December 2021 Recommended Reading and Viewing

[Coír Draoi Ceítien]

Sorry for being a few days late again.

So we've come to the end of another year, as well as my fourth year anniversary of doing recommendations. I can only hope that I've encouraged some people to check out things that they might not have otherwise. Anyway, in the spirit of the holidays, I thought I would choose something appropriately festive. It's definitely familiar, but I thought it would be suitable nevertheless. Enjoy!

Reading: A Christmas Carol and Other Christmas Books (1843-1848) by Charles Dickens

Sure, everyone has heard of A Christmas Carol, but how many have actually read the original novella rather than relied on the countless adaptations? While some dialogue will be familiar, there's so much more that gets left out that captures the absolute joy of the Christmas season, and it shouldn't be missed. What's more, the version that I'm linking to includes the four other holiday novellas that Dickens would write in the following years, which, to my knowledge, haven't received the recognition of the original story but stand on their own as wonderful works. Whether for the first time or the hundredth, it's a treasure to revisit around this time of year.

Trade: https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Carol-Oxford-Worlds-Classics/dp/0199536309/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=a+christmas+carol+and+other+christmas+books&qid=1638767874&sr=8-4
Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Carol-Oxford-Worlds-Classics-ebook/dp/B003N19DSI/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1638767874&sr=8-4



Viewing: A Christmas Carol [TV] (Clive Donner, 1984)

Speaking of the adaptations, there are several worth noting, particularly the version starring Alistair Sim, but the 1984 TV version with George C. Scott in the role of Scrooge is a particular favorite of mine, especially because of Scott's performance. Dark but also cheerful, it's an incredibly faithful retelling of the novella with multiple great performances (Frank Finlay's rendition of Jacob Marley is one of the best). Despite the stigmatism of TV movies, the production value is remarkably high, which further adds to its rewatchability. Even if it isn't your favorite, I still recommend giving this one a watch, at least for comparison's sake.

Blu-Ray: https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Carol-Blu-ray-George-Scott/dp/B003VS0CY2/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=a+christmas+carol+blu+ray&qid=1638658512&sr=8-1
Amazon Prime: https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Carol-George-C-Scott/dp/B009EEG51G/ref=sr_1_2?crid=LRHYI1X3KFEG&keywords=a+christmas+carol+prime+video&qid=1638691194&sprefix=a+christmas+carol+prime%2Caps%2C179&sr=8-2

So that's all there is. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! See you in 2022!