REVIEW: Dickens and Christmas

Dickens and Christmas
Author: Lucinda Hawksley

A Christmas Carol has been my favorite book since childhood. Something about the images of Cratchit skipping home to be with his family and Scrooge skulking along the darkened streets seeing ghostly funeral carriages and his dead partner just created such magic in my imagination. I have reread the book many times, watched many movies based on the story and enjoyed multiple theater productions (except the one I'd really really really love to see.....Patrick's Stewart's one man show as Scrooge). I love this book. I love its message. I love its humor. I love its dark portrait of the cruelty of man and the struggle for joy to remain where hope is fading. But most of all, I think I revere the message that redemption is possible. If even the most unemotional, greedy and covetous old geezer can be turned into a generous, happy and joyful person.....then all of us have a chance, right?

I have a degree in literature. I read every novel, every short story, every grocery list Dickens ever wrote and was forced to expound voluminously on the merits or disappointments of each. It wasn't like when I was growing up and enjoyed reading about Oliver Twist and the rest of his scores of characters just for the joy of reading. As an adult I had to read, examine and dissolve my brain into the story. It's a much more dismal trip when it's done for learning rather than imagination. Dickens' writing is dark, gloomy and mostly depressing....usually with some happy twist at the end, for a main character at least. Most side characters get left chin deep in their own mess or dead. As an adult A Christmas Carol still shone bright through the darkness for me. A beacon among the other writings of Dickens. It has the most joy, the most hope and the most kindness of anything I was forced required to read from Dickens. A classic book that can withstand the requirements of higher learning and adulting is truly a classic book. :) And it's still my favorite. That must be distinctly understood, or nothing wondrous can come of the book review I am about to relate.

Dickens and Christmas. I knew I was going to love this book before I even started reading. And I wasn't disappointed.

This book is a wonderful mix of information about Dickens' life, Christmas traditions in his lifetime, and impressions of the holiday from his personal writings and novels. It also includes snippets from newspaper articles from the time, biographical information from family letters and his daughter's book. Everything from Twelfth Night cakes to house parties. :) I understand much more about how Dickens' rough childhood, his life experiences and his anger at how the poor were treated colored his writing, but yet made him love the Christmas season. And he made others love it, too.

Wonderful book!! Well-written, interesting and enjoyable to read! I loved how the book didn't focus only on A Christmas Carol but also included his Christmas stories and mentions of the holiday season from his other books as well. Quotes from his personal correspondence, diaries and family writings were wonderful to read. I didn't realize his daughter wrote a biography of her father in the late 1800s. I need to find a copy of that book, or a scan online, and read it. :)

I read an advance copy for this review, but I will be buying a copy for my keeper shelf. Beautiful book!

God bless us..every one!