Charles Dickens & A Christmas Carol: Charles Dickens's Revolutionary Ghost Story

Discover the untold story behind Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol in this deep dive into Victorian literature's most influential work. More than just a holiday tale, A Christmas Carol was a radical political manifesto that changed how we celebrate Christmas and think about poverty, wealth, and social responsibility.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why Charles Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol in just six weeks during the autumn of 1843

• How Dickens's childhood trauma in a blacking factory shaped his passionate advocacy for poor children

• The Victorian social debates about poverty, workhouses, and the Poor Law that sparked the story

• How Ebenezer Scrooge embodies Victorian capitalism and why his transformation matters today

• The Ghost of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come as agents of social reform

• How Dickens invented modern Christmas traditions through literature

• The enduring relevance of A Christmas Carol to debates about living wages, income inequality, and corporate responsibility

Whether you're reading A Christmas Carol for the first time, teaching it in your English class, or rediscovering this classic novella, you'll gain a new appreciation for how Dickens used ghost story conventions to deliver powerful social commentary that resonates 180 years later.

Perfect for fans of British literature, Victorian history, Christmas stories, and anyone interested in how great books shape culture and society.

Join The Book Club Tour at thebookclubtour.com to walk the streets of Dickens's London and experience Victorian England firsthand.

Recommended Reading:

The Man Who Invented Christmas by Les Standiford

The Englishman's Christmas: A Social History by J.A.R. Pimlott

Christmas: A Biography by Judith Flanders

The Idea of Poverty by Gertrude Himmelfarb

The Lives and Times of Ebenezer Scrooge by Paul Davis

Scoff: A History of Food and Class in Britain by Pen Vogler

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