A Christmas Carol and Other Christmas Writings

A Christmas Carol and Other Christmas Writings Charles Dickens 5/5	Published 1843 First Sentence "Marley was dead: to begin with."
Publisher's Description: 'Merry Christmas!...every idiot who goes about with "Merry Christmas" on his lips, should be boiled with his own pudding' Dickens' story of solitary miser Ebenezer Scrooge, who is taught the true meaning of Christmas by a series of ghostly visitors, has proved one of his most well-loved works. Ever since it was published in 1843 it has had an enduring influence on the way we think about the traditions of Christmas. Dickens' other Christmas writings collected here include 'The Story of the Goblins who Stole a Sexton', the short story from on which A Christmas Carol was based; The Haunted Man, a tale of a man tormented by painful memories; along with shorter pieces, some drawn from the 'Christmas Stories' that Dickens wrote annually for his weekly journals. In all of them Dickens celebrates the season as one of geniality, charity and remembrance. This new selection contains an introduction by distinguished Dickens scholar Michael Slater discussing how the author has shaped ideas about the Christmas spirit, an appendix on Dickens' use of The Arabian Nights, a further reading list and explanatory notes.
Dear Reader, Before I get into the review of this book, I wanted to give you a heads up that this review was written over two years ago. I thought it was an appropriate time to post it on shelfnotes and since I love this story by Dickens so much, I do try to pick it up and re-read it every year. Enjoy, and if you haven't read the story yet... what are you waiting for?!? Oh, Dickens... you've done it again. Pulling at my heartstrings during this special time of year, Christmas. I'm so glad I decided to read this during the Holiday. You see, I'm always left with a bad feeling during Christmas because it makes me so neurotic. Cleaning, shopping, making food, parties, no time to do everything... CHAOS! I detest the feeling of "GO GO GO" and "BUY EVERYTHING". I wish we could live in the times when Christmas was all about giving to those in need and gathering round a table full of Christmas goodies and cheer. Reading this has relaxed my anxiety during this Holiday season and I think this might become a tradition... Amber, you must read A Christmas Carol every year before you start going crazy from all the expectations. The characters are as wonderful as any others Dickens writes and the comedy is tenfold when it comes to Scrooge (as I viewed him before to what he is in the book). I think everyone should read "A Christmas Carol" before the Holiday and try and take the meaning to heart! As for Dickens other stories in the book... my favorite was the "Christmas Tree". This story was unlike anything I would have expected out of Dickens and could very well be one of my favorite short stories of all time. It starts out describing a Christmas tree that we can all relate to and then meanders through life through the telling of tales that relate to the tree. Each story is philosophical and rich with description, enough to catch you off guard for a few paragraphs until you get into the flow again. This story was amazing and I highly recommend it to everyone. Happy Reading, AmberBug

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How the Jew Saved Christmas: A New Christmas Tale

How the Jew Saved Christmas: A New Christmas Tale Chuck Palahniuk 4/5	Published 2013 First Sentence "It's a classic."
Publisher's Description: Short story published on BlackBook. http://www.bbook.com/jew-saved-christmas/
Dear Reader, First off, this short story is FREE! Click HERE! One of things I love the most about Palahniuk is his short stories, mostly because he almost always posts them online for free. You have to love the guy for giving us a piece of him pro bono. It also satisfies my craving for something unusually disturbing every now and then (Palahniuk fans will know what I'm talking about). This story was about a girl working retail during the Holidays. Chuck really goes all out and describes every little horrid detail perfectly, right down to the workplace cubby holes. It took me back in time to those days when I used to slave weekends for corporate retail. I hated working during the Holidays, it was always a terrible mess of mass consumers running around like chickens with their heads chopped off. Terrible, just terrible. I'd imagine things haven't changed much since those days and more than likely have gotten ten times worse. The ironic thing about this story is that is shows us commercialism and consumerism at large WITHIN the retail store employee secret Santa exchange. To top this all off we have a little investigative mystery going on with one of the secret Santa gifts. Without giving too much away, there is a part of the story where a "food" related secret Santa gift is scrutinized. I can relate to this because working in the healthcare industry, every now and then a patient will bring us a yummy treat. The rule of thumb in the workplace is usually, "If cooked by the patient, throw or give to someone else. If bought, eat away!" I didn't understand this secret rule of thumb until someone pointed out that you could never truly know what the kitchen it was cooked in looks like. My imagination started going wild and from there on out... I just can't eat gifted food from strangers without thinking of bug infested kitchens. Moving on... the surprise at the end really throws that pie in your face, saying "See! You didn't see that one coming?!" How silly people are with Christmas and gifts, I just wish everyone could see what a problem it has become. Frankly, I applaud this story for Palahniuk slapping us in the face with it. Just read it! It's short, sweet with a surprise ending. Happy Reading, AmberBug