The five stars are definitely for A Christmas Carol, which despite it's squickier passages is still my favourite festive read. The other writings in this special edition are interesting but not quite in the same class. (In fairness, since ACC gave rise to the Christmas story, what is?!) I was surprised that it didn't include the Chimes or the Cricket on the Hearth - two of Dickens other well known Christmas stories. Overall, this is a great special edition with interesting notes if you're already a fan. I do love these Penguin Clothbound Classics.

I liked some of the stories but I also disliked a decent amount. Maybe once I read more classics I'll revisit this and see if my thoughts change

*Rated 3.5/5 stars

I actually enjoyed reading this book. I am obviously familiar with the story, but not completely. My last encounter with Dickens was when I was 16 and I read Great Expectations. While I remember enjoying that book, I also remember I had a REALLY hard time understanding it. Sadly, this book wasn't that different. I often had to reread sentences or paragraphs, or I would just trek on and hope that eventually through context clues I would understand. In the end, I comprehended most everything of what I read, though it took some work. Overall, it was a good story. Rushed in ways, but seemingly just the right length.

I hope to read the other stories contained in this volume soon.

Christmas time is the perfect time to read A Christmas Carol and Penguin's clothbound edition of A Christmas Carol and Other Christmas Writings is a joy to behold on the shelf and in the hand.

My admiration for the writing of Charles Dickens began after reading Oliver Twist, I was interested to see if this classic would live up to my expectations. I'm pleased to report that it did.

It's hard to believe that an author's work from more than 160 years ago can still warm the heart and tantalise the mind, yet here it is. Dickens has the most incredible ability to describe his characters in the most entertaining fashion that I wanted to read sections aloud just to share the brilliance of his writing.

The following quote was my favourite though and appeared on page 87:
"If you should happen, by any unlikely chance, to know a man more blest in a laugh than Scrooge's nephew, all I can say is, I should like to know him too. Introduce him to me, and I shall cultivate his acquaintance."

I'm not quite sure what it is about the quote, but perhaps I'm drawn by the idea of cultivating one's acquaintance and how magical it seems. How 'of the times'.

I thoroughly recommend A Christmas Carol and Other Christmas Writings to readers of all ages to be enjoyed in November/December, although it can - in truth - be enjoyed at any time of year.

I suppose that a story that is so ubiquitous during Christmas time as this one needs no introduction. I can see why it has been constantly popular for more than one hundred years. I appreciate the writing and craft that goes into the story, the social commentary, the worthy morals, and the affection that generations of readers have for it. But I hated it. Yes, it's official, I'm the Grinch and (pre-reformed) Scrooge rolled into one. I have a heart made of stone, or at least something equally hard, immune to the plight of tiny, poor, crippled tots and destitute Victorian families who couldn't afford a stuffed goose for their Christmas tables.

I found the story to be simplistic, with sketchy, largely one dimensional characters, and so drenched in sugary sentimentality that it made my teeth hurt. I can deal with sentimentality, but such a massive, industrial-strength dose of it renders me comatose, instead of being genuinely moved.

*slinking away to hide under a rock until Christmas is over*

It, like Oliver Twist, is a minor Dickens work in scope, but its truths are momentous truths & its aesthetic sensibilities remain breathtaking and ahead of their time. The quintessential perennial novel and for very good reason.

This is my first Dickens and I was really surprised by the powerful but simple way of he rights (for some reason I thought it would be complex). I was completely captivated by it, & for me, it sums up what Christmas should be with a timeless message at its heart. A masterpiece

A Christmas Carol:

Well I think most of us know the premise of this of this masterpiece. It really is a masterpiece the writing is beautiful and flowery but it still manages to be easy to read especially for a classic. The passion Dicken’s has about Christmas makes me so happy!

I may have seen one to many or the film adaptations before reading this book for the first time, but it didn’t make it any less special. Truly a beautiful piece of writing. This will now be a yearly read for me for sure!

The Haunted Man and The Ghosts Bargain:

As with all Dicken’s stories, the writing is beautiful. There are parts of this story we can all relate too, in particular the line ‘when they fantastically mocked the shapes of household objects, making the nurse an ogress, the rocking-hose a monster’ I am sure we have all experiences this in our lives. Dicken’s is the master of emotion, he expressed himself so well and he can produce and stir our own emotions and flashbacks to our younger selves.

However, this story ends up being very repetitive which makes it confusing at times, the story seems to bounce around a lot before ending with its final point. It’s message is that good and evil must coincide and the past cannot be changed only learned from.

The Christmas Tree:

This one is short and sweet, it describes the joys of Christmas and nostalgia.

Christmas Goblins:

This is like a little teaser to what is to come with A Christmas Carol. Its bizarre, fantastical and strange but it doesn’t give much more than that.

What Christmas is as we grow older:

This is more of a philosophical piece, about what it is to be alive and what it is to accept death. It’s all about keeping Christmas in our hearts. It talks of lose and thinking of those we have lost and who we have to leave behind in the end. It is quite whimsical but it has a nice message. A beautiful little Christmas story, not as happy as others but important.

Οσες φορές και αν το διαβάσω σε καθε διασκευή πάντα θα βρίσκω και κάτι νεό να σημειώσω, μα είναι ένα χριστουγεννιάτικο θαύμα, είναι ένα αριστούργημα, η ωραιότερη χριστουγεννιάτικη ιστορία που γράφτηκε ποτέ από χέρι ανθρώπου! Εκπληξη όμως αποτελεί και το χριστουγεννιάτικο δέντρο του Ντίκενς, δεν το'χα ξαναδιαβάσει όπου μιλά για όνειρα, αγάπη, ιστορίες του παρελθόντος που μαγεύουν ενα παιδι. " Αθώα και καλοδεχούμενα να είναι πάντα τα Χριστούγεννα κάτω από τα κλαδιά του Χριστουγεννιατικου δέντρου που δε ρίχνει πια καμιά μελαγχολική σκιά, όλα αυτά γίνονται για να θυμάστε πάντα το νόμο της αγάπης και της καλοσύνης του ελέους και της συμπόνοιας"

I borrowed this for 'A Christmas Carol' and the rating is for that story only.

Confession time--if I had ever read 'A Christmas Carol' before, it would have been as a pre-teen and we will not get into how may years ago that was. And even at that age I was already familiar with the story from seeing movie versions on television.

However, the written story still managed to surprise me in several ways, so I am glad I finally got around to reading it. It is always good to go back to the source. And it is fascinating to consider how well the story has thrived across the years.

I read this to get in the Christmas spirit and BOY did it work! I actually found myself laughing so much, it's so wry. And then something really nice happened, which is that while I was listening to the audiobook I went to Trader Joe's to get a cheap wine to mull with spices (to further immerse myself in the Christmas spirit) and the employee gave me a free wine opener when I asked if he knew of a good screwtop wine. It was very very kind and I almost burst into tears right then and there.

Anyway, can't believe I've seen countless stage and screen adaptations of this play but have never read it. It was high time to fix that.