From Publishers Weekly
For many people in the 21st century, Dickens's A Christmas Carol has come to define what "keeping Christmas" should look like. And according to Michael Patrick Hearn's superb introduction to this annotated edition of Dickens's beloved classic, that was precisely the author's intention. Dickens feared that encroaching industrialism undermined the traditional values of family, faith and simplicity, and that killjoy Puritans had done away with many of the pleasures of Christmas, so he set out to revive old-fashioned English customs. Hearn's introduction grandly describes the story's enduring popularity around the world (including Dickens's irate but mostly ineffectual attempts to stem the tide of its plagiarism). The annotated edition is enriched by numerous wood etchings, including some from the original 1843 art by Punch cartoonist John Leech. Old Scrooge himself would approve. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From School Library Journal
Adult/High School-Beginning with an introduction that covers the history of the classic tale, Hearn includes a wealth of information on the background of the story as well as a short biography of Dickens. The editor inserts quote after quote from contemporary reviewers, authors, friends, newspapers, and other sources that feature a perspective on the tale. The result is a large, long introduction filled with thoroughly researched information made readily available. The tale itself follows, filled with footnotes and supplementary facts. The addition of many photographs, some of them rare, helps present a realistic view of the writer's world. Wood engravings and hand-colored etchings by the original illustrator, Leech, provide interest and a note of authenticity. Supplemental illustrations by George Cruikshank, Gustave Dore, John Tenniel, and "Phiz" (Halbot Knight Browne) supply glimpses of the other tales and times of Dickens, while some feature more artwork they had done depicting scenes from A Christmas Carol. A reprint of the 1843 text used by Dickens when he read the tale aloud publicly is appended.Pam Johnson, Fairfax County Public Library, VACopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


Book Description
Without question, The Annotated Christmas Carol is the most authoritative and entertaining edition ever produced. What would Christmas be without A Christmas Carol? Charles Dickens's famous ghost story is as much a part of the season as plum pudding and mistletoe, and Michael Patrick Hearn, the celebrated annotator of The Wizard of Oz and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, has now prepared a sumptuous new edition of the Dickens classic. This latest contribution to the Norton annotated series delves into the engrossing history of the book's publication, when it first captivated Victorian England. This is the first edition to combine the original text of 1843 with Dickens's Public Reading text, which had its world premiere in America in 1867 and has not been reprinted in nearly a century. Also included are rare photographs as well as the original Leech wood engravings and hand-colored etchings. These are supplemented by other contemporary illustrations by George Cruikshank, Gustave Doré, John Tenniel, and "Phiz." The Annotated Christmas Carol will be a literary feast for the whole family for generations. 2-color, 100 black-and-white illustrations, and 8 pages of color.


About the Author
Michael Patrick Hearn has written for the New York Times, The Nation, and many other publications. He lives in New York City.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

The Annotated Christmas Carol is the first edition to combine the original story with Dickens' Public Reading text, published to coincide with his 1867-68 American tour, which has not been available in nearly a century. Also included are all the original illustrations by John Leach, his lively wood engravings and beautiful four-color reproductions of the original hand-colored etchings. Leech's illustrations are supplemented by other contemporary pictures by George Cruikshank, Robert Seymour, Gustave Dore, John Tenniel, Sol Eytinge, Jr. and H. K. ("Phiz") Browne. Other images in the book include rare photographs, drawings, engravings, lithographs, and other illustrations relating to Dickens and his Christmas story, and complement the engaging notes, which cover all the literary, historical, and autobiographical aspects of the story.

SYNOPSIS

Featuring over 100 illustrations by John Leech and other artists, this volume presents the original 1843 text of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, along with extensive annotations. The writing, publication, and reception of the story are discussed in the introduction. Also included is the Public Reading text, originally published to coincide with Dickens' 1867-68 American tour. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

For many people in the 21st century, Dickens's A Christmas Carol has come to define what "keeping Christmas" should look like. And according to Michael Patrick Hearn's superb introduction to this annotated edition of Dickens's beloved classic, that was precisely the author's intention. Dickens feared that encroaching industrialism undermined the traditional values of family, faith and simplicity, and that killjoy Puritans had done away with many of the pleasures of Christmas, so he set out to revive old-fashioned English customs. Hearn's introduction grandly describes the story's enduring popularity around the world (including Dickens's irate but mostly ineffectual attempts to stem the tide of its plagiarism). The annotated edition is enriched by numerous wood etchings, including some from the original 1843 art by Punch cartoonist John Leech. Old Scrooge himself would approve. (Nov. 24) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

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