A Christmas Carol and Other Christmas Writings

by Charles Dickens

Genres: Classics, Christmas, Fiction

328 pages, Hardcover

About the author

Charles 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)

Reviews

[Erin Kerley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection is a mixed bag, but there’s no denying that Dickens knows how to capture the magic and spirit of Christmas. A Christmas Carol remains timeless—a heartwarming, haunting tale that got me fully in the holiday mood. The other stories, though, are hit-or-miss. Some feel overly sentimental or long-winded, lacking the charm of the main event.

Still, the vivid descriptions and messages of generosity and redemption shine through. If you want a cozy read to kick off the festive season, this is a solid choice, even if not all the stories land.

[əm. · Rating 3 out of 5]

finishing a christmas book in June is quite ironic, really. so is reading Dickens through a reader's block. god this was an enjoyable but such exhausting ride! to the point where I've skimmed an awful lot of the book.

[Hollie Ennis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read the first short stories & A Christmas Carol…. I’m keeping the rest of the short stories at the back for next Christmas (:
Enjoyed a Christmas Carol, I haven’t read any Dickens before this, he’s quite comical in his writing!

[Jose Urias · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christmas is the best time of the year. As I get older, it remains my favorite. I got this book to read A Christmas Carol, but I found my favorite story was What Christmas is, As We Grow Older. The author writes, "Therefore, as we grow older, let us be more thankful that the circle of our Christmas associations and of the lessons that they bring expands! Let us welcome every one of them, and summon them to take their places by the Christmas hearth. " This truly highlights to me what is important around this time, family and the experiences and lessons you learn throughout the years.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adore Charles Dickens!! Every single one of these stories is the epitome of what Christmas is and they awaken such a beautiful Christmassy feeling in the reader

[Carolina Sanchez - Ignacio · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was great, and I can see why it is still taught in schools today. The underlying ideas of kindness, regret, and second chances make the story meaningful, even though it was written a long time ago. The emotional moments throughout the book make it more poignant and impactful, allowing it to be more than just a festive read. These themes give the story lasting relevance and help it connect with modern readers.

At the beginning of the novel, Ebenezer Scrooge is portrayed as a horrible, grumpy, cold, miserable, and isolated old man. The only thing he truly cares about is money; he shows no warmth when speaking about his former friend Marley or even toward his own nephew. However, by the end of the story, Scrooge undergoes a complete transformation and becomes warm, generous, joyful, and compassionate. His change demonstrates that it is never too late to improve yourself, and it even alters how others perceive him. This transformation is influenced by all three spirits, but the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come has the greatest impact. Seeing the lonely and unloved future that awaits him if he continues on his current path forces Scrooge to confront the consequences of his actions and motivates him to change.

The theme that stood out to me the most was redemption. Scrooge is not portrayed as purely evil, but rather as someone who has allowed fear and bitterness to control his life. Dickens shows that no matter how set in their ways a person may be, change is always possible. This theme offers hope to the reader, suggesting that if there are aspects of ourselves we are unhappy with, we have the power to change them.

Out of all the ghosts, the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come had the biggest impact on me, largely because of his silence. This lack of speech makes his message even more unsettling and powerful. He shows Scrooge how little he is liked or remembered, highlighting his selfishness and complete isolation. Scrooge is shown to be as cold as the money he values so highly. This reflection allows him to change his ways so that he can be remembered with love rather than indifference.

Overall, Dickens clearly wanted readers to take away the message that kindness, generosity, and empathy are essential—not just at Christmas, but throughout one’s entire life. Considering the time period in which the book was written, the novel also highlights social responsibility and raises awareness of poverty, which was widespread at the time. Dickens communicates these messages effectively through Scrooge’s transformation, making the story both memorable and meaningful.

[Isabelle Verebelyi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had been sat on my shelves unread for far too long, so I decided it had to be my next audiobook read. I am so glad I picked it up! I had only ever read A Christmas Carol by Dickens previously but this book allowed me to read more of his short stories. It is no wonder he was a British favourite in his time, he has such an enchanting way of writing.

You can tell he had such a deep love of Christmas, and endeavoured to remind people of its childish wonder and not become to ‘adult’ and serious. He also touched on other vital subjects like poverty and forgiveness among others, all of which the lessons are still relevant today.

He also would give the author their own voice and directly address the reader which I really enjoyed.

I have been so pleasantly surprised by this book, am I a Dickens convert?

[S · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read everything except A Christmas Carol, which I read last Christmas. I forgot how funny Dickens is. "sauce-female, inattentive boy" am a I a rogue or a proctor. He's so good at characterisation as in the haunted man and the ghost "there's another one that likes me" and "that's what I say." Cool to see how much Dickens backs his wassail and nice to hear his reminisces of his childhood christmas. What is christmas as we get older is touching but very victorian as its about how common childhood mortality was. Fun but without a christmas carol, which i have reviewed separately, it's just not as good.

[Hanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book out loud to my kids, and I think that is definitely the way to go. Charles Dickens writes with a lot of punctuation, and it seems to me that it is meant to be read aloud. I attempted reading it to myself a couple times, but I found it to be difficult to follow. If not for that, I would have given it 5 stars. I enjoyed the other short stories within the book besides A Christmas Carol, and thought the haunted man in particular made you stop and think. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys the language and style of 19th century literature, but would probably tell others to stick to the modern day Christmas Carol adaptations.

[Tirzah · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's taken me this long to read one of Dicken's - if not most - popular book. I think since I already knew the story from endless movie adaptations, I wasn't in a rush to read it. I am glad I finally got around to it. Scrooge's lesson is a good lesson from which all can benefit. The story is easy to read compared to his other novels, and it is also fun to read aloud.

If one wanted to introduce Dickens to a friend without overwhelming them, I'd recommend this and Great Expectations, which I also found an easier read compared to his others, though none of these two are my favorites.

[Rachel Howell]

Seems to me that he had a theme for how to tell a Christmas story. I thought A Christmas Carol would have been unique, yet the haunted man and the Goblin who stole a sexton were of the same vein. Characters redeemed, with the magic of Christmas.

I enjoyed reading a Christmas Carol and the Goblin story. The haunted man felt too long winded. The rest of the stories kinda dull and made me wish I wasn't reading the book.

Makes this hard to rate so I won't.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not sure why I have never reviewed this before since I try and read it every Christmas Eve. In my opinion, it is the Christmas classic. I chose to read my Penguin Clothbound Classic edition and was pleased to find there are explanations for some of the expressions Dickens uses in the notes section at the back of the book.

[booksandgreenpyjamas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed A Christmas Carol and feel that it is a necessary read around Christmas time. Struggled with some of the other Christmas stories and felt that the book was a bit long-winded and lacked the sentiment of the main story. The language was also challenging to decipher and I struggled with understanding the plot of some of the stories.

[Michael Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

To be fair, I only read the main story. But was a great way to end this extraordinary year of reading.

[Nayeon Kang · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great as one of those cosy, traditional & wintry reads to get me into that Christmassy spirit!But I read this as my first book of the new year 2025!!

[Brianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I only read A Christmas Carol. Not the other Christmas Writings. Maybe another time

[Rob]

Third reread finished. It had been years since the last time, so much has changed since the last time. Always a good place to resort your priorities.

[J. E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some of the best writings about Christmas ever ..... in my ever so humble opinion! I anticipate re-reading these stories many more times just before Christmases to come.

[Kyle]

The Haunted Man is very good.