. Either they just don’t add to the visual or, in older versions at least, they would be too hard to film. Most of the book is spot-on to the movies which added to my enjoyment in reading. Even though it’s been a few years since I’ve watched any of them, I could see several scenes played out as I read them in the book.
It’s a short book, only 71 pages, very easy for an evening read. And if you’re a fan of the movies or of Dickens or of Christmas, I’m sure you will enjoy reading of Scrooge and his metamorphosis from bah-humbug to whoop!
