The Man Who Invented Christmas: How Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol Rescued His Career and Revived Our Holiday Spirits – Les Standiford

„Eliminate ignorance, Dickens dreamed in his Carol. Eliminate want. A tall order then, and a tall order now.” (Original citation page 226)

Theme and Genre

This book is part a specific biography of Charles Dickens, part a historical overview about live conditions in London around the middle of the 19th century. It also gives a detailed description and complete overview of literature, writing and of publishing during those times, between family enterprises and booksellers who began to set up the whole production process of their books.

But most of all this is the loveable story about one of the most wonderful Christmas books, “A Christmas Carol”, about the idea behind the ghostly story, the realization and what Dickens wanted to tell his readers. He wanted to touch them, making them laugh and cry at the same time and to re-new the Christmas spirit. Which he does until today.

Conclusion

A non-fiction story, written in a poetic prose, as delightful to read as the original story. A book for everybody who knows values and loves the Seasonal Writings of Charles Dickens.