Inventing Scrooge: The Incredible True Story Behind Charles Dickens' Legendary "A Christmas Carol"

by Carlo DeVito

Inventing Scrooge uncovers the real-life inspirations from Charles Dickens’ own world that led to the fascinating creation of his most beloved A Christmas Carol.

When Charles Dickens created the story that would become A Christmas Carol, little did he know that his “ghostly little book” would reinvent the way we celebrate Christmas. From a graveyard in Edinburgh to the Marshalsea Prison in London to his schoolboy years in Chatham and even his lifelong fascination with dance, so much of Dickens’ past and present are woven into the characters and themes of A Christmas Carol. And by understanding the story behind the story, readers will come to embrace the holiday classic all the more. To this day, we look to the Christmas season as a time of warmth and celebration among family, friends, and strangers alike. And every year at Christmastime, not only do our lives get better for all the festivity, but we get better, as people. Just like Ebenezer Scrooge.

Genres: Christmas, Nonfiction, History, Books About Books, Biography, Literature, Book Club

256 pages, Hardcover

First published September 30, 2014

About the author

Carlo DeVito is a long time wine lover, and author of books and magazine articles. He is the author of Wineries of the East Coast. He has traveled to wine regions in California, Canada, up and down the east coast, France, Spain and Chile. He was also a publisher at Running Press Book Publishers, where he published books from Wine Spectator, as well as books with Greg Moore (of Moore Bros.), Matt Kramer, Howard Goldberg, and many other wine writers. He is currently VP, Editorial Director of Sterling Epicure where his authors also include Kevin Zraly, Oz Clarke, Tom Stevenson, Terry Walters, The Fabulous Beekman Boys, and the Edible Communities cookbook program.

Mr. DeVito has also been the editor of many successful traditional trade books, including Strange Fruit by David Margolick, On the Shoulders of Giants by Stephen Hawking, and three titles by Malachy McCourt. Other authors include John and Mary Gribbin, Thomas Hoving, Philip Caputo, E. O. Wilson, Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr., John Edgar Wideman, Stanley Crouch, Dan Rather, Dee Brown, Susie Bright, and Eleanor Clift.

He is also the author of more than 15 books, including his highly acclaimed biographies of D. Wayne Lukas, Wellington Mara, Yogi Berra, and Phil Rizzuto.

He lives with his wife, pet publisher Dominique DeVito, and their two sons, on their farm, the Hudson-Chatham Winery in Ghent, NY.

Reviews

[Brian Willis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A highly accessible and engaging read on the sources and inspirations for the Dickens classic. Relying heavily on secondary sources, with a good amount of primary ones, DeVito overviews Dickens and Christmas time, as well as the probable sources for the story itself. For once in his life, Dickens faced a career crisis as an author. Martin Chuzzlewit was a struggle and not being received well at all; Dickens feared his grip as a novelist was slipping with the public. Then came perhaps his best known classic.

Partially autobiographical, and partially drawn from real life Britons as with his best work, this timeless tale is well recounted here. With relevant biographical notes, we see where the inspiration came from and how it led to enduring popularity until his death nearly30 years later. The book achieves the purpose it sets out to do very satisfactorily and is recommended for any enthusiasts of the tale, particularly who don't necessarily want to read a full and lengthy bio of Dickens.

[John J Questore · Rating 5 out of 5]

While attending a Charles Dickens' Village display this last Christmas, I happened upon this delightful book. Being a huge fan of Dickens, as well as of books in general, I had to pick it up.

Regardless of what the other reviewers say, I found it to be a truly enjoyable history behind Dickens and his writing of A Christmas Carol.

One of the things I really liked is how DeVito broke the book down. He wrote it in five Staves - reminiscent of Dickens work - and within each stave gave the history behind key players or scenes within A Christmas Carol.

What surprised me was just how close A Christmas Carol mirrored Dickens own life; from the names chosen, to the despair of the Cratchit lifestyle, to Dickens' hated of "the establishment".

Not only is Inventing Scrooge a history behind A Christmas Carol, but it is also a mini Dickens biography - delving into the psyche of the brilliant mind that was Dickens.

If you are a lover of A Christmas Carol - I personally read it every year - then you will enjoy this book; if for no other reason than to remind you of the reasons WHY you love the story of Scrooge's redemption so much.

[Paul Blocklyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Carlo DeVito's "Inventing Scrooge" is one of the few book-length attempts to research Charles Dickens's most famous work. (Another is "The Annotated Christmas Carol," published by Barnes & Noble in 2003.) DeVito has done a great deal of literary detective work, so I had hoped that this book would fill an important gap in the "Carol" canon. It's the sort of book that I could have used more than fifty years ago when I wrote a critical analysis of "A Christmas Carol" for my eighth grade English class. Unfortunately, Mr. DeVito is not a facile writer, and his awkward style makes a potentially fascinating subject seem flat, dry, and dull. In addition, the text is riddled with grammatical errors and is in dire need of a copyeditor. It's a shame that such a potentially important work is so seriously marred by such a sloppy execution.

[Hugh Coverly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was expecting something entirely different. This is not a scholarly book by any standard. It reads much like a high school essay with poorly thought out ideas, unfounded conclusions and great long passages copy-and-pasted from books much better than this one. This book also required a much better editor. There are glaring errors, missing words and poor writing throughout.

I loved the concept of the book and the structure seemed promising. Most annoying is DeVito's need to make Dickens's masterpiece thoroughly semi-autobiographical. I'm sure there are elements that are, but one can carry the argument too far to the detriment of the overall argument.

There were some very interesting ideas and anecdotes presented which help to make the book somewhat worth the effort.

[Carolyn Di Leo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh...I guess as I am a huge fan of Dicken's works and as I have read almost everything I can find on him, I was expecting something more. No big surprises here and actually, a few things that I don't think were quite accurate. However, I will say this, if you have not read much of Dickens, other than this book and are looking for some information, this is not a bad place to start. I don't find many others that read anything by him and that is more the pity. Hopefully, this may encourage people to try some of his other fine, fine novels.

[Vincent T. Ciaramella · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was fun but at the same time kind of boring. What I liked was the explanations behind certain aspects of the novella, What I disliked was the details that seemed to be there just to fill space. I learned a lot from this book and will use some of its information in classes. I guess I wanted more history behind aspects of the book that must not exist.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick read- it was interesting to see where the inspiration for Dickens’ characters came from and which aspects of A Christmas Carol were autobiographical.

[Joseph Adelizzi, Jr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book in spite of its many editing oversights and even given its silly deep dive into what really ailed Tiny Tim. It was redeemed by the insights it provided into what an author puts into his or her work. A story is so much more than an imagined tale, and DeVito shows just how enmeshed, almost inseparable, are the author and story.

[Jane Night · Rating 4 out of 5]

Synopsis:
This book explores how the life of Charles Dickens influenced his book A Christmas Carol.

My rating: 4/5

First off, this book was very pretty. I loved all the pictures inside. It was very aesthetically pleasing and that added an extra layer to my enjoyment as I read.
I really enjoyed the layout of this book. There were chapter headings that explored each character within the Christmas Carol book and looked at likely inspirations for it. For instance, it is likely that the name Scrooge came from a tombstone Dickens saw and misread. He read it to say that Scroggie was a mean man instead of a meal man. Obviously, he changed the spelling around as well. But, that was just one of many fun details that the book explores.
This book had a somewhat slow and dry start with frequent (probably too many) lengthy quotes. That made the book feel dense and dry. However, that improved greatly as the book went on and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
There is quite a bit of information on the life of Dickens and I enjoyed learning more about the author.
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys biographies and has read/seen A Christmas Carol.
Very well done book.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun, easy read. I don't think DeVito proposes anything revolutionary here, but it's a nice book to have for fans of the story. I did wish for a little more information and exposition in a few places--there were a couple of chapters that were only a page long, and I kept wishing he'd combined that chapter with the next one if he wasn't going to go into more depth, but it wasn't a deal-breaker for me.

I did notice a few typos, which normally would infuriate and annoy me, but for whatever reason I wasn't bothered by them. Maybe it was the subject matter giving me a little more patience for my usual pet peeves?

It's definitely not a perfect book, but I enjoyed it, and it got me quite curious about Charles Dickens' life. I'm going to have to track down a biography, I think.

[Matthew Huff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some really great moments in this book, but the poor editing and overall disorganization was quite a drag.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve loved reading Dickens…..well since I first read anything by him. I read David Copperfield’s life/story 25 years ago …and I still vividly remember the numerous and various characters, the plots within the plots, the twists and turns of David’s story arc…and most of all the vivid and believable descriptions of the soaring joys and fun of life juxtaposed with the inevitable heartbreaks and losses.
(I find this interesting as I can see a book on a shelf in my home that I read perhaps 4 months ago …a book I read with joy..and remember very little.)
I was blessed to present and share A Tale of Two Cities to about 150 seniors in high school every academic year for decades.
I’ve loved and reread and gifted A Christmas Carol too many times to count.
As different as these 3 books are ….there is the Dickens’ theme of redemption at the heart of each.
In THIS book, Inventing Scrooge, the author reviewed and researched 500+ sources to find the connections between Dickens’ life and his family that Charles drew upon for inspiration and honesty in this story of Scrooge. The joys of Charles’ life are presented through characters and events as are his pains and sufferings.
This book makes me want to re read A Christmas Carol…..but not wait till next December to do so.
It would be nice if all the leaders of our country in Washington were required to read it as well….although I’m doubtful it would have any effect.

[Ray Palen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only serious fans of Charles Dickens immortal classic, A CHRISTMAS CAROL, will appreciate this non-fiction work.

For those who fit the above-referenced description, you will not be disappointed. Carlo DeVito gives an in-depth look into not only what may have influenced author Charles Dickens to create the many unforgettable characters contained within these pages but also includes the local history that plays a strong role as well.

Many know that a 32-year-old Dickens was down on his luck. He was near broke and coming off the biggest literary flop of his young career, MARTIN CHUZZLEWIT. Little did he know that this slim novel, practically a novella compared to the lengthy tomes he usually produced, would become perhaps the most beloved of all his novels.

DeVito even investigates the reason why this tale of redemption was so important and how it made the readers of every age feel when reading it. Count me among these many admirers as A CHRISTMAS CAROL is not only one of my favorite reads but possibly the one book I have read more frequently than any other. INVENTING SCROOGE is a treat any time of year but especially poignant during the holiday season.

[Randy Waite · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall, I think this was a good book. The lack of editing, however, was quite distracting, causing confusion and causing me to re-read passages.

Here are just two examples of what I'm talking about:

Page 63: "In 1834, at the age of fourteen, Charles took Fred in when he moved into a three-room apartment in Furnival's Inn." No, I discovered, Charles was not fourteen when he took in his younger brother Fred.

Page 65: "And when Kate's sister Mary was suddenly seized by a grave illness, of whom Charles was immensely fond, ..." Yes, I had to read this passage more than once. Why, in heaven's name, would Charles be immensely fond of a grave illness?

And so it goes.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting, albeit condensed, biography of Charles Dickens in relation to his writing of A Christmas Carol. Fascinating to learn of Dickens’ dreadful childhood and how so much of his own life is reflected in the story.

My only problem with the book is the author’s writing. Too many times entire phrases almost word for word is repeated in the very next paragraph or next page. I kept getting confused and thought I had read this passage already only to look back and see that it was just a repeat. Very strange writing style. However I would still recommend, especially for fans of A Christmas Carol.

[Lizzann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a delightful read about how the classic - A Christmas Carol - came to be. Although it does not set out to be a biography of Dickens, I learned that all of his work has biographical elements. From his families internment in a debtors prison to his have to go to work at the age of 12 to support the family. He released his energy and infused his creativity by walking briskly, mostly at night. This story is one of social activism. He spent his last 15 years or so reading his stories for public audiences and required that tickets be priced for the working man.

[Jessica Partlow · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I enjoyed this read. It wasn’t a difficult book to get through and provided many wonderful insights into the influences on Dickens for one of his most famous writings. I rated the stars lower because some parts seemed disjointed or a name would be tossed in with the assumption that you knew the connection of this person to Dickens, but had not been introduced earlier in the book. Bad editing, perhaps. Still, I’m happy to have read this book.

[Bruce Nesset · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book, easy reading with a smooth writing style style. I would hazard to say everyone is to some extent familiar with "A Christmas Carol", but few of us have learned about its origins and the background of Charles Dickens himself. Dickens himself rarely spoke of his past, it is is better to saw he near directly spoke of his past. this book provides glimpses into the man and the characters he created. If you enjoy reading Dickens, not just "A Christmas Carol", this is a must read.

[Margaret Duquette · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book would not be acceptable as a high school essay. The writing is unreadable, the text is mostly long sections of other authors' writings on Dickens strung together, original sentences don't make sense, and the research is poor. The author cites Wikipedia more than once as a source, including one citation of "Wikipedi" (sic).

[Teri Reck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating treatment of the story behind the writing of A Christmas Carol--why Dickens wrote it, what he hoped to gain from it, how it was influenced by his early life experiences which were not even known to close family members at the time. Also interesting to see how he dealt with his celebrity status and how he managed his career to ensure that status didn't suddenly falter. A great read.

[Charles Bill McKenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very nice little book. If you are looking for a deep, penetrating analysis of "A Christmas Carol," this isn't it. The author has done some wide research and come up with interesting facts and theories. He relies on information he has gleaned from biographies written by others and that is perfectly acceptable. This will give you a different perspective on Dicken's most popular novella.

[Bridget Neace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nonfiction is not my favorite genre, but Christmas is one of my favorite things...

Not a true biography--more a look at the process behind Dickens' incredible classic, with some interesting biographical/anecdotal stories. Well-researched and with so many quotations from "A Christmas Carol," it'll make you want to read/reread it...which I plan on doing next year. ;)

[Nancy Coven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, enchanting book.

Every evening I looked forward to tucking into bed and reading this wonderful story which gave me a whole new appreciation of a brilliant writer. I also enjoyed the movie very much.

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just the kind of concise, easy-to-ready history that I love. This manages to pack a great deal into a small package, and makes for an excellent first-time introduction to Charles Dickens' life and talents...hopefully enough to persuade neophytes to investigate deeper, more detailed works.

[Cathy Hartke · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're a fan of Charles Dickens or A Christmas Carol, you'll really enjoy this book about how A Carol was written and the influences that formed the beloved story. Great insights into Dickens- his process and his past.

[Pat Padden · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was interesting, but so poorly edited that it took away from my enjoyment of the story of Dickens's inspiration for this Christmas classic. Too bad, really.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book shows each of Dickens' influences in the order they appear in "A Christmas Carol." This gives the book a sort of disjointed feeling.

[Joseph Hageman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is more a description of the origins of the characters and the places of the story. It is well referenced and well presented and I learned a lot about Dickens😏

[Kathy Maher · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned some new fact about ACC. It's one of my favorite books/movies. Sometimes it felt as if the author wasn't sure where he was going with an idea.

[David Allen White · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read it in one day.