A Christmas Carol

A Christmas Carol

Hi there,

Thanks for popping in. Friday’s blog a private peek, right? Well, I think I mentioned yesterday, that I’m off up to London this afternoon, to see A Christmas Carol at the Old Vic. Looking forward to it. It’s had rave reviews. And we do like A Christmas Carol, don’t we? Or should I say, we do like a happy ending, don’t we?

I wonder if Dickens knew, when he wrote A Christmas Carol, that Ebenezer Scrooge would become such an infamous, iconic character. He describes him as “a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner!” Glad to declare I don’t personally know anybody of that description, do you?! I know a few miserly, greedy old buggers, mind! The good news is they aren’t anywhere to be found near me and mine!

“The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, shrivelled his cheek, stiffened his gait; made his eyes red, his thin lips blue; and spoke out shrewdly in his grating voice.” Dickens really was a supreme wordsmith, wasn’t he?

What’s your favourite Dickens novel? Great Expectations? Oliver Twist? David Copperfield? I’m listening to Little Dorrit at the moment on Audible. Bit sobering, but brilliantly written. Very sociopolitically loaded, too. Only another 37 hours to go! I think all of his novels are worthy of a second read at least. And the wonderful advantage of Audible is that I can potter, walk, draw and travel at the same time. Such is the life of a busy person.

I am also reading George Eliot’s Middlemarch at the same time. Another very brilliantly written, politically loaded book. You know you’re in for a treat when the author, a woman, pretends to be a man so that she can write something of substance! Gasp. How far we have come. That was only 140 years ago, you know. Not long at all. A spec of time.

When I was younger, I was the quintessential bookworm. Always had my head in a book. English language was my first love and English literature my second. But when I studied languages and linguistics, I had the passion for lit knocked out of me – and it has only recently returned. You would laugh if you saw me in the mornings now. First thing I do is grab my phone and take it to the bathroom! Then Charles Dickens is with me while I clean my teeth and put on my make up. He comes with me into the kitchen for a coffee, and then he accompanies me on the road to work.

You can rest assured, he is coming with me on the train to London this afternoon, too! Is it escapism? Definitely. Is it distraction? 100%. Is it educational? Without a doubt. If I am going to write a book of my own down the line, then I must absorb and know the styles of the masters, don’t you agree? I’m just not ready yet. Not yet.

Anyway, enough rambling. Time to head up to London.

Love & Hugs,

Barb xxx

21 thoughts on “A Christmas Carol

  1. Have an amazing day!!
    It’s hooling it down here and very cold…. Colin has disappeared into his garage aka man cave so I think I’ll be getting inky!!!
    Love and hugs xxx

  2. I’ve been a bookworm all my life, well since I was 5 – mum had already taught me to read much to the chagrin of my teachers, but at that stage it was Beatrix Potter and the Water Babies.
    Since then I have been through all of Dickens, Jane Austen, Shakespeare,Oscar Wilde, War & Peace and so on ad infinitum. I also like to read James Patterson, Lee Child, John Grisham, David Baldacci, most Sci Fi, Anne McCaffrey and Wilbur Smith but a lot of the authors you mention I have not heard of. Looks like I am going to have to search for those.
    There is nothing better than to curl up with a hot drink and a good book and get lost in the story. Not for me the digital kind, my eyes last about 30 seconds, but a good solid hardback is champion.
    Hubby is also an avid reader and between us we could stock a library.
    Have a great time withScrooge and co this afternoon.
    Love 🍒🍒🍒

  3. Have a fab time. Don’t know how I managed without Audible, it’s great I’d you can’t sleep either. I always nod off and then have to rewind for the next listen ! X

  4. I have been an avid reader since early childhood – collected the Bobsey Twins series and Sarah Gay Model Girl! My treat was always a new book, rather than sweets. I did David Copperfield for O level and still have a soft spot for it. My daughters both loved English and passed on that love to their own children. My granddaughter memorised a Shakespeare sonnet at age 5! Now my books are my saviour in the early hours, when I can’t sleep.
    Jane Telford reminded me of the Almonds and Raisins trilogy a few years ago and I think that they are my favourite books ever. Beautiful stories of a family through the generations.
    Enjoy your evening at the theatre. Hugs. Annette X

    1. Gosh the Bobbsey Twins, I forgot all about them but I loved them also, used to get the annual at Christmas as well. I read the Almonds and Raisins as well and really enjoyed them but I can’t remember the author. Nowadays I enjoy a good crime novel. I get a bit panicky if I haven’t got anything lined up to read when I finish the current one! I also enjoyed a series by Cynthia Harrod Eagles about a family living in Yorkshire down through the generations from about the 13th century right up to the early 20th century who always had a connection to the events of the time xx

      1. Hello Mary Corin.
        I love the Morland Dynasty by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles. Just wish she could return to it and finish it off. I want to know where the black pearls are, lol.
        Have you read the Kirov trilogy by the same author? More brilliant books and she posted on Facebook they are coming out on audio.

      2. The author was Maisie Mosco. Thanks for mentioning Cynthia Harrod Eagles, as I am always looking for new authors on recommendation and Ros mentioned her as well, so thanks. Like you, I panic if I have nothing lined up to read! X

  5. I like Middlemarch too! I like all Dickens, but I enjoyed reading Hard Times – as it seems still very relevant now, although industry has moved on since the age of steam, when the beams of the engines went up and down down elephants in melancholy madness.

    I love reading his descriptions.

  6. have a great time. I too got bogged down with books after doing my English degree. Still trying to get to grips with the books you are reading.
    I am still buzzing from my recent visit to Bournemouth to a Pete Tong concert. Life in the old dog still!
    Also had a very enjoyable morning making a wreath with lovely crafting ladies. 2020 looking brighter now.
    Best wishes to everyone

  7. I love a good book and have always loved reading. Someone recently told me that their mother who has dementia keeps going to the library and taking out the same books. I thought this was a great idea, especially if you have read them before – when your short term memory is poor, reading a book that you know and love so well would still be rewarding, as you would just “know” the story from your long term memory. I’m going to start my dementia reading list, just in case…. x

  8. Have not got into audible yet but I love to read. It took me a while as a youngster to learn but goodness I soon made up for it. Always had my nose in a book. Enjoy the performance. xx

  9. I love nothing more than a good read . Enjoy all-sorts especially Philippa Gregory and her historical novels also Martina Cole . Think I might have to complain about pembury hospital though , got to my appointment 15 mins early ,sat down , didn’t even open my book before I was called in to see my consultant lol lol , good news everything still ok , if still clear next year will be discharged 😁😁. Enjoy the theatre Barb do like a Christmas carol

  10. I hope you enjoyed your day out. I see there is a slightly different slant on A Christmas Carol over the holiday season (got TV guides until the end of the year!!) -might be interesting as that was my favourite Dickens book. I too was a bookworm. I could read before I started school and got so frustrated with the early readers as I was into much more interesting stuff than Janet and John!! I was always in trouble at home because I hid with a book and couldn’t be found. It wasn’t until I grew up I told mum my secret hiding place (a cubby hole at the top of the linen cupboard she never knew existed). She was amazed!! I kept a torch and some sweets up there. Found Misself easily again today -loving the hunt.

  11. I am re-reading all the classics. My favourite Dickens is Barnaby Rudge but I also like all the Trollope books. Peter Ackroyd’s translation of The Canterbury Tales is very interesting but you need to listen in winter or the neighbours could object to some language. My mum taught me to read way before school and I once got sent home for taking in one of my Dad’s thrillers as a reading book at primary school. Thank goodness for libraries.

  12. Glad you are enjoying your audio books Barbara I’m afraid lately I seem to be so busy with other things that I don’t have much time for reading at all. I always have books by my bed but the bookmark seems to stay in much the same place for many weeks. I have never tried audio books but it is good to be able to listen whilst you are doing something else and I think this is a better way to do Dickens as It doesn’t require so much concentration to get the gist of the story. x

  13. I hope you had a great time! As a ghostwriter and editor by day, I limit my fiction reading to when I’m between drafts or edits. It’s unfortunate because I’m an avid reader, but it’s the only way I can give each work, and indeed the author involved, the undivided attention they deserve.
    Hugs xoxo

  14. Hi Barb, hope the show was enjoyed by all. I think me and the hubs should broaden our outings to include more theatre. I love books, always have, always will, and often varied, although I have favourite authors. Have not gone with Audible yet, mostly kindle and paper, but may be another option. Take care all. Bx

  15. Hope you enjoyed the theatre Barbara. I have always loved books and reading, maybe because I was an only child. My daughter “joined” the library when she was 6 weeks old. it seems to have worked as she always has a book on the go. Going on holiday is a much lighter experience now I have a kindle, no more taking a bag just for books! I like my kindle but you can’t beat actually holding and reading a real book. I haven’t tried audible books yet but think I will give them a try so I can craft at the same time!
    x

  16. I love ‘A Christmas Carol’ I read it every year always read the final chapter on Christmas eve. It is my favourite Dickens by far. I love reading and enjoy re-reading books which my Mum thinks is odd! I usually re-read a book in between finishing one and starting a new one. I still love all sorts of books, and will still read books from my childhood like Narnia, Roald Dahl, etc. I love reading to the class so still get to read the new releases as well. I can still remember hearing my teacher at school reading us ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ so would love to think that in years to come some of them will remember me reading to them! Xx

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