Les Contes de Noël

by Charles Dickens

C'est la veille de Noël et tous s'affairent aux préparatifs. Mais, préférant la solitude à ces fêtes joyeuses, Ebenezer Scrooge refuse les invitations. Pour ce vieux grincheux que tous prennent soin d'éviter, Noël se résume à un simple mot : "Sottise !" Il n'y voit qu'un prétexte pour cacher la misère de cette société et jamais ne s'associera à cette vaste fumisterie.
Mais ce soir-là, les esprits de Noël en décident autrement. Plongé malgré lui entre passé, présent et futur, le vieux grippe-sou reçoit une leçon de vie.

Ce conte en cinq couplets enchante par une fraîcheur et un humour intemporels.


>> Ce livre audio en version intégrale vous est proposé en exclusivité par Audible et est uniquement disponible en téléchargement.

Genres: Fairy Tales

Audible Audio

Published October 10, 2014

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

[Marcene McClenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

My review is for the little fir tree. It was a very thought provoking book, it definitely took my 5 year old by surprise and I was a little concerned for how she would handle the end of the story. Totally went right over my 4 year old’s head. My 5 year old felt the the surprise and emotions, but didn’t register the moral lesson w/out explanation. It was a good lesson, that I feel reflects in story some of the points Solomon makes in Ecclesiastes. That being said my family needed a fluffy story afterward.

[Federico · Rating 3 out of 5]

[Christmas Fairy Tales - Hans Christian Andersen → ☆☆☆]

Raccolta di fiabe abbastanza classiche a tema invernale più che natalizio. Vorrei leggere una raccolta integrale per farmi un'idea più precisa degli scritti di Andersen che viene considerato un autore fondativo per la letteratura danese, anche se nell'immaginario collettivo è un 'autore di favole per bambini'. Confido di trovare fiabe con diversi livelli di lettura che in questo caso non ho riscontrato.

[Katherine B · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4.5*

Lovely. Not as christmas-y as I would have thought, but cosy nonetheless.

All the stories are excellent, some very sad. I loved the underlying meaning of the stories- not overly moralistic, more philosophic. Makes you think.

Quick read but a lovely addition to my bookcase. Good fairy tales are enjoyable for child and adult alike. Would recommend. My personal favourite is The goblin and the grocer.

[Flavia [Brynhildr] · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Come mai la vostra generazione è cresciuta piena di traumi?”

Le favole che ci leggevano da piccoli: LA PICCOLA FIAMMIFERAIA

Comunque fiabe molto belle da leggere e rileggere per scoprire sempre nuovi livelli di lettura e di significato!

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

A small collection of Christmas fairy tales. All have a dark side to them so not the most uplifting Christmas tales. Still they are a nice collection. I would rate it 2.5/5.

[Charley]

My favourite story was "Twelve by the mail coach".