REVIEW: Jacob T. Marley by R. William Bennett

Jacob T. Marley
Author: R. William Bennett

Everyone knows the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge and the ghosts of Christmas that helped him mend his ways. But, ever wondered what happened to his partner, Jacob Marley, who started the whole thing? I mean, really, the person behind Scrooge getting another chance was his partner who appeared in ghostly form first to tell him that the spirits were coming whether he wanted them to or not.  I always thought poor Marley really got the shaft because he helped Scrooge, but still flew off into the night dragging that long chain with money boxes and ledgers tied onto it.  He did a kindly deed in helping his curmudgeonly partner -- surely he wouldn't be damned to a whole eternity dragging rusty bank boxes through hell.

When I heard about this book -- Jacob T. Marley -- I knew I had to read it! I wanted to know more about Marley, and what happened to him! The tale starts with Marley's childhood and how he grew into a man just as stingy and unfriendly as Scrooge. The story doesn't end with Marley's exiting the mortal coil, of course, because his ghost is an integral part of Scrooge's story. So, of course, Marley tags along with the spirits and Scrooge, and discovers a lot about his life, and what being a caring and kindly person means. Kindness and true charity not only help those on the receiving end, but bless those on the giving side too.

This book was a delightful read! Not just because A Christmas Carol is my favorite book of all time, but because I finally got to read a story about Marley and his fate. It blended Scrooge's travels on that fateful Christmas Eve, with the life, and afterlife, of Jacob Marley. Marley was dead as a coffin nail, but still had a lot of things to learn! Those who don't learn lessons during their life are fated to do so after death. That's not always a bad thing. Marley didn't appear to make Scrooge wonder about underdone potatoes and bits of undigested cheese.....he came back to save Scrooge from an eternity of torment and to make amends for his own empty life.

This book was a real joy to read. Even the cover art made me happy. :) Bennett kept the general feel of Dickens' original tale with a light dose of humor and a generous amount of morality tale.  Definitely a good read!  I've read a couple poorly done continuations of the Scrooge saga, but this one more than made up for those that lacked the right stuff.  I heartily recommend it! No Bah Humbugs from me!

And.....Lord bless us every one!

My rating: 8/10
All ages.