Never too Late to Read Classics discussion

The tale begins on a cold and bleak Christmas Eve in London, exactly seven years after the death of Ebenezer Scrooge's business partner, Jacob Marley. Scrooge, an old miser, is described as "a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner!" He hates Christmas, calling it "humbug"!

I've seen five movie versions of this book but have never read it.

Me too Gem. I've seen the movie a few times (As a kid, I thought it was a little creepy.), but I look forward to reading with the group.

I agree Mike! My favorite is actually the one with Patrick Stewart as Ebenezer.

I found it fascinating to watch the different versions and see what was included/excluded, what the the writers/directors focused on.

I think my favorite movie version is with Alastair Sims.

Gem, not positive but I think that is the one that scared me when I was little.

Kinda like watching The Wizard of Oz when your little.

I think the Alastair Sims version has the scary doorknocker. I read the book a few years ago and noticed that most versions have taken the dialogue straight from the book, which is a good thing.

I'm excited for this discussion! I just finished teaching this book to my 7th grade (age 13) students. The book is a lot of fun.

Originally, Dickens wanted to publish a persuasive essay on the topic of mistreatment of the poor. In a brilliant moment, he decided that more people would read it if it were disguised as a ghost story. Thus the book.

My personal favorite movie version is the George C. Scott from the early '80s, although most film critics prefer the old B/W Alastair Sim version.

Dickens sure was brilliant, Phil, in writing the book as a ghost story. He sure gets his point across!

I just read the first chapter and am enjoying Dickens's language. I have not read the whole story straight through, just read bits and pieces here and there with groups around Christmastime. I don't think I've seen any of the movie versions completely either.

This is my first Dickens book. I was supposed to readGreat Expectations as a high school freshman, but only read about 1/8 of it. So here goes.

Ok, I've finished. I've got the original and also "the Patrick Stewart" version set to record over the next few days. I always think it fun to read the book and then watch the movie. Of course books are always better. :)

In my opinion, this is one of the best short stories of all-time. Dickens is a master!

I am glad you enjoyed it, Mike. I started reading Dickens about ten years ago, and have enjoyed every book so far. I like the ending of a Christmas Carol because it is full of hope.

I agree. And are we not all prone to be Scrooge? Maybe that's too much, but I know many (including me) who read the story as if looking in a mirror.

I can't edit from the tablet :( The last should read * including myself.

Mike, I had the same issues using a tablet, until I realized I could get goodreads two ways.
Dickens wrote Christmas stories for many years, but A Christmas Carol is by far the most famous and brilliantly constructed- using the three ghosts was an ingenious idea.

My students love this book, although the girls are offended by the way he talks about women. I think their favorite part is either Fezziwig or how much denial Scrooge is in during Stave Four.

I remember doing this story as a class reading in middle school, and being very annoyed that there were so few parts for girls. But it was still a lot of fun because we did like the story. It speaks to all ages.

I love love love the Alistair Sim version of this tale and the dialogue is extremely faithful to the book. I have read that Dickens view of Christmas was influenced by his childhood when, due to the last gasp of the mini ice age, there were a succession of snowy Christmases, including the last Frost Fair on the Thames in London (1814 I think). I used to think how outrageous it was in the 19th century that people might not even get Christmas Day off, but now, with the extension of retail hours, many people have to work right up to Christmas and just about get Christmas Day off. Plus ca change.

In Toronto the movie theatres do a lot of business on Christmas day, in the afternoon and evening, and they employ mostly young people, as well as the fast food outlets.
I think the medical personnel who work in the emergency department probably have it the hardest.
On a more cheerful note, when I first graduated from university, I got a job in a department store. One Christmas Eve the customers were still lined up to pay fifteen minutes after the store had closed. Then the power to the cash registers was turned off, so that was it. We still had to count the cash after that.

Monday (two days ago) was the anniversary of publication of A Christmas Carol.

Thanks for that info Rafael.

I've seen several versions of the movies over the years, but this is the first time I actually read the book. It was an enjoyable read, but the movies covered it pretty thoroughly- I don't think I really gained anything new from the reading. I have the illustrated Steampunk edition; it is a lovely book and really did enhance the reading.

I found that as I was reading it, I could see the various film versions flashing in my head, since most adaptations are faithful to the dialogue.

I've just reread A Christmas Carol and found the descriptions are so good that you can see the scenes! Though in some ways the language is outdated, on the whole we understand the images and feelings evoked by Dickens. (maybe due to films too, not sure...). My edition, which my parents gave me for Christmas in 1967!!, has The Cricket on the Hearth too so I'm reading it now.

Janet, I agree, I see the movies in my mind when I was reading this last year.
My edition has two other stories with it. I decided to read the Haunted Man same kind of story line set at Christmas Eve but much darker and wishes his bad memories away which changes his life.

I had the Tim Curry version on my Amazon Echo Dot. It was weird hearing Tim Curry do the voices.

Kim that would be strange, he has a great vilian voice.

Did he do the voice of Tiny Tim as well?

yes all the voices

Some fun facts:
The original name was 'A Christmas Carol in Prose: Being a Ghost Story of Christmas.'

During Dickens time Easter was the biggest Christian celebtration.
In England, during a dark period of time,
Dickens was repulsed by the workers' living conditions.
Most of the childred born to the working class did not survive past age 5.
So for Dickens his writing was to acknowledge the welfare of children and the need for social charity along with the feelings of redemption and hope.

Lesle..fun facts ineed!!
I was just talking to my husband about Dickens. He wrote about the reality of life for the poor at that time, it must have been a shocking thing for people to read about.....
He made it entertaining though. And there is hope. It saddens me to read that poverty is still a big issue in the land of Dickens.

"indeed", sorry, tea and snack time!

Didn't Christmas in England only become "approved of" when Queen Victoria married Prince Albert?

Was it Prince Albert who brought the Christmas tree to England? I was born in Germany, and I am almost certain that Christmas trees originated there.

yes he did in 1841. http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/berkshire...

Kim, thank you for sharing that article. Very interesting. So the practive was German but popularized by the Prince by bringing it into the home.

I like this part as well: 'Prince Albert also sent decorated Christmas trees to schools in Windsor and to local army barracks.'

Again thanks Kim!

here's another site
http://www.literary-liaisons.com/arti...

Thank you for the link, Kim. My husband really likes mince pies( meat-free).

Interesting, thanks for the link. I see it talks about England. In Scotland, where I'm from, New Year was more important than Christmas for many people, up to about the 1970s. Some of the old Hogmanay (New Year's Eve) traditions died out and Christmas Day became a true holiday, family celebration and excuse for mass consumption

Finished the book yesterday. I knew what it was about but have never read the book or seen the movie. It was a great read but because a lot of the story was Scrooge watching people interact rather than something happening to him, I feel that the story would be even better as a movie.

I am glad you enjoyed the book, Sammy. There are many, many movie versions of The Christmas Carol, so you will be able to find one easily.

I haven't ever watched any of the movie versions, but I did read the book maybe half a year ago or something. I knew that the concept of these ghosts appear in shows like Arthur and Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and it was just interesting to see what the popular culture references were all about in their origin. And most importantly, I feel that in a world where we make mistakes every day, this work gives us hope that we may define our future regardless of our past.

Jade
Impressed by your thought!
I agree we do have the ability to make changes in our life.
Not always easy taking an unbeaten path!