City of London - A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

[chesilbeach]

CITY OF LONDON

 

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

 

Synopsis:

Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly old curmudgeon who spurns Christmas as a “humbug,” is given the chance to redeem himself through the intervention of four Spirits on Christmas Eve. If reading Dickens’s most beloved story doesn't put you in the true spirit of Christmas, you may be beyond redemption. 

 

As Scrooge’s nephew Fred says, “I have always thought of Christmas time...as a good time: a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time: the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys.” 

 

Or as Tiny Tim put it more succinctly, “God bless us every one!”

 

 

Other City of London books:

 

Dombey and Son by Charles Dickens

Edited November 22, 2013 by chesilbeach

[poppyshake]

It's only when you come to copy up your own review for challenges such as this that you realise what a lot of drivel you've written  This story is so well known to me now that it's quite difficult to put my thoughts down in words. I can't actually remember a time when I didn't know it like the back of my hand. I love it to bits. It does get a little bit preachy in places but it's totally in keeping with the times Dickens is writing about. He's set out to write a traditional Christmas ghost story and has delivered something, I think, which both chills and elevates. There's a marvellous message about loving one another, remembering what's important, keeping Christmas well (and the whole year for that matter) and changing your miserly ways. But it has much to say too about social injustice and poverty etc. It also coined a Christmas catchphrase which will probably be with us forever I read it every year (or more likely listen) and watch as many movie versions as time allows.
 
It's hard to pick a favourite quote but this one in particular always stops me in my tracks .. the last line is especially emotive.

“Man,” said the Ghost, “if man you be in heart, not adamant, forbear that wicked cant until you have discovered what the surplus is, and where it is. Will you decide what men shall live, what men shall die? It may be, that in the sight of Heaven, you are more worthless and less fit to live than millions like this poor man’s child. Oh God! to hear the insect on the leaf pronouncing on the too much life among his hungry brothers in the dust!”

I will copy up my last two reviews of it complete with the drivel (if I took it out there'd only be about one sentence )

Review 2013: Well it's that time of the year again .. the stirring up of the puddings .. and I couldn't possibly get through it without listening to this classic. It brightens my mood and helps me to stir Christmas cheer into the puddings and not murderous thoughts as would otherwise be the case. I make around six puddings which all take about 48 hours each .. though most of that is steeping time and steaming time and resting time which thankfully I don't have to be present at (though .. during the steaming process .. it is unwise to 'just pop out to the shops' as I've learnt from past experience ) but there is a fair amount of chopping and weighing and squeezing and stirring and whatnot to be done and so in total I listened to this unabridged audio about four times through so hopefully it's message has sunk in. It might be a tad early though because I'm bound to forget all it's lessons by the time I hit Sainsbury's for my annual Christmas breakdown shop  I hope to get time to sit down and read one of the versions I have of it also but that will depend on how well the sedatives are working

I realise that I've given you a brief outline of my Christmas schedule as opposed to the book  I would apologise but feel you probably know what you're in for when you come here so  I have found an old review I wrote so you might glean more from that, but one glance at it tells me I've rambled off the subject in pretty much the same way  5/5

Review 2010: Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without Scrooge. I annually dose myself up with a good dollop of Dickens starting with the book and meandering through several film versions. I love them all but especially the Albert Finney musical (particularly a pleasure because my Dad worked on it .. albeit as a humble scene painter), Alistair Simms version (again, probably because Dad thinks it is the definitive Scrooge) and the Muppet Christmas Carol (who would have thought that would work so well?) I also saw the new 3D Jim Carey version at the cinema last December and loved it. I've always thought that, to do justice to the book, the ghost scenes are going to have to be CGI, and though I think there's still room for improvement (and am always hoping that either Tim Burton or Peter Jackson will have a go sooner or later,) I thought they managed to get the atmosphere of the books over really well. I was disappointed to see that the film is only showing this year in 2D and then only on specific days .. bah humbug!

I have several different book versions and this year I thought I'd read the beautiful edition illustrated by P.J. Lynch, it's gorgeous and it just adds that extra something to the tale. There's probably nobody out there that doesn't know the story of old skinflint Scrooge .. 'a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner' .. who is visited one night by his former partner Jacob Marley in ghostly form and then by three ghosts, all sent to show him the error of his ways. The part that I love the most is probably the Cratchit family Christmas which seems, despite all their poverty and worry, idyllic. They are just truly happy at being together for the day and I love the description of their dinner with it's hissing gravy, gushing sage and onion and steaming pudding. In fact I'd love to re-create the dinner by having a goose instead of a turkey but I'm too worried there won't be enough leftovers and I'm far too fond of a turkey, ripe tomato and black pepper sandwich to give it up. Not to mention the worrying tales, I've heard from friends, with regards to the amount of fat that comes out of it, apparently you end up being thoroughly basted yourself. The story is beautifully written, Dickens was said to have single handedly reinvented Christmas with this tale and Thackeray called it 'a national benefit' ... it's him at his absolute best.

And despite constantly failing to do this (with resentments creeping in regarding the expense, queues, wrapping duties, long car drives on icy roads and the inevitable ensuing indigestion.) I hope I can keep striving to 'keep Christmas well' in the true spirit of the story. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year .. God bless us, every one! 5/5

[Athena]

Great review! I recently read this and while I found some of the prose tedious, I love the story and what happens. It's so famous and it was great to finally read the original.

[chesilbeach]

I think I might read it again this year, just a bit closer to Christmas.  I've only read it once, but I've watched The Muppet Christmas Carol loads of times, and I actually think the story itself is pretty close to the original (just with the added benefits of Muppet comedy ).

[Kidsmum]

Great review! I recently read this and while I found some of the prose tedious, I love the story and what happens. It's so famous and it was great to finally read the original.

 

Well done Athena for even reading Dickens i think a lot of people for whom English is their first language would find him a difficult read 

 

I think I might read it again this year, just a bit closer to Christmas.  I've only read it once, but I've watched The Muppet Christmas Carol loads of times, and I actually think the story itself is pretty close to the original (just with the added benefits of Muppet comedy ).

 

 Muppet Christmas Carol is the favourite in our house as well 

 

Great review Poppyshake - I read A Christmas Carol for the first time last year & thoroughly enjoyed it.I think it's a great introduction to Dickens for people who are not sure if it's their sort of thing or who might feel a bit outfaced by his longer novels. I'm looking forward to rereading it before Christmas for the counties challenge. 

[Athena]

Well done Athena for even reading Dickens i think a lot of people for whom English is their first language would find him a difficult read 

x

Thanks !

[Kidsmum]

I finished reading A Christmas Carol last night, like Poppyshake i've watched quite a few different TV versions but hadn't actually read the book till last year. Obviously the message in the story is that people are more important than material gain & I've read a couple of more modern books which use the story as a vehicle to convey a message on how to live your life & prioritise what's most important but i've found these books in general to be extremely patronising with a very weak storyline. What sets Dickens apart from these is the quality of the writing, wonderful descriptions & atmospheric storytelling. I must be in a more introspective mood this year as one of the things that struck me was how difficult it would be to have to stand there & watch your past life, mistakes & missed opportunities paraded in front of you ..... i really felt for Scrooge this time 

[willoyd]

Really enjoyable reviews, poppyshake! However, I am, perhaps rather Scrooge-like (!) happy that I can read something else for the Counties Challenge. Whilst I was glad to read A Christmas Carol  a few years ago, I found the story rather too heavily inclined to Dickens's sentimental side to enjoy it as much as some of his other work. Ironically, given your comments, it's the Cratchit scenes which really did for me! But there is no doubting, as Kidsmum says, the quality of his writing and generation of atmosphere.

 

Having said that, we go regularly to the West Yorkshire Playhouse's Christmas production, and one of the best in recent years, possibly the best, was their Christmas Carol - I saw it twice. There are some good film versions too (even if the Playhouse remains the standout production) - the Muppets do a fine job!

 

Hmmmmm.  Having said all that, I'm now sitting here thinking maybe I ought to give it a go again!     What I definitely will do, though, is read one of his Christmas stories. I tried The Chimes last year, so it'll be one of the others this year.

Edited December 1, 2013 by willoyd

[willoyd]

Hmmmmm.  Having said all that, I'm now sitting here thinking maybe I ought to give it a go again! 

 

Well, I just have done, and this amounts to one of the biggest eating of one's words that you will probably ever encounter on this board!! I loved it, from start to finish. I'm not really sure what I was thinking last time I read it, but, reading it in one sitting, the thing that struck me most forcibly is how it majors in Dickens's strengths - his inimitable* ability to evoke the city (specifically London?) atmosphere, and the extremes of character, whilst actually not going overboard on what I find his biggest weakness, the sentimentality. Yes, it's there, but he doesn't overdo it - rather he keeps it well under control in spite of the fact that it's essentially a sentimental story. And for someone who is so good at using five words where one will do, it's amazing how much he packs into such a short story. Maybe, because it's meant to be one, he worked on keeping it under control, only letting rip where it really counted (for instance, the amazing scene that greets Scrooge when he enters the room with the Spirit of Christmas Present).

 

It really makes me wonder what mood I was in when I read it last time, and goes to show how much that can influence one's reading of a book, particularly perhaps a short story, when it's so concentrated in terms of time? 5 out of 6 stars.

 

* deliberately chosen!

Edited December 24, 2013 by willoyd

[Athena]

I'm glad you enjoyed it upon a re-read, Willoyd!

[Anna Begins]

Just read Christmas Carol for the first time.  Although I know the story well, it was still a GREAT read, being that it is so short, I might just read it every year! 

[Janet]

I'm very pleased to read your review, Willoyd, and to know that you enjoyed it more this time round.  

 

I haven't actually managed to re-read it this December, which saddens me, but I just haven't had much reading time at all.  I was planning to read it on the train up to London last week (just over 2 hours) and finish it on the journey home the next day (90 minutes) which should have meant reading it all - but I left it on the kitchen worktop! 

 

However, as this challenge is likely to take me over a year, hopefully I'll do better next year!

[Alexi]

I'm certainly not planning to finish in 2014 - too many others I want to read!

 

I also read A Christmas Carol this December (for the first time) and adored it! It made me feel really Christmassy and I love the way Dickens paints a picture of The scene and characters through his words.

[poppyshake]

 

Well, I just have done, and this amounts to one of the biggest eating of one's words that you will probably ever encounter on this board!! I loved it, from start to finish. I'm not really sure what I was thinking last time I read it, but, reading it in one sitting, the thing that struck me most forcibly is how it majors in Dickens's strengths - his inimitable* ability to evoke the city (specifically London?) atmosphere, and the extremes of character, whilst actually not going overboard on what I find his biggest weakness, the sentimentality. Yes, it's there, but he doesn't overdo it - rather he keeps it well under control in spite of the fact that it's essentially a sentimental story. And for someone who is so good at using five words where one will do, it's amazing how much he packs into such a short story. Maybe, because it's meant to be one, he worked on keeping it under control, only letting rip where it really counted (for instance, the amazing scene that greets Scrooge when he enters the room with the Spirit of Christmas Present).

 

It really makes me wonder what mood I was in when I read it last time, and goes to show how much that can influence one's reading of a book, particularly perhaps a short story, when it's so concentrated in terms of time? 5 out of 6 stars.

 

Very, very, pleased to hear that your re-visit was a happy one  Great review Willoyd! I agree with you, I think this is one of the few Dicken's stories where he doesn't go overboard on the sentimentality and it's all the better for it.

I have never really got on with his other Christmas stories though .. perhaps I ought to re-read them this year  

[chesilbeach]

I've just seen someone mention this on twitter, as they went to the recording on Friday …

 

 

 

Neil Brand's A Christmas Carol - World Premiere

 

Join the BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Singers, BBC Radio Company and a host of special guests in Maida Vale for the World Premiere of Neil Brand's adaptation of Dickens' classic Christmas story, A Christmas Carol.

 

In this dark and atmospheric version of the story, follow Ebenezer Scrooge as his past, present and future conspire to teach him the real spirit of Christmas, and his own humanity, to an exciting orchestral underscore.

 

A Christmas Carol continues what has become an exceptionally fruitful relationship between Brand and the BBC Symphony Orchestra, which has resulted in his much-lauded new adaptation of The Wind in the Willows (nominated for an Audio Drama Award), as well as performances of acclaimed orchestral scores for Hitchcock's silent film Blackmail and Asquith's silent Underground.

 

The concert will be recorded for broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on Saturday 20 December and later on BBC Radio 3

 

This sounds brilliant!  Here's a link to the tweet where someone has posted a photo of the cast list (which looks fantastic too!): https://twitter.com/SteveDoherty1/status/531389847593058304

[Janet]

Oooh, that sounds good.  

 

Robert Powell as Scrooge!