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A Charles Dickens Christmas: The Chimes, The Cricket on the Hearth, The Battle of Life, The Haunted Man
A Charles Dickens Christmas features four stories from the Victorian storyteller that encapsulate the true spirit of the holidays. Tales such as The Chimes, a New Year’s story of redemption, The Cricket on the Hearth, a fairy tale of home, The Battle of Life, an inspiring love story, and The Haunted Man, a story of finding the spirit of Christmas, are the perfect complement to a cold winter’s night spent curled up reading by the fire.
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- GenresClassics
100 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 4, 2012
10 people are currently reading
25 people want to read
About the author
Charles Dickens
12.8k books31.4k followersCharles 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)
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)
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 29, 2021
There is a reason why ‘The Christmas Carol’ is the most famous of Charles Dickens festive tales as it is undoubtedly the best. These other stories though do still make for some interesting readings, especially in seeing the themes and correlations to The Christmas Carol in earlier stages before they were later developed further. While these did feel a bit drier and more clumpy they still have that Dickensian Christmasness about them.
December 31, 2022
A really odd collection of tales (and not really connected to Christmas). If you've ever wished there were more female characters in A Christmas Carol, be glad there aren't. So. Much. Self-sacrifice. . .
March 10, 2025
I cant remember my start and finish dates, but I did read the stories. And A HAUNTED MAN is a real eye-opener! As good as lesson learned as in A CHRISTMAS CAROL!
December 24, 2016
I liked some of these short stories. Some of them (The Chimes, The Battle of Life) didn't really appeal to me. I finished these stories and then I found a copy of A Christmas Carol and read that, too. I'm very glad I finally read these stories and finished right before Christmas. Now I can finish Little Dorritt!
January 28, 2015
Este libro tiene algunas historias muy agradables pero sólo le doy 3 estrellas pues los dos cuentos más extensos son muy repetitivos y poco interesantes.
March 3, 2017
The Chimes: January 15, 2017
The Cricket on the Hearth: January 31, 2017
The Battle of Life: February 9, 2017
The Haunted Man: February 14, 2017
The Cricket on the Hearth: January 31, 2017
The Battle of Life: February 9, 2017
The Haunted Man: February 14, 2017
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews