A Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens
Though I've seen and known this story many, many times in various media (film, stage, radio), I realized this year that I'd never read the book before. Well, that is now taken care of. I enjoyed it very much. I'm not sure why, but I really like the style in which Dickens writes. It might be that I've read so many books of that period that I associate it with good writing. Whatever the reason, he has a clear voice and a moment-by-moment progression that works wonderfully in this classic story. There seems to be some debate as to whether it is merely a cautionary tale, or a full allegory. I lean toward the former, personally--though the fantastic elements are boldly drawn, I didn't read it as anything other than the story of a transformation. I do advocate reading meaning into a text, however, to speak to your own world and circumstances. Overall, it was a worthy read.
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