A Christmas Carol and Other Stories

by Charles Dickens

A Christmas Carol is a novella by English author Charles Dickens. It was first published by Chapman & Hall on 19 December 1843. Carol tells the story of a bitter old miser named Ebenezer Scrooge and his transformation resulting from a supernatural visit by the ghost of his former business partner Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of Christmases Past, Present and Yet to Come. The novella met with instant success and critical acclaim. The book was written and published in early Victorian era Britain, a period when there was strong nostalgia for old Christmas traditions together with the introduction of new customs, such as Christmas trees and greeting cards.

Genres: Classics, Fiction, Christmas, Short Stories, Book Club, Fantasy, Childrens

287 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1988

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

[Katelyn Buxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Christmas Carol
5 out of 5 stars
[I copied this from my original review of it, which can be found here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...]

This book is weird. This book is spooky. This book is deep. But it also captures so perfectly the essence of Christmas—that “goodwill towards mankind”—that makes the season so beautiful—and now can Christmas hurry up already?? (I may have read it a little too early.) :P

I have to say, though, that one of my favorite parts came early on when Marley’s ghost visited Scrooge:
’You are fettered,’ said Scrooge, trembling. ‘Tell me why?’
‘I wear the chain I forged in life,’ replied the Ghost. ‘I made it link by link, and yard by yard; I girded it on of my own free will, and of my own free will I wore it. Is its pattern strange to you?’

Though I don’t believe in ghosts, and certainly don’t believe that anyone is cursed to “go forth” in death if they didn’t in life, it was a very vivid picture of the chains we all end up trapped in at some point—the chains that only God can free us from. Marley’s chains were made of cash boxes and other things related to the miserly business he and Scrooge conducted. It was a sobering reminder that we aren’t to get so caught up in our business that we forget to be a blessing in other peoples’ lives. And that’s something we all need to remember from time to time—both during the Christmas season, when it seems to come so naturally, and the rest of the year.

Also, I’d just like to say that Scrooge is one of the most well-thought-out characters that I’ve ever come across, especially in older fiction. In the beginning Dickens introduces him as the most tight-fisted, crotchety old miser there ever was, but then he colored in his past and made me pity him, since he hadn’t always been that way, and by the end, Scrooge has undergone a tremendous change in his arc, and his joy at having been given a second chance was palpable.

All in all, it’s a new favorite, and will probably become a yearly Christmas-time read for me. (In fact I read it twice this December, after reading it for the very first time—which says a lot, coming from a person that hardly ever rereads books!)

The Chimes
3 out of 5 stars

Admittedly, it’s got to be tough to be the story that comes directly after A Christmas Carol, but I didn’t enjoy this one as much. It was a biting satire highlighting the way rich people brainwash themselves and the poor people under them with comfortable lies—comfortable lies about how they’re a Friend and Father to the poor when they really do nothing but Put them Down. That made it rather depressing, for a large part of the book, since the main character “dies” early on, and in ghostly form watches his beloved daughter travel a hard path on her own, and ultimately try to commit suicide, because she believes the lies. The darker feel of this one knocked off two stars, since I personally don’t enjoy that as much, but it was extremely effective in its satire, and the characters were vivid, and the plot as well thought out as ever, thus the three I left.

The Haunted Man
3 out of 5 stars

This one was a little darker as well, but not as much as The Chimes, I thought. It was kind of a rewriting of the Midas’ Touch idea... except instead of turning everything he touched to gold, the main character erased all the memories of sorrow and wrong that a person had. Which sounds good in theory, but those times of suffering help us to appreciate the good times all the more, and without them everyone turned miserable and ungrateful. It was really thought-provoking, thus the three stars, but it didn’t grab me as much as some stories, and it felt a little dark. (Not “bad” dark, just depressing dark.) :P

Altogether I rated A Christmas Carol and Other Stories four stars since A Christmas Carol had rocketed so high on my list of favorite books, but the other two weren’t as impressive. Worth a read, definitely, but hard acts to watch after the first, which was such a work of genius. :P

[Diem · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every year I watch "A Christmas Carol" with Alastair Sim as Scrooge and I think, "I'm going to read that." Then I don't. But this year, I actually did read it. Merry Christmas to me. There's a reason why the story endures. This collection included two other short stories with a similar themes. I mean, really similar. But not repetitive because of Dickens' skillful drawing of characters. That said, I'm not sure I could have hung in there for a fourth...so kudos to The Modern Library for this perfectly curated book.

[Ann Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just re-read the title track. Sometimes I need a little shot of Dickens to get me through.

[Shanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun and festive set of three stories: A Christmas Carol, The Chimes, and Cricket on the Hearth. Carol is the most familiar and you know what's coming, but, having seen many versions of this story as a movie, I have to say the book is so much better. The Chimes surprised me with goblins and Cricket with fairies, but both stories have kind of kept coming back to me since finishing. Dickens is so good at getting at the heart of things and making you think about how that affects your regular life. He also (and this overlaps with Little Women, which we're also reading now) loves to contrast wealth vs. poverty alongside hollowness vs. character. The world would be a better place if more people took more of Dickens to heart (starting with me!).

[Jason Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

My annual audiobook of this story , this time a terrific reading by Tom Baker.

[Toby Uprichard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good but the muppets did it better

[amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Obviously I LOVE A Christmas Carol (5 stars always & forever), but the other two didn’t quite stick with me as much. However, they were wholesome stories. (3.5 stars for both)

[Cal Craighead]

Includes A Christmas Carol, The Chimes, and The Cricket on the Hearth. A Christmas Carol is the best, of course, but the other two are also great!

[Stefanie Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, so we all know the story. I know the story, and the various movie adaptations representing it so well that until this was chosen for my book group it had never occurred to me to read it. I am so glad that I now have. Dickens, as always writes in such an evocative manner that you can really feel the bitter, frigid temperatures of dickensian London - it actually makes you feel shivery, so vivid is his descriptive language and powerful storytelling. There is humour that I did not expect in the original version, and gruesome, rather grizzly accounts of Scrooge's ghostly visitors. The story itself flows along beautifully, driven by the brightness of his characters which jump from the page into life, with their laughing merriment, broken cockney and seething avarice. I fell in love with every one of them. The tale itself, and Dickens' very visual, sensory telling of it is cinematic from the start, and it is easy to see why it has been redrawn for screen so many times. Not only is it a great story, Dickens has already drawn the set with intricate detail. I found myself highlighting phrases to revisit and show people - I cannot urge strongly enough, READ IT.

[Emmanuel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't plan on reading this classic until I watched The Man Who Invented Christmas on Hulu. I remembered I had the book laying around somewhere in the house, so I found it and read it. I don't typically like to read classics because of the old language and writing style. So I wasn't a fan of that, but the story itself is a good one. This is one rare occasion where I'd rather watch the film adaptations than read the book. But the cover looked great. 😆 I also have heard great things about the audiobook, so maybe I would enjoy it more that way. 🎧

[Stacey Lunsford · Rating 3 out of 5]

Certainly A Christmas Carol is a great read but the other two stories The Chimes and The Haunted Man were pretty turgid. Dickens as the champion of the poor, dispossessed, and downtrodden probably wanted to continue to make an impact on people's hearts and minds with other stories that reminded people to care for their fellow man but the other two seem like poor imitations of the master work.

[Monique the Book Geek · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have enjoyed many film adaptations of Dickens' A Christmas Carol over the years, and I've enjoyed reading this book as well. A heartwarming story of life reflection and second chances, this is a classic Christmas story that never gets old!

[Jeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of course, I love "A Christmas Carol" with all my heart. I don't believe I've ever read "The Chimes" before - what an odd little tale! By the end, I was glad, but it was a difficult read. I simply disliked "The Haunted Man". Too bad. Well, not every story can be "A Christmas Carol" !

[Nikki in Niagara]

Synapses are spoiler-free.

Review in progress:

1. This classic tale is far more familiar to many as a movie, animated adaptation, or children's story than as the original novella, which was crafted for an adult audience. All the characters, with the exception of the young Tiny Tim, are adults navigating their lives. Tiny Tim, a "crippled" boy, infuses the narrative with a festive spirit, leaving an indelible mark on our hearts as the embodiment of Christmas. The central purpose of the tale is to transform a curmudgeonly old man into a kinder, more benevolent person, a journey that resonates with readers as well.

I’ve read this classic four times, and I am currently exploring Dickens' works in chronological order, making this reading a bit ahead of its seasonal timing. While this is certainly not my favourite Dickens work, I appreciate its simplicity compared to his other novels, likely because he wrote this at his own expense and initially self-published it. As I move on to his other two Christmas novellas after Martin Chuzzlewit, I look forward to ranking them accordingly in the new year.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I only wanted to read A Christmas Carol because it was Christmas time. The library didn't have it in its singularity, so I ended up with a book containing three Dickens' classics. Being familiar with The Christmas Carol, I read through it quickly and understood it easily thanks to the myriad of movie versions. The other two included I didn't really know anything about, other than their familiar titles, The Chimes, and The Cricket on the Hearth. Okay, I will admit, I really don't recall ever hearing the title, The Chimes. These other two stories were pleasant for what I could understand of them, being published originally in 1844 and 1845, respectively, in what is known as the Victorian Era. The wording, the style, and outdated terms, made it a difficult read for me. I found myself having to re-read some passages a few times in an attempt to interpret what I was reading. I think I got the gist of the stories, however, and for what I could make of them, I found enjoyable.

[Dryp_dry_eyez · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Christmas Carol: fantastic. No doubt aided by me having watched The Muppets movie version shortly before (an undisputed cinematic classic!) in addition the story is compact, eerie, and easy to follow.

The other two stories however (The Chimes and The Haunted Man) were absolute ball aches to get through. Though I’ve only read a couple of his books, thus far I find Dickens’s prose is so cumbersome it demands your utmost attention to get through. These are not books conducive to a casual read; instead these require you to be locked away in a silent study chamber to try and unlock Charles’s gags (which are pretty dry/obvious let’s be honest). Hard to find such chambers in 2024 London eh (#topical). I struggled to follow ‘The Haunted Man’ at all, so I was running on empty desperate to get to the end.

Hoping ‘Great Expectations’ can win me over later down the line; for now I find Dickens a smarmy arsehole sorry.

[Bridget Gregory · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never knew I would love Dickens - these stories might be the exception, but he is rather humorous in his writing and I enjoy that a lot.
A Christmas Carol - it was brilliant to finally read it after seeing / encountering so many different adaptations of the novella. 5 stars for sure.
The Chimes - I had more difficulty following this story. And it was really dark and heavy to read toward the end. I didn’t pick up on its meaning as easily, nor could I quite figure out the characters. (How does one rate it, though?)
Cricket on the Hearth - this story also took a bit for me to get into. But having now finished it, I really loved it! Everything came full circle and the beginning makes much more sense now. Crickets and Fairies were not an immediate connection for me but it was whimsical and quite sweet. 5 stars!

[Andrew Corsini · Rating 3 out of 5]

I went into this book all ready to rip apart A Christmas Carol and its anti-business, anti-career philosophy, only to suffer a Damascene conversion worthy of Scrooge himself. One of my favourite films as a child was The Muppet Christmas Carol so this carried a Proustian flashback of sorts, a Ghost of Christmas Past haunting me as I read through its pages. Dickens did a remarkable job with this story. "The Chimes" was the real discovery here, all spooky and novelistic to the extent it resembles a Poe. Dickens had a knack for Horror, if a Christmas Carol wasn't evidence enough, and his creepie-crawly writing really enchants you and binds you like serial-killer rope. "The Haunted Man", on the other hand, is pure hackwork.

[Darcy · Rating 5 out of 5]

My goodness....this is so freaking GOOD. A caveat for the edition: I listened to this on audiobook with Hugh Grant narrating. Initially, I started with the version of Sir Patrick Stewart narrating it, but didn't realize it was an abridged version, so returned it for the Hugh Grant one. (On a peeved note: who abridges a 2.5 hour story? How much shorter do you need it to be?! Sheesh).
What surprised me most about this short novel, is Dickens incredibly sly wit - that has always never come across in any film adaptation I've seen. Absolutely incredible story of love, redemption, hope and Christmas spirit. Grant hits a home run with his narration and interpretation of the story. I highly recommend this as a family read or listen.

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought it was about time I actually read A Christmas Carol! I loved it, my only complaint being that it's such a short story, I definitely wanted more. I also enjoyed The Chimes once I got into it and again, I would have liked more story. The Haunted Man was harder to follow for me and I found it a bit of a slog to read. I did like the end of it though and appreciated much more of the story in the context of how it ends.

[Miaaa 🩷🌺🐚💜🩵 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I DNFd the book after getting halfway through “the chimes” because Icl I only read it for Christmas Carol. I liked A Christmas Carol a lot, a shocking fact as I usually cannot stand Dickens. The story was surprisingly enjoyable and I am glad to have finally read the classic. As for the other two in this collection, I was not a fan. Although, I think this comes down to the fact that again I will always be a #charles dickens hater

[Melissa De Cunto · Rating 3 out of 5]

My edition included:

A Christmas Carol- 4 Stars
A Christmas Tree- 3 Stars
What Christmas Is As We Grow Older- 4 Stars
The Poor Relations’s Story - 3 Stars
The Child’s Story- 5 Stars
The Schoolboy’s Story- 3 Stars
Nobody’s Story- 3 Stars

I rated them all different for this star rating only I rated Nobody’s Story.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

A christmas carol - citala som to pred rokom, no pamatam si ze sa mi to velmi pacilo
The chimes - najmenej sa mi to pacilo zo vsetkych
The haunted man - take normalne, tiez by som aktialne potrebovala Milly v zivote

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love this story and revisit it in some form most Christmases! This year I listened to Hugh Grant read the audiobook. Excellent.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love to read this every Christmas.

[Betsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

It gets better with every reading.

[elentiya · Rating 3 out of 5]

i mean i was tryna get into it. like it was good but compared to other things i read it was eh. but like i loved it, and it's definitely a great classics

[Joel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Christmas Carol 5/5

The Chimes 3/5

The Cricket and the Hearth 3/5

[Sarah Wolfe Ellison · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s difficult to review a book that I’ve known my whole life. So, yeah. 5 stars is the explanation I can give.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 2025, a good reminder that A Christmas Carol was supposed to be a cautionary tale, not a roadmap for a civilization.