Book: A Christmas CarolInfo: Copyright 1986, New York: Bantam Books. (Originally Published in 1843
Where acquired: Either a yard sale or a library book sale; I don't remember.
Rating (on a scale of 1-4 stars): ✮✭✭✭
What it's about: Dickens' classic story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a shrewd businessman with a penchant for greed and cruelty, especially at Christmas. He is haunted by three spirits who show him through his past, present, and the "shadow" of the future the dangers of his lack of compassion.
Favorite Quotes:
Speaking of Scrooge: "Even the blindmen's dogs appeared to know him; and when they saw him coming on, would tug their owners into doorways and up courts; and then would wag their tails as though they said, 'no eye at all is better than an evil eye, dark master!'" - p. 6
"Man," said the Ghost, "if man you be in heart, not adamant, forbear that wicked cant until you have discovered What the surplus is, and Where it is. Will you decide what men shall live, what men shall die? It may be, that in the sight of Heaven, you are more worthless and less fit to live than millions like this poor man’s child. Oh God! to hear the Insect on the leaf pronouncing on the too much life among his hungry brothers in the dust!" - p. 53
What I Liked:
- Though this story is set in Victorian England, its message is universal to all of humanity.
- I know this is a trait of Dickens' writing, but he writes 8 pounds to the word. He can take two paragraphs to simply say that someone is dead. It reminds me of when I weeded through Moby Dick in graduate school. Flowery language is one thing, but goodness, get it said!
Through the years, I've seen various movie adaptations of this story, but I'd never sat down and read the actual book. Reading it made me love the story even more. Rereading this may become a yearly Christmas tradition.
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