A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This was a re-read for me, although the last time I read it was probably in high school way back in the 1980s, so in many ways the book felt brand new to me again. I was struck, as I always am when reading Dickens, by how charming and witty the prose is, and by the enormous amount of creative imagination on display. A CHRISTMAS CAROL is best remembered for its message that kindness and generosity make for a happier life, as it should be, but there’s so much more to discover in these pages. Scrooge is a jerk, no doubt about it, but Dickens also gives him all the best lines. (There’s a great deal of humor in the first half of the book, before it turns more sentimental.) A CHRISTMAS CAROL has withstood the test of time for a reason, and I’m so glad I returned to it this holiday season. I might just make a tradition out of it!
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