Books with title A Christmas Carol

A Christmas Carol is a novella by Charles Dickens, first published in London by Chapman & Hall on 19 December 1843. The novella met with instant success and critical acclaim. Carol tells the story of a bitter old miser named Ebenezer Scrooge and his transformation into a gentler, kindlier man after visitations by the ghost of his former business partner Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of Christmases Past, Present and Yet to Come.The book was written at a time when the British were examining and exploring Christmas traditions from the past as well as new customs such as Christmas cards and Christmas trees. Carol singing took a new lease on life during this time. Dickens' sources for the tale appear to be many and varied, but are, principally, the humiliating experiences of his childhood, his sympathy for the poor, and various Christmas stories and fairy tales.Dickens' Carol was one of the greatest influences in rejuvenating the old Christmas traditions of England, but, while it brings to the reader images of light, joy, warmth and life, it also brings strong and unforgettable images of darkness, despair, coldness, sadness, and death. Scrooge himself is the embodiment of winter, and, just as winter is followed by spring and the renewal of life, so too is Scrooge's cold, pinched heart restored to the innocent goodwill he had known in his childhood and youth. A Christmas Carol remains popular—having never been out of print—and has been adapted many times to film, stage, opera, and other media.

A holiday classic by Charles Dickens. Originally published in 1843, Dickens worried about the disparity between the wealthy and the impoverished, and it was his attempt to bring this disparity into the light of day, to appeal to the die-hard capitalists to take care of the downtrodden masses. Since this inequity continues, this story is still popular, and will probably continue to be so for the foreseeable future.

This timeless tale of an arrogant miser's transformation into a paragon of warmhearted generosity, recounted by one of the English language's most popular authors, is as much a part of the season as holly and mistletoe. Lovers of fiction, Dickens novels, picture books, and the holiday itself will delight in this magnificent hardcover edition of A Christmas Carol, illustrated by Arthur Rackham. A dozen full-page color plates and 18 black-and-white images by the legendary artist recapture the story's Victorian charm and contribute to the keepsake quality of this heirloom volume.

The timeless tale of Ebenezer Scrooge and his adventures on Christmas Eve continue to teach an important lesson, even to this day. Author Charles Dickens introduces us to the main character by painting him in a negative light, a selfish and miserly old man who will barely pay enough money to keep his office heated. When Scrooge returns home after work, the ghost of his former business partner, Jacob Marley, visits him and tells him that because of the wrongdoing he had done during his life, he has been condemned to walk in his ghost years shackled by chains. He warns Scrooge that the same fate might await him. The ghost leaves, allowing Scrooge to fall asleep. Scrooge is then visited by three different ghosts: first comes the Ghost of Christmas Past, who takes him to revisit various scenarios from his past Christmases, including one event that makes Scrooge shed tears. Next he is taken around by the Ghost of Christmas Present, who shows Scrooge what Christmas will look like this year, and he sees scenes of the Christmas dinner held by his clerk, Bob Cratchit, who has a crippled son. The final visitor is the Ghost of Christmas Yet, and while the two of them are on their journey, they overhear people speaking about a dead man and his assets. Scrooge yearns to know who has passed away, finally figuring out that the deceased man is himself. After the initial shock and a promise to change his ways, Scrooge finds himself back in his bed with a brand-new outlook on life.

Ebenezer Scrooge has always hated Christmas, but in this particular Eve, he's given another reason to be wary of the holiday: the ghost of Jacob Marley comes to visit! Clad in heavy chains and burdensome weights, Marley's ghost warns Scrooge that three spirits will visit him over the next three nights, each with a ghastly story to share. Will Scrooge's ghoulish experience teach him to embrace the spirit of Christmas, or will he say "bah humbug" to the holidays for the last time? These full-color graphic novels feature enhanced Common Core State Standards support, including discussion and writing prompts developed by a Common Core expert, an expanded introduction, and bolded glossary words.

The first of the Christmas books — A HRISTMAS CAROL — appeared in 1843, and in the following year Dickens went to Italy, where at Genoa he wrote THE CHIMES, followed by THE CRICKET ON THE HEARTH, THE BATTLE OF LIFE, and THE HAUNTED MAN.Dickens was regarded as the literary colossus of his age. His novella, A Christmas Carol, remains popular and continues to inspire adaptations in every artistic genre.CONTENTS:1 - A Christmas Carol with illustrations by John Leech.2 - Appreciations and Criticisms of the Works of Charles Dickens By G. K. Chesterton (Extract About “The Christmas Books”).3 - Biographical note by John W. Cousin.4 - Biographical Illustrations.

On the night of Christmas Eve, Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by three Christmas spirits. The Ghost of Christmas Past confronts Scrooge with his youth, the Ghost of Christmas Present reveals the Cratchits' struggle amid poverty, and the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come harrows Scrooge with dire visions of the future if he does not learn to treat his fellow man with kindness, generosity and compassion. A Christmas Carol remains one of the most beloved Christmas stories of all time, and this edition is sure to please with its 48 illustrations from over a dozen different artists. Charles Dickens redefined the spirit and importance of Christmas and initiated a rebirth of seasonal merriment. The book played a significant role in reinventing Christmas with an emphasis on family, goodwill, and compassion. This edition is limited to 1,000 copies.

A Christmas Carol is one of Charles Dickens' most loved books - a true classic and a Christmas time must-read. Ebenezer Scrooge is a mean, miserable, bitter old man with no friends. One cold Christmas Eve, three ghosts take him on a scary journey to show him the error of his nasty ways. By visiting his past, present and future, Scrooge learns to love Christmas and the people all around him. With a light-hearted introduction by bestselling author Anthony Horowitz, creator of the highly successful Alex Rider novels, most recently Snakehead. Charles Dickens (1812-70) is one of the most recognized celebrities of English literature. His imagination, wit, mastery of the language and huge creative output single him out as one of the few people who genuinely deserve to be called genius. He had a poverty-stricken childhood and was determined to improve himself. By his early twenties he found a job as a parliamentary reporter and in his spare time wrote sketches of London life for newspapers and magazines. The publication of Pickwick Papers (1836) brought him the fame and fortune he craved. He wrote many other famous books including Oliver Twist, Great Expectations and A Tale of Two Cities.

A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas, commonly known as A Christmas Carol, is a novella by Charles Dickens, first published in London by Chapman & Hall in 1843 and illustrated by John Leech. A Christmas Carol recounts the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, an elderly miser who is visited by the ghost of his former business partner Jacob Marley and the spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come. After their visits, Scrooge is transformed into a kinder, gentler man.Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol during a period when the British were exploring and re-evaluating past Christmas traditions, including carols and newer customs such as Christmas trees. He was influenced by the experiences of his own youth and by the Christmas stories of other authors including Washington Irving and Douglas Jerrold. Dickens had written three Christmas stories prior to the novella, and was inspired following a visit to the Field Lane Ragged School, one of several establishments for London's street children. The treatment of the poor and the ability of a selfish man to redeem himself by transforming into a more sympathetic character are the key themes of the story. There is discussion among academics as to whether this was a fully secular story, or if it is a Christian allegory.Published on 19 December, the first edition sold out by Christmas Eve; by the end of 1844 thirteen editions had been released. Most critics reviewed the novella favourably. The story was illicitly copied in January 1844; Dickens took legal action against the publishers, who went bankrupt, further reducing Dickens's small profits from the publication. He went on to write four other Christmas stories in subsequent years. In 1849 he began public readings of the story which proved so successful he undertook 127 further performances until 1870, the year of his death. A Christmas Carol has never been out of print and has been translated into several languages; the story has been adapted many times for film, stage, opera and other media.A Christmas Carol captured the zeitgeist of the mid-Victorian revival of the Christmas holiday. Dickens had acknowledged the influence of the modern Western observance of Christmas and later inspired several aspects of Christmas, including family gatherings, seasonal food and drink, dancing, games and a festive generosity of spirit.