A Christmas Carol and Other Christmas Stories By Charles Dickens

I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the past, present and the future. The spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach.

When it comes to Charles Dickens at the present moment (I still have a few of his books to read) my two favourte novels of his are Great Expectations and of course A Christmas Carol. I have loved the story of A Christmas Carol ever since I was little and continue to love it now. To the point I have watch at least 10 different forms of TV and Movie Adaptations of the story. One of my favourites definitely being the movie adaptation A Muppet’s Christmas Carol. So, when Will from Alma Books contacted me asking if I would be interested in reviewing any of their new releases I jumped at the opportunity to read and review this book that has not only one of my favourite Dickens’ stories, A Christmas Carol but also four other of Dickens’ Christmas Stories within as well. So, I would like to thank Will at Alma Books again for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest and fair review.

A Christmas Carol was first published in 1843. The story centres on a very miserable old man named Ebenezer Scrooge who loves money and hates everything else in the world especially Christmas. But his life as he knows it is about to change forever when his former business partner Jacob Marley return from the grave with a warning message for Ebenezer to change his ways while he still can and also that he will be visited by three spirits, the spirit of Christmas past, the spirit of Christmas present and finally the spirit of yet to come.

The Chimes was first published in 1844. The story centres on events that occur on one New Years Eve. It recounts the story of a poor labourer, named Toby. Similar to Scrooge, Toby is guided by a spectre through the scenes that refocus his views of Victorian London with all its realities as well.

The Cricket on the Hearth was first published in 1845. The story centres on a delivery man and his younger wife through three climatic days that are leading up to their first anniversary. Unlike ‘A Christmas Carol’, The Cricket on the Hearth is a love story.

The Battle of Life was first published in 1846. The story centres on an English village that stands on the site of a historic battle. It then goes on to depict the battles that certain villagers/characters face in life and thus winning them. Throughout the story it refers to the word battle as a symbol and hence why the title of this story is The Battle of Life. In a way this story can be seen similar in a manner to The Cricket on the Hearth. However, unlike the other Christmas stories this story does not have any supernatural references.

The Haunted Man and the Ghost’s Bargain was first published in 1848. The story centres on a certain Professor’s experiences when a phantom visits him and then offers him an escape from his painful memories by offering to erase his memory. It also goes on to show what happens to the professor when he becomes a man that is devoid of all emotions. Thus, shows us how empty humans become without a past.

These five Charles Dickens’ Christmas stories each encompass all that is dear about Christmas. They show that Christmas is not just for children but for all humans of all generations. These stories especially A Christmas Carol shows that Christmas is the perfect time of year for redemption and for changing. Each one of these stories is most definitely thought-provoking and really makes the reader want to examine the effects that certain events can have on the human race. It is easy to see why this heart-warming and wonderful book is a classic. So if you’re looking for a book that’s writing style is easy to understand, is a quick-read, a classic for a reason and also shows the true meaning of christmas then this book is most definitely one that you should be putting on your TBR pile.

The edition that I read was published by Alma Classics (2016)

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