I've kick started my holiday reading with a closer look at the classic tale which we all know and love, A Christmas Carol, and getting to know the man behind the story a little better. It turns out that Dickens was actually in a bit of a crisis at the time when inspiration struck him to write his "Little Carol". He was practically broke and had baby number 9 on the way (for a total of 10 children before he divorced his wife-nice.), plus a host of other family issues. Plus his popularity was dwindling, decreasing from the heights of The Pickwick papers with his current periodical, Martin Chuzzlewit. So because of that his publishers were thinking of docking his pay, not very good timing for everything to happen at once. But it took a speaking engagement in the factory swelled hovel that was Manchester for him to spark the idea that would become his greatest achievement: A Christmas Carol. He realized the need to say something on behalf of charity and goodwill toward men, and he certainly succeeded! This book has been called the most perfect case made for charity outside of the Bible. It has been retold in movies, plays, musicals, and been reformatted into hundreds of different editions. True enough, one can hardly have a Christmas without this classic Carol!
I really enjoyed this book because I love reading about the background and origin of things, and the writing style is charming and entertaining. You can tell the reverence the author has for Dickens, and he has really done his homework in getting the facts. And the chapters on the sheer impact of this novel are astounding! A big recommend from me for all fans of Christmas books, especially the Carol. Now I need to go re-read the novel!
About the author: Standiford is the author of the critically acclaimed
Last Train to Paradise,
Meet You in Hell, and
Washington Burning, as well as ten novels. Recipient of the Frank O’Connor Award for Short Fiction, he is director of the Creative Writing Program at Florida International University in Miami, where he lives with his wife and three children.
Other Books to Consider: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens,
Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom,
Loving Frank by Nancy Horan
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