On arriving at this historic gin palace my mind is filled with the words of Charles Dickens and the images of Cruikshank.
Gin palaces sprang up all over the country in the 1800s as people from all classes began to enjoy the lavish luxuries they afforded. Brass light fitting and cut glass accompany hand carved wooded furniture. The warm lighting offers me an escape from the unforgiving London weather – and the chance to re-charge over a pint of Samuel Smith Extra stout
The Princess Louise is one of very few original gin palaces that remain relatively unchanged, offering us the chance the experience a time gone by. Built in 1872 and named in honour of Queen Victoria’s fourth daughter, the Princess Louise was refitted in 1891 by architect Arthur Chitty. The decor has been replenished to its former glory using original building plans dating back to its conception. In Dickens era this palace would have been full of men, woman and even children all indulging in the delights of purl (warm ale laced with gin and spices) or punch.

Dickens describes in his Sketches by Boz
‘A bar of French-polished mahogany, elegantly carved, extends the whole width of the place; and there are two side-aisles of great casks, painted green and gold, enclosed within a tight brass rail and bearing such descriptions as ‘Old Tom 549’; ‘Young Tom, 360’; ‘Samson, 1421’,

Today I am accompanied only by a pint of stout and the faint smell of urine – which strangely enhances this taste of Victorian life. Sadly, a pub with such rich gin history is tied in with the Samuel Smith brewery and offers a meagre gin selection of one Samuel Smiths gin – which I must refuse on this occasion. The staff are friendly and the landlord a rare found gem creating a fantastic ambience but I feel that the significance in social history of this venue is lost on them.
For me sitting back and imagining rows of ‘Old Tom’ casks, smoking pipes and purl make this a remarkable experience for gin enthusiasts. A true taste of history… Just a shame about the lack of gin.

The Princess Louise
Address: 208-209 High Holborn, London, WC1V 7BW

Tel: 08721 077 077

Tube: Holborn (0.1 miles), Covent Garden (0.3 miles), Tottenham Court Road (0.4 miles)

Train: London Charing Cross (0.7 miles), Farringdon (0.8 miles), City Thameslink (0.9 miles)

Brewery: Samuel Smith’s

It can be said that this novel shows Dickens at his worst and I was in two minds about reading it again. The death of Little Nell must surely be the most mawkish scene in English Literature. Thackeray said he had read it only once, though the scenes with Dick Swiveller he knew off by heart, and Oscar Wilde said you would have to have a heart of stone not to laugh at it.

It cannot be denied though that the death of Little Nell is quintessential Dickens. He prided himself on being able to ring a response from his audience whether of laughter or tears and he must have known his audience well because his work is full of characters killed off to good effect. Reflecting then that Little Nell’s death is pure period detail and not worth avoiding a whole Dickens novel for I embarked on this my second reading of The Old Curiosity Shop.

I laughed a lot and didn’t cry once but I still found myself deeply disturbed over the death of Little Nell. What forcibly struck me this time about the scene was the fact that she dies surrounded by men, a plethora of male characters of all ages, all worshipping the ground she walks on with not a single woman in sight. What is going on there? I am still trying to think of some explanation for this that avoids the need to go too deeply into the psyche of Dickens and the Victorian male but quite honestly I am not trying too hard being afraid of what I might discover.

Thankfully though the rest of the novel is Dickens at his best. He was writing for weekly parts and in a real sense making it up as he went along so sometimes the joins do show. Despite this the novel shows him at a peak of imaginative creativity. A few of its joys are the death of Quilp (a darkly realistic antidote to the death of Little Nell), Dick Swiveller and Sally Brass. Then there are a plethora of characters that exist behind locked doors, and this time I noticed how many illusions to dogs there are in the novel.

What I think is really impressive about this novel though is the way he provides for comparison a spectrum of situations or character. There is a range of partnerships – Nell and her Grandfather; Quilp and Mrs Quilp, Sampson and Sally Brass, Dick Swiveller and The Marchioness. More particularly though there is a range of women characters – from the prostitute in the carriage at the races through the very butch Sally Brass, the submissive but sexually active Mrs Quilp, and the abused but finally rescued Marchioness, all the way to the virginal and saintly Little Nell herself.

Dickens is often criticised for not portraying any woman as a rounded and fully convincing character and I think he rarely does on an individual basis but if these women characters are viewed in the aggregate he manages to say an awful lot about the status and roles of women in the Victorian period. Little Nell in isolation is obnoxious but seen as part of this spectrum she takes her place in a broad and penetrating portrait of women that many of his contemporary writers could not begin to match. It is a technique he uses in other novels and I think it is one that goes towards making him such an inventive and such a fine writer.

Filmen: ‘A Christmas Carol’

Nasjonalitet: USA

Sjanger: Animasjon

Aldersgrense: 11 år

Lengde: 1 t. 36 min.

Regissør: Robert Zemeckis

Manus: Robert Zemeckis (basert på Charles Dickens roman)

Filmmusikk: Alan Silvestri

Stemmer: Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Bob Hoskins, Robin Wright Penn, Cary Elwes, Fionnula Flanagan, Ryan Ochoa, Lesley Manville, Daryl Sabara, Sage Ryan, Amber Gainey Meade, Bobbi Page, Ron Bottita, Sammi Hanratty, Julian Holloway, Jacquie Barnbrook, Molly C. Quinn, Fay Masterson, Leslie Zemeckis, Paul Blackthorne, Michael Hyland, Kerry Hoyt, Julene Renee, Raymond Ochoa, Callum Blue, Matthew Henerson, Aaron Rapke, Sonje Fortag, Steve Valentine

Walt Disney Pictures og deres dataanimasjonsmestere i ImageMovers Digital har laga et fyrverkeri av en filmatisering av Charles Dickens roman ‘En julefortelling’.

Handlinga i filmen foregår i 1800-tallets London. Vi følger den gamle og gjerrige grinebiteren Ebenezer Scrooge (Carrey), som ikke unner verken seg sjøl eller sine omgivelser noen glede. Hans eneste mål med livet er å tjene mest mulig penger. Scrooge driver en låneforretning. Han har en underbetalt ansatt, Bob Cratchit (Oldman). Han takker bryskt nei til nevøen Fred (Firth) sin julemiddagsinvitasjon. Han synes at julefeiring er noe tull.

På juleaften dukker plutselig spøkelse av hans avdøde, tidligere forretningspartner, Jacob Marley (Oldman) opp. Spøkelset oppforder Scrooge til å snu om på livet sitt, og i løpet av natten lærer Scrooge seg en lekse som han aldri kommer til å glemme.

Regissør Robert Zemeckis har holdt seg ganske tett opp til den opprinnelige romanen. Det er med andre ord like mye den avdøde Charles Dickens fortjeneste at denne filmen er så god som den er. Filmen rører ved flere alvorlige tema, men inneholder også en stor porsjon humor. I tillegg til det glitrende tekniske håndverket, sørger Alan Silvestris filmmusikk for en svært stemningsfull film. Sjølve animasjonen er rett og slett imponerende. Jim Carrey gjør en flott jobb som stemmen til flere av filmens karakterer. De andre skuespillerne gjør også en god jobb.

Filmen er laga for 3D-formatet, og går i både 2D og 3D på kino. Jeg så den i 3D, og det vil jeg absolutt anbefale. Filmen inneholder en rekke scener som åpenbart først og fremst har som mål å briefe med hvor stilig 3D-animasjon filmskaperne kan lage, og disse bør absolutt sees i nettopp 3D.

…

Sånn litt på sidelinja: Denne filmens budskap er vel noe sånt som at man skal bry seg om hvordan andre mennesker har det, at man må leve livet mens man har det, at man bør tilbringe tid med venner og familie og at det er mye som er viktigere enn hvor mye penger man tjener. Dette er det umulig å være uenig i.

Det er også et uomtvistelig faktum at det også i dag er mye folk som bruker mye tid og energi på veldedighetsarbeid, og at dette demper de aller fattigstes nød noe. Jula er vel den høytiden hvor veldedighet står mest i fokus.

Men veldedighet vil aldri kunne utgjøre en langvarig løsning på fattigdomsproblemet, som dessverre er like aktuelt i dagens verden som det var på Dickens tid. Det som må til er politiske systemskifter.

Jingle Bells Rock the Bonstelle Theatre this Holiday Season!

The Bonstelle Theatre decks the halls with the iconic story, A Christmas Carol adapted by Dennis Powers and Laird Williamson from the story by Charles Dickens running December 4 through December 13. Follow Ebenezer Scrooge and his ghostly visitors to Christmas past, present, and future in this timeless classic.

Originally written by Charles Dickens in 1843, A Christmas Carol is arguably one of the most recognizable theatrical productions in the world. Dickens compared the success of his other works to this show. Redemption, compassion and social injustice are the themes behind A Christmas Carol as well as most other works by Dickens. An almost immediate success upon publication, the story of A Christmas Carol continues to entertain theatergoers around the world 166 years after its creation.

Director Dennis E. North brings the audience to the present day on the streets of London. Costume designer Jessica Van Essen creates a punk rock ambience, combining leather, fringe and traditional Christmas concepts throughout her creations. Benjamin Williams (Detroit, MI), who was last seen in The Talented Tenth, takes the lead as the miserable Ebenezer Scrooge with six-year-old Joseph Frederick Plieth from Troy, MI as Tiny Tim. Scenic Designer Pegi Marshall-Amundsen’s ambitious set will mark her first production at the Bonstelle Theatre since being hired on as a Scenic Design faculty member at Wayne State University. All of these elements present a unique twist on an old tale about discovering the meaning of Christmas.

Other cast members include Alex Trice (Dickens/Detroit, MI), Dave Cowan (Bob Crachit/Grosse Ile, MI), Ted Neda (Fred/St. Clair Shores, MI), Patrick Loos (Marley/Highland, MI), Kyle Holton (Christmas Past/Detroit, MI), Kara Frizzell (Mrs. Christmas Past/Garden City, MI), Colin Mallory (Boy Scrooge/East Lansing, MI), Justin Wagner (Young Scrooge/New Baltimore, MI), Caitlin Morrison (Belle/Romeo, MI), Andrew Sheldon (Mr. Fezziwig/Redford, MI), Megan Fuller (Mrs. Fezziwig/Warren, MI), Justin Crutchfield (Christmas Present/Detroit, MI), Brittany Peele (Mary/Detroit, MI), Siena Hassett (Martha/Grosse Pointe Park, MI), Molly Waggamon (Mrs. Cratchit/Sterling Heights, MI), Alyssa Lukas (Dilber/Wayne, MN), Jacquie Michnuk (Flicher/Dearborn, MI), Joe Hamid (Old Joe/Coral Springs, FL), Kelly Klopocinski (Chorus/Sterling Heights, MI), Samantha Moltmaker (Chorus Angel/Harrison Twp, MI), Erin Hildebrandt (Chrous Angel/Walled Lake, MI), Elizabeth Bricker (Chorus Angel/Detroit, MI), Aeisha Reese (Chorus Angel/Flint, MI), Ashley Shamoon (Chorus/Northville, MI), Steve Xander Carson (Chrosu/New Baltimore, MI), George Abud (Chorus/Grosse Pointe, MI), Andre DeJuan (Chrosu/Detroit, MI) and William Turbett (Chorus/Dearborn, MI).

The production team includes Mercedes Coley (Stage Manager), Jessica Van Essen (Costume Designer), Christopher Wade (Lighting Designer), Wendy Wojciehowski (Sound Designer), Fred Florkowski (Technical Director) and Jeffrey Cotnoir (Publicist).

A Christmas Carol plays at the Bonstelle Theatre December 4, 2009 to December 13, 2009. Advance ticket sales are available at the Wayne State Theatre Box Office, located at 4743 Cass (corner of Hancock), or by phone at (313) 577-2960. Tickets may be purchased online at www.wsushows.com. The box office is open Tuesday – Saturday from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. Tickets may be purchased at the door at the Bonstelle Theatre (3424 Woodward Ave.) one hour prior to performances. Regular tickets are available for $15, and $12 discounted tickets are available to seniors ages 62+, and Wayne State University faculty, staff, and Alumni Association members. Student rush tickets are available for $10 the night of the performance. Group discounts are also available. For more information, please visit the theatre’s website at www.bonstelle.com.

Short feature I wrote.
Published originally in the Independent Weekly Nov. 11, 2009 issue.

Chapel Hill
The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby and The Illustrated World of Charles Dickens
Paul Green Theatre and Ackland Art Museum, UNC Campus—In the mid-1800s, Charles Dickens’ serial stories, such as Great Expectations, A Tale of Two Cities and Oliver Twist, kept readers in eager anticipation for the next installment. One such serial, the comedy Nicholas Nickleby, was later adapted for the stage by David Edgar and is considered one of the most extraordinary of the many adaptations of Dickens’ work. It’s also a daunting one, with a run time of nearly six hours and a cast of approximately 150 parts, which requires the actors to play multiple roles. PlayMakers Repertory Company, UNC’s professional theater company in residence, tackles this prolix work by breaking it up into two three-hour installments with a company of 25 actors.

In conjunction with PlayMakers, the Ackland Art Museum presents The Illustrated World of Charles Dickens, a selection of original drawings, prints and illustrations of 19th-century England. Works from Dickens’ major artistic collaborators—George Cruikshank, “Phiz” and John Leech—are installed in the Ackland’s new second-floor Study Gallery, demonstrating the relationship between literature, art and theater. It’s bound to be the best of times.

The Illustrated World of Charles Dickens is on display through Dec. 6. The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby is in rotating repertory today through Dec. 20, with evening performances at 7:30 and matinee performances at 2 p.m. Visit www.playmakersrep.org. —Belem Destefani

Enough with the literary-merit top 10 lists.  Here are the best book covers of 2009.  I personally love the look of Ruben Toledo’s designs, but not at all for the books they represent.  An awkward confluence of visionary tones.  Who imagines their literary heroines with such artistic flair?  It’s unsettling.

Lit. & Academia

• City University of New York dean Ann Kirschner recently read Little Dorrit four different ways (paperback, Kindle, iPhone, audiobook).  This week, she talks about it on NPR.
• Mavis Gallant is a writer who gives interesting interviews.  (Not all of ‘em do.)
• Age of Innocence, digested.
• One of the great things about being a college professor is that you don’t envy the young.

Film & Art

• Roald Dahl’s wife claims he would have loved Wes Anderson’s recent Fox adaptation.
• Daniel Day-Lewis’ “bush-league Method acting.“
• A video of Picasso’s Guernica in 3D.  Seriously cool.

Politics, Daily Life, Etc.

• “Green warfare”
• Food stamps and the way we see them are changing.
• On rude people, screaming children, and “social thuggery.”
• The Daily Beast interviews the mother of one of the White House gate crashers.  She’s embarrassed.

Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” gets the title “timeless” bestowed on it because every year at Christmas, some new version of his story is spawned.  Robert Zemeckis is the latest filmmaker to take a stab at the tale.  Rather than revamp, retool, or recondition the story, he simply uses modern technology to retell it in a fun way that stays true to the source material and keeps the soul intact.  His “A Christmas Carol” bottles up the real spirit of the holiday season like no recent movie and spreads it through the audience.  It really is an empowering feeling to walk out of a movie inspired to put that twenty-dollar bill in the Salvation Army bin, not in the cash register at the mall.

The story of Ebenezer Scrooge is probably the second most well-known holiday yarn, weaved into the very fabric of the holiday season itself.  We all know it: the old miser with a heart colder than the snow packed on the London sidewalks gets a wake-up call that changes him.  Prior, Scrooge scoffed at Christmas with a “bah, humbug.”  He scorned those who wanted to care for him and refused to give care to the people that need it the most.  He treats his employee like dirt and gives him wages that amount to little more than that.  But Scrooge gets a visit from three ghosts – the Ghost of Christmas Past, the Ghost of Christmas Present, and the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come – that change his perspective by reminding him of the joy that the season used to bring, the plight of those less fortunate, and the bleak future that awaits him if he doesn’t change his ways.  The result is a more tender-hearted man who appreciates Christmas and the giving spirit that accompanies it.

Through the miracle of motion capture, Jim Carrey is able to play not only Scrooge, but also all three ghosts.  Conceptually, it seems a little strange, but it isn’t bothersome at all in practice.  Carrey’s Scrooge may at first come off as some wacky voice from an “Ace Ventura” movie, but he uses his blessed gift of physicality and gives a very committed performance.  A lot of people will be surprised at how naturally he inhabits the decrepit old body.

The visuals of the movie are absolutely spectacular, and they are especially dazzling in 3-D.  I was particularly impressed by how Zemeckis and his team reconstructed 1840s London and gave the city a personality of its own.  The effects wizards create a spectacular universe, and Zemeckis honors their work by giving us plenty of sweeping shots of the city and some gratuitous visual stimulation.  There is nothing wrong with that; in fact, it adds to the experience for most of the movie.  Zemeckis’ vision is unlike any other adaptation of the story, and the technology really brings it to life.  I expected him to tone it down for the more somber and introspective section with the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come.  However, it was more gaudy than the previous sections and it really did distract from the message.

Hark!  Here is the purest Christmas movie of the decade!  Not only is it completely void of modern commercialism, but it focuses just on the holiday and not some other issue (relationships, broken families to name a few).  Zemeckis takes a classic, adapts it faithfully, and reminds us of the true meaning of the season.  No mixed message here: it’s all about giving.  And that’s all it should be.  B+ /

O poveste de Craciun

Regia : Robert Zemeckis

Cu : Jim Carrey

Gen film : Animatie, Drama, Familie, Fantastic

Durata : 96 minute

Premiera in Romania : 06.11.2009

.

.Despre subbiectul filmului si Trailerul aici ->  A Christmas Carol (2009)

.

Subtitrari:A Christmas Carol TS XViD-IMAGiNE

Info
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1067106/

IMDB Rating: 5.8/10
Video Codec: XVID
Audio Codec: MP3
Theatre Date: 14/08/09
Audio Bitrate: 128
Runtime: 1h 25mn
Subtitles: NIL
Language: ENGLISH
Resolution: 720 x 352
Genre: Animation | Drama | Family | Fantasy

An animated retelling of Charles Dickens classic novel about a Victorian-
era miser taken on a journey of self-redemption,
courtesy of several mysterious Christmas apparitions.
 Download from torrent

Alte articole :

Craciunul, Datini si superstitii

Citeste Legenda Lui Mos Craciun

Citeste Legenda Lui Mos Nicolae

Statusuri, sms-uri, mesaje, urari de Craciun

.

I knew I was going to be busy with the Thanksgiving holiday so I went ahead and scanned in 3 more illustrations from the Charles Dickens book, Pickwick Papers.  The 3 images in this post come from Part II.  The two books are part of  the series, “The Anniversary Edition of the Works of Charles Dickens, February 7, 1812″.  They were published in 1911 by P.F. Collier & Son of New York.

The above illustration is at the beginning of the book.  It is titled,  “Alfred Jingle”.

The sepia illustration above is of Mr. Stiggins giving a speech.

Above is another copyright free image of Mr. Weller dunking Mr. Stiggins’ head in the water.

The 3 illustrations above are from a pre-1923 copyright book.  They should be copyright-free.  All the images have been uploaded to my flickr page.  They have been attributed to Creative Commons.  If you click on the image, you will be taken to the image on my flickr page where you can chose the size of image to download for free.

Die Adventszeit beginnt heute und gespannt sehnen wir uns den ersten Weihnachtsplätzchen und dem ersten Glühwein entgegen, freuen uns auf die glitzernd schönen Christkindlmärkte und die leuchtend dekorierten Fußgängerzonen. Wunderbare Düfte steigen uns in die Nase. Das gespannte Kribbeln und die Vorfreude auf das Weihnachtsfest breiten sich aus, eine altbekannte Heimeligkeit umfasst unsere Seele und Kindheitserinnerungen erwachen in unserem Geist. Erinnerungen an die Suche nach dem Christkind, während die Eltern den Christbaum schmücken; Lieder, die wir als Kind gesungen haben; Geschichten, die uns unsere Eltern erzählten.
Eine dieser Geschichten erzählen sich die Menschen seit Generationen, adaptierten sie für unzählige Film-, Fernseh- und Theaterproduktionen. In diesem Winter läuft dieses Märchen als Walt-Disney`s 3D-Highlight in seiner 50. Leinwand-Version in unseren Kinos. Die Rede ist von Charles Dickens „Weihnachtslied“ (im Original: „A Christmas Carol“).

Ebenezer Scrooge und die Geister der Weihnacht

„A Christmas Carol“ ist die Geschichte des kauzigen Geschäftsmanns und notorischen Geizhalses Ebenezer Scrooge, dem am Weihnachtsabend vier Geister erscheinen und dessen Leben sich in dieser besagten heiligen Nacht vollkommen ändern wird. Am Nachmittag des Heiligen Abend setzt Scrooge in seiner gewohnt kaltherzigen Art zwei Herren, die Spenden für die Armen sammeln sowie seinen eigenen Neffen Fred, der ihn wie jedes Jahr zum Weihnachtsessen einlädt, vor die Tür. Für den alten Griesgram ist Weihnachten nichts weiter als ein gewöhnlicher Arbeitstag, die sentimentale Barmherzigkeit nichts weiter als „Humbug!“.

Als er am Abend nach Hause kehrt, erscheint auf seinem Türklopfer das Antlitz seines alten Geschäftspartners Jacob Marley, der am Weihnachtsabend sieben Jahre zuvor verstarb und zu Lebzeiten noch viel geiziger war als Scrooge selbst. „Marley war tot, damit wollen wir anfangen. Kein Zweifel kann darüber bestehen…. Der alte Marley war so tot wie ein Türnagel.“ Dies bescheinigt Dickens dem Leser eindringlich, um das Wunder, das nun passiert, begreiflich zu machen. Scrooge scheint im Haus erst einmal alles normal zu sein, bis ihm Jacob Marley als kettenbehangener Geist gegenübertritt. An seinen Ketten führt er Geldkassetten, Portemonnaies und weitere Utensilien seines früheren Geschäftslebens mit sich. Er erklärt seinem alten Kompanion, er hätte sich Zeit seines Lebens durch seine Menschenabscheu und Gier nach Geld und Reichtum selbst die schwere Bürde dieser langen, schweren Kette auferlegt. Seine Strafe im Jenseits läge darin, sich mit dieser Kette unter Menschen zu begeben. Scrooge wähnt sich im Sicheren, bis er erfährt, dass seine Kette vor sieben Jahren noch die gleiche Länge hatte, er aber durch seinen Gram täglich daran arbeite, dass sich dieses unbequeme Schmuckstück für das Jenseits stetig verlängert. Kurz darauf verlässt der Geist Marleys den alten Scrooge – allein mit seinen Gedanken, Sorgen und dem Hinweis, dass in der gleichen Nacht noch drei weitere Geister zu ihm kommen werden.

Ebenezer Scrooge und der Geist der vergangenen Weihnacht

Schlag ein Uhr erscheint dem alten Kauz nun also der erste Geist in Form eines Kindes und Greises zugleich. Er führt Scrooge an die Schauplätze vergangener Weihnachten in dessen jüngeren Jahren. Scrooge wird konfrontiert mit seiner Kindheit, sieht sich von seiner Familie verstoßen einsam am Weihnachtsabend in der Schule sitzend, später als junger Mann einer Weihnachtsfeier seines Lehrherrn beiwohnend, die ihm zeigt, wie einfach und ohne großen finanziellen Aufwand man andere Menschen glücklich machen kann. Er beobachtet sich selbst in seinen besten Jahren, verlassen von seiner großen Liebe, die er gegen die Liebe zum Reichtum eintauscht und erhält schließlich noch einen Blick in das spätere Leben seiner Geliebten, die nun in einem behaglichen Zuhause mit ihrem Ehemann und den Kindern Weihnachten feiert. Scrooge ist regelrecht geschockt vom gerade Gesehenen und fleht den Geist der vergangenen Weihnacht an, ihn nach Hause zurückkehren zu lassen: „Verlaß mich, führ mich weg. Verfolge mich nicht länger.“, bis dieser ihm endlich seinen Wunsch erfüllt und Scrooge erschöpft in sein Bett fällt.

Ebenezer Scrooge und der Geist der gegenwärtigen Weihnacht

Doch gleich darauf wird Scrooge vom zweiten Geist – dem Geist der diesjährigen Weihnacht – aufgesucht. Dieser stellt erst einmal klar, dass es seit Christi Geburt jedes Jahr einen Geist gibt, der den Menschen mit seinen guten Taten zum Weihnachtsfest eine besonders friedvolle Atmosphäre beschert. So schlichtet er in Scrooge`s Beisein wie von Zauberhand einen Familienstreit und verleiht den Speisen eine köstlich weihnachtliche Note. Mit seinem Schützling besucht der Weihnachtsgeist nun Scrooge`s Angestellten Bob Cratchit und dessen Familie. So erfährt der alte Knauser, dass Cratchit einige Kinder hat, darunter der kleine verkrüppelte Tiny Tim, der wegen seiner schlechten medizinischen Versorgung und mangelnder Ernährung bald sterben würde. Scrooge erlebt ein ihm bislang unbekanntes Gefühl – Anteilnahme und Mitleid mit dem kranken Jungen und offenbar sorgt er sich ernsthaft um dessen Leben. Der Geist schockiert ihn indes mit seinen eigenen Tags zuvor erwähnten Worten: „Wenn es [das Kind] sterben muss, ist es besser, es tue es gleich und vermindere die überflüssige Bevölkerung.“ Trotz der Armut feiert die Familie Crachit ein glückliches Weihnachtsfest mit einem für ihre Verhältnisse wahrlich großen Truthahn und sogar einem Toast auf den Arbeitgeber Scrooge.

Im nächsten Moment bringt der Geist den alten Scrooge zu einer weiteren Weihnachtsszene im Hause seines Neffen Fred. Er feiert in geselliger Runde das Heilige Fest und die Freunde veralbern in ihren Rate-Spielen den schrulligen Onkel sogar. Zuletzt vertraut der Geist dem Geizkragen zwei Kinder an, die er bislang unter seinem Mantel versteckt hielt – „es sind des Menschen Kinder […] dieses Mädchen ist die Unwissenheit. Dieser Knabe ist der Mangel“. Die Kinder stellen einen wahrlich schauderhaften Anblick dar. Dem Alten widerstrebt es, die Kinder aufzunehmen und ohne eine Antwort auf seine Frage, ob es keinen Zufluchtsort für sie gäbe, ist Scrooge wieder der Dunkelheit in seinem Schlafgemach und damit sich selbst überlassen.

Ebenezer Scrooge und der Geist der zukünftigen Weihnacht

Der letzte Geist erscheint Scrooge als dunkle, in einem kaum sichtbaren Umhang gehüllte Gestalt, die mit dem Heimgesuchten kein Wort spricht. Scrooge schließt aus den voran gegangenen Erlebnissen, dass es sich hierbei um den Geist der zukünftigen Weihnacht handeln muss und lauscht sogleich einem Gespräch mehrerer Männer in der Börse, die sich über den Tod eines flüchtigen Bekannten austauschen – ohne auch nur einen Funken von Anteilnahme zu zeigen. Kurz darauf begleitet er die Geistergestalt in ein Geschäft in einem Armenviertel Londons, wo armselige Figuren dem Ladenbesitzer Waren verkaufen möchten, die sie anscheinend aus dem Haus eines unbekannten Verstorbenen gestohlen haben. Sogar die Bettvorhänge und das Totenhemd werden hier feilgeboten, dennoch zeigt die zwielichtige Gesellschaft keinerlei Schuldgefühle dem Toten gegenüber, was zu dem Schluss führt, dass der Tod des Mannes keinem nahe geht: „Ich werde doch wahrhaftig meine Hand nicht leer einstecken, wenn ich sie nur auszustrecken brauche, um was zu kriegen, um so einen Mannes willen, wie der war.“

In der nächsten Szene steht Scrooge in einem dunklen Raum am Bett des Toten und der Geist nötigt Scrooge, das Laken von der Leiche zu ziehen und zu sehen, um wen es sich handelt, wozu Scrooge letztendlich aber die Kräfte fehlen. Der mürrische Einzelgänger, der diese grausamen Szenen kaum verarbeiten kann und in dem Toten das Abbild seines zukünftigen Schicksals ahnt, fleht den Geist an, ihm einen Menschen zu zeigen, der ein Gefühl dem Verstorbenen gegenüber zeigt. Doch die Enttäuschung wächst, als Scrooge daraufhin ein Paar sieht, die erleichtert sind über den Tod des Mannes, da sie einen Kredit noch nicht zurückgezahlt haben und nun auf einen milder gestimmten Erben des Gläubigers hoffen. Von der Kälte des Szene mitgenommen, möchte Scrooge Menschen sehen, die durch den Tod eines geliebten Menschen Traurigkeit fühlen, worauf hin er bei der Familie Cratchit landet, die gerade um den verstorbenen kleinen Tim trauern. Die Reise mit dem zukünftigen Geist endet an Ebenezer Scrooge`s Grabstein, der durch diesen Anblick kurz vor dem Zusammenbruch steht. Doch erneut wird er sich selbst überlassen, da der Geist plötzlich in einem Bettpfosten verschwindet und Scrooge in seinem Schlafgemach zurücklässt.

Ebenezer Scrooge und die Wandlung seines Geistes

Am nächsten Morgen erwacht, verspürt Scrooge ein noch nie da gewesenes Gefühl der Freude, des Lebensmutes, dem Verlangen nach Wohltätigkeit. Voller guter Vorsätze schickt er einen vorbei laufenden Jungen mit dem Versprechen von Taschengeld, den größten vorhandenen Truthahn zu kaufen und zur Familie Cratchit zu liefern. Dem plötzlichen Bedürfnis eines spontanen Spaziergangs durch die Stadt nachkommend, begegnet er den zwei Herren aus seinem Kontor und schenkt ihnen nach seiner Entschuldigung für sein Benehmen am Tag zuvor eine großzügige Spende für die Bedürftigen. Er nimmt die Einladung seines Neffen Fred zum Weihnachtsessen an und stößt auf größte Gastfreundlichkeit durch Fred und seine Freunde.

Tags darauf ist er bereits vor seinem Angestellten Cratchit im Kontor in der Absicht, ihn beim Zu-spät-Kommen zu erwischen. Der verwandelte Scrooge erlaubt sich natürlich nur einen Scherz mit seiner Rüge gegenüber Bob und überrascht ihn schließlich mit einer Erhöhung seines Lohnes. „Scrooge war besser als sein Wort. Er wurde ein so guter Freund und ein so guter Mensch, wie die liebe alte City […] in der lieben alten Welt je einen Freund und Menschen gesehen hat.“ Mit diesen Worten unterstreicht Charles Dickens die Veränderung seiner Hauptfigur Ebenezer Scrooge und ruft gleichzeitig zur Menschenfreundlichkeit und Barmherzigkeit auf….ein wahrlich großes Ende einer großen Geschichte, für die dieses Zitat und Motto für die Ewigkeit zu gelten scheint: „Die Wege der Menschen deuten ein bestimmtes Ende voraus, auf das sie hinführen, wenn man auf ihnen beharrt. Aber wenn man von den Wegen abweicht, ändert sich auch das Ende.“

Eine kurze Biographie zu Charles Dickens

Der englische Schriftsteller und Verfasser des „Christmas Carol“ Charles Dickens (* 1812 in Landport bei Portsmouth, England; + 1870 auf seinem Landsitz Gad`s Hill Place bei Rochester, England) prangert mit seiner Weihnachtsgeschichte die Missstände in der englischen Gesellschaft des 19. Jahrhunderts an. Die sozialkritischen Passagen in der Geschichte sollen die Aufmerksamkeit auf die allgegenwärtige Armut lenken. Dickens selbst ist in ärmlichen Verhältnissen aufgewachsen. Bereits als 12-Jähriger muss er als Hilfsarbeiter in einer Fabrik arbeiten, nachdem sein Vater seine 9-köpfige Familie nicht mehr ernähren kann und ins Schuldgefängnis von London kommt.

Später arbeitet Dickens als Schreiber bei einem Rechtsanwalt und parlamentarischen Berichterstatter. 1830 von dem Ende seiner ersten großen Liebe übermannt, strebt Dickens nach gesellschaftlichem Aufstieg und arbeitet hart an seiner journalistischen Karriere, die nach der Mitarbeit bei den Zeitungen „True Sun“ und „Morning Chronicle“ ab 1836/37 stetig fortschreitet. Romane wie „The Pickwick Papers“ und „Oliver Twist“ veröffentlicht er als Fortsetzungsromane in den Zeitungen. Mit seiner Erzählweise – einem Mix aus scharfer Beobachtung und Humor bis hin zur Ironie, die ihm nebenbei literarischen Ruhm einbringen – zielt er darauf ab, die gesellschaftlichen Klassenunterschiede bloß zu stellen und somit den Weg für Reformen zu ebnen.

Ab 1841 erreicht Dickens auch Ruhm in Amerika. Doch widerfährt ihm hier auch bald großes Unrecht, denn zahlreiche seiner Text werden ungefragt und ohne seine Beteiligung abgedruckt. Überaus enttäuscht über diese Situation wagt er es, sich für ein internationales Urheberrecht stark zu machen. Doch auch in den USA muss er erkennen, dass dort nicht der erhoffte freie, tolerante Geist herrscht, sondern ähnliche Standesunterschiede bis hin zu Sklaverei wie im heimischen England.

1843 schreibt Dickens „A Christmas Carol“ („Ein Weihnachtslied“), welches im Dezember des gleichen Jahres als Buch mit Illustrationen von John Leech erscheint. Da sein Verleger nicht die finanziellen Mittel hat, das Buch herauszubringen, übernimmt Dickens, der kurz zuvor selbst in Geldnot geriet, eigenhändig die Kosten für den Druck. Aber auch in England gibt es kein Urheberrecht und so verkauft sich Dickens Erzählung innerhalb kürzester Zeit im ganzen Land als Raubkopie. Dickens klagt gegen die betrügerischen Herausgeber, doch kostet ihn der Rechtsstreit am Ende so viel, wie er mit dem Verkauf des Weihnachtsliedes verdient.

Wenngleich Dickens „Weihnachtslied“ heute nicht mehr im ursprünglichen sozialkritischen Kontext steht, ist es für Jung und Alt seit über 150 Jahren eine wunderbare, bezaubernde Weihnachtsgeschichte, die uns dennoch Anlass zum Nachdenken und zum Wohlwollen den Mitmenschen gegenüber anregt.

Wenn Ihr die Geschichte vom alten Ebenezer Scrooge wieder einmal ansehen möchtet, stellt Euch Elfenzauber hier die Highlights aus allen 50 Verfilmungen vor:

- Derzeit im Kino: Disneys „Eine Weihnachtsgeschichte“ in 3D; mit Jim Carrey in 7 Hauptrollen, außerdem Gary Oldman, Bob Hoskins, Robin Wright Penn und Colin Firth, von Regisseur und Oskarpreisträger Rober Zemeckis verfilmt

- „Mickey`s Weihnachtserzählung aus dem Jahr 1983, einem zauberhaften Zeichentrickfilm aus dem Hause Walt Disney; mit Dagobert Duck als Ebenezer Scrooge, der im englischen Original übrigens nach Dickens Scrooge benannt seit jeher Scrooge McDuck heißt.

- Die Horrorkomödie „Die Geister, die ich rief (Scrooged)“ aus dem Jahr 1988; Bill Murray inszeniert als Medienmogul den modernen Ebenezer Scrooge in Perfektion

- Des Weiteren gibt es die Weihnachtsgeschichte in den Versionen der Muppet Show („Die Muppets Weihnachtsgeschichte“ von 1992), als Fred Feuersteins Weihnachtsshow (A Flintstones Christmas Carol von 1994) sowie die Sesam-Straße-Weihnachtsgeschichte von 2006.

© Sandra Ilmberger, 2009

Nov 27th, 28th and 29th

December 5th and 6th

December 12th and 13th

      Open 1 pm to 6 pm daily

For thousands of Michigan families, it wouldn’t be Christmas if they didn’t attend the Dickens Olde Fashioned Christmas Festival. In the quaint Village of Holly, Michigan, amidst the great Victorian period architecture, Charles Dickens characters come to life in the streets at the annual Dickens Festival.  Music and merriment is what it’s all about.

Jacob Marley

Central to the celebration are characters from Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” – Ebenezer Scrooge, Jacob Marley, The Ghost of Christmas Past and many others – brought to life by members of The Festival Singers, who will also present music of the season in 5-part acapella harmony.  Special weekends, such as Victorian Charm Weekend, will feature the Renewal of Vows ceremony where Mr. Scrooge officiates so anything could happen!

Festival Singers

“I will honor Christmas in my heart,

 and try to keep it all the year” 

           - Ebenezer Scrooge

            A Christmas Carol

Photos with Santa at My Sweet Holly Antique Store    

ZDFneo – ZDF.de.

Sorry, liebe Leute, nicht Darwin war der größte Ketzer aller Zeiten, er hat ihm nur den Weg gebahnt.

Darwin hat das Bild gemacht, – daran besteht kein Zweifel.

Aus seiner Zeit heraus mußte es ein “Negativ” sein. – Darwin kannte die “soziale Wirklichkeit” des Charles Dickens, in dem jeder, der nicht der “Upper Class” angehörte, Tag für Tag um sein Überleben kämpfen mußte.

Kein Wunder also, daß Darwin seine Erfahrungen in die Natur projizierte.

Wir tun dasselbe heute auch noch: Der Sprachgebrauch in Berichten über die Evolution ist militaristisch, unsere sozialen Bedingungen nähern sich dem frühen 19. Jahrhundert erneut an.

Der Gepard, ein schneller, gnadenloser Jäger! – Fragezeichen! Drehen Sie das Bild einfach einmal um:

Die Gazelle – eine gnadenlose Gepardenkinderkillerin? – So sieht es aus, wenn eine Gazelle einer Gepardin davonrennt und deren Kinder mangels Beute verhungern müssen.

Nicht der Jäger “dominiert” die Beute. Umgekehrt wird ein Schuh draus. Wer von Pflanzen lebt, kann sich glücklich schätzen, denn diese laufen nicht davon. Wer aber auf die Jagd angewiesen ist, der muß mit dem zufrieden sein, was er erwischen kann. – Und das ist wenig genug.

“Tyrannosaurus Rex” hat niemals die Erde beherrscht. – Er lebte von den Kadavern, die irgendwo herumlungerten. – Entgegen anderslautenden Berichten war er kein furchterregender Jäger. Mit seinen lächerlichen Ärmchen hätte er kein Beutetier festhalten können. Seine nächsten Verwandten, die Vögel, haben in der “Jagdvariante” samt und sonders leistungsfähige Greiforgange. – Geier aber nicht. Die Vögel, die sich bei der Beutejagd einzig auf ihren Schnabel verlassen, fressen Insekten. – Ich kenne keinen Biologen, de unseren guten alten T. Rex jemals einen Insektenfresser genannt hätte.

Vom Standpunkt unserer Mitaffen aus gesehen, haben wir ähnlich lächerliche Ärmchen wie T. Rex. – Und weil wir geneigt sind, unsere unangenehmen artspezifischen Eigenschaften  in die Natur zu projizieren, würden uns Schimpanse, Bonobo, Gorilla &Co in einer Art Artbetimmungskonferenz – nicht ohne Humor – wohl zum

Tyrannopithecus Majestix

erklären.

Ich brauchte nur das Negativ, das Darwin entwickelt hatte, neu zu belichten und zu entwickeln. Und schon hatte ich das Bild: Die Evolution als nichtlinear-thermodynamisches System.

Das Chaos ist die Gottgewollte Ordnung.

Si avvicina il Natale. Il racconto che più amo di questo periodo è il ‘Canto di Natale’ di Charles Dickens e tutti i suoi svariati adattamenti che fin da piccolino ho visto. Da quello di Topolino, Paperino e Zio Paperone al film Sos Fantasmi con Bill Murray. Riescono sempre a prendermi, a commuovermi e a farmi sognare. Ora mi ricordano anche mio padre e questo conta moltissimo.
Stasera ho visto, per lavoro, l’anteprima stampa del nuovo ‘Canto di Natale’ firmato da Robert Zemeckis (Ritorno al Futuro) con Jim Carrey.
Fantastico. Perfetto. Con un’animazione 3D mai vista fino ad ora.
Non mi dilungherò troppo sui contenuti, domani scriverò il mio articolo per il giornale e lo troverete in edicola sabato mattina (anche in internet).
Volevo solo lasciare una nota a margine sul mio blog perchè sta arrivando il Natale e mai come quest’anno non vedo l’ora di accoglierlo a braccia aperte.
Con un mese d’anticipo: Buon Natale a tutti!!!

]]> http://sarahbbc.wordpress.com/2009/11/26/thankful-thursday/ Thu, 26 Nov 2009 21:28:11 +0000 Sarah http://sarahbbc.wordpress.com/2009/11/26/thankful-thursday/

A Thanksgiving question from Booking Through Thursday:

It’s Thanksgiving in the U.S.A. today, so I know at least some of you are going to be as busy with turkey and family as I will be, so this week’s question is a simple one:

What books and authors are you particularly thankful for this year?

That’s quite difficult. When I particularly enjoy books and authors I am usually grateful to the person or persons who brought them to my attention. Being thankful for a book implies something slightly different. I’m thankful for books when they are serving some additional purpose beyond entertainment and /or mental exercise. So we’re talking about the books which serve as a distraction, or place of refuge, at moments of stress; or even those which act as guides through difficult times.

I have three. First Cormac McCarthy. I was reading Outer Dark when my husband was in hospital during the summer. Yeah. Things which had seemed a bit grim were a walk in the park in comparison with a McCarthy landscape.

As the OH recuperated at home, and one routine deprived daughter went into meltdown, I was reading Infinite Jest. Which is quite depressing, but not in the perversely cheering way of Cormac McCarthy. In Infinite Jest you find the pitfalls but also the way out.

Finally, I am thankful for Dickens, whom I am currently reading. Escapism of a very high order.

Finally, I got to watch Disney’s latest 3D animated flick, A Christmas Carol, which stars Jim Carrey as the voice of the protagonist, Ebenezer Scrooge.

As this movie is obviously based entirely on the Charles Dickens Christmas classic novella, I will not delve into the story. Go read the book. I find it a must to do so in order to comprehend the movie. If you go into the story of A Christmas Carol for the first time through the film, you will not understand it and you may be disappointed for paying so much just to see it. The language is in the old British-style English and, knowing Filipinos’ comprehension of this type of spoken English, you might never get to understand the dialogue. This is not to mock every Pinoy; take it from me, because while watching, I wasn’t entirely listening to what the characters were saying. I was just engrossed in the visuals and relied on what I have read on the story for the script. Basically, it is essential to read the text first and formulate your visual interpretation in your own head.

Downloaded wallpaper from Disney's minisite of "A Christmas Carol."

Critics have given it a moderate rating—not exactly a very much anticipated ranking, considering that it is from Disney and is based on a classic. Some critics have said that it is an excellent visual version of the classic Dickens story, but lacks in heart or spirit. I have to agree. I didn’t feel exhilaration or a sense of inspiration after watching it. It was plain fun with elements of comedy, horror, and drama. The thrill, in my opinion, was absent. Even if Scrooge was being chased down the alley by a huge horse-drawn carriage, I wasn’t at the edge of my seat, hoping that he wouldn’t get caught. I just stared, watched, and enjoyed the 3D ride.

A heartless and worldly-possesive Christmas critic and atheist...

If I could have my way, every idiot who goes about with ‘Merry Christmas’ on his lips should be boiled in his own pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart!

–Ebenezer Scrooge

...transformed into a caring and fun-loving jolly man.

Catches himself laughing like the Ghost of Christmas Present:

‘I’ve heard that laugh before…’

Resumes laughing.

–Ebenezer Scrooge

There were several scenes that were non-existent in the book. Although I hate a love-hate approach to this kind of practice by directors, I approve of it for this particular movie due to the interpretation and significance that it lends to A Christmas Carol. Take for instance, the death of the Ghost of Christmas Present. In the book, it wasn’t stated that he died—he simply vanished into thin air. In this animated movie, he actually grew old (and fast!), stumbled, and was shed of his skin up to his skeleton. He was laughing the whole time he was dying—even his skeleton was laughing. Afterwards, his remains were blown away like dust. I have formulated the significance of this scene: The Ghost of Christmas Present, albeit dying, was laughing because finally, Scrooge was being stripped off of his “Ignorance” and “Want”—worldly and selfish characteristics of man. It meant that Scrooge has finally come to his senses and is willing to propagate change into him. It was a laugh of triumph in being able to divert a man from his greedy ways.

Of the three Spirits of Christmas, I prefer the Ghost of Christmas Present just because he is so damn jolly! His laugh will make you want to laugh along--simply infectious!

I applaud the visual-creation department of Disney and Pixar. The environment was very much realistic. The humans were hardly recognizable as CGIs if shrouded in shadows. The only thing that made them look like CGIs was when they were moving too fast and performing feats not seen in reality. I also liked the style where in the end, Bob Cratchit suddenly evolved into Charles Dickens himself, stating the closing lines of his book. I have to say, he really did look like the man himself. Not really surprising, but still, a surprise.

Hey guys, don't you just love it when at an old age, you can look back to the day in your life when you fell so hard in-love? That special girl, how she looked back then, and how everything all around, including time, seemed to stop and just vanish. *sigh!* Yeah, I'm a hopeless romantic.

All in all, I could say that my excitement for the movie has paid off, but it never reached my expectations. I was hoping for a film that would get through me, more than what the book did. Still, it was a great cinematic panorama, and it certainly helped me understand certain vague points in the novella. The 3D experience was fine, but not enough to convince me that 3D cinema is best enjoyed in live action films.

A few days ago I was stuck in the car, a prisoner to another mundane and painful holiday road trip.  Listening to local talk radio, I found myself pondering this question: what would be revealed if the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come paid a visit on me?

It was Tuesday, November 24 and the breaking news was that Abe Pollin, Washington Wizards owner and local philanthropist died at the age of 85.  Washington D.C. lost an iconic figure and by all accounts an incredibly caring and generous man, leaving a deep chasm in the city he loved.  As I listened to countless personal tributes from people who had the pleasure of making Mr. Pollin’s acquaintance, I couldn’t help but be moved by the heartfelt stories of his life.

Mr. Pollin gave Washington, D.C. the gift of both an NBA and NHL franchise.  More importantly he singlehandedly revitalized an entire neighborhood of downtown Washington, D.C. when he built the Verizon Center with over $220 million of his own money.  He was adored by the people who worked for him and went out his way to help those in need.  Mr. Pollin spent much of his life donating time and money to causes that support those who are less fortunate.

I find a great deal of  irony in the timing of his death and I am left wondering if this type of generosity and good will is an endangered personal attribute in our overly materialistic and commercialized society.  I am also reminded that Christmas was once so special to me.  It meant so many things – family, peace to all, promise, good will, hope, love, and generosity.  It would seem that like many Americans I had forgotten. 

And so I contend that it is very fitting that Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol has been readapted into a motion picture, staring Jim Carey and released this holiday season.  We all know the story well.  Dickens’s classic tale is an indictment of nineteenth century industrial capitalism and greed.  Ebenezer Scrooge, the coldhearted and miserly money lending banker embodies many of the very attributes that caused the current mortgage and housing crisis and subsequent economic meltdown.  Two centuries later, the lesson remains timeless.

This year it is difficult to ignore the fact that the country is in economic turmoil.  Unemployment rates are high and for too many Americans keeping food in the cupboards is difficult.  This makes it hard to celebrate when Christmas has become an overly commercialized and materialistic holiday

A government report released this week cites that 49 million Americans do not have dependable access to adequate food this holiday season.  Food banks are seeing unprecedented demand with a 50% increase in requests for assistance in 2009.  The lines are growing and now contain more formerly middleclass Americans that until recently didn’t know what a food bank was. 

America’s food banks are in need of a bailout in the form of volunteers and donations this holiday season.  Few of us have the resources of Mr. Pollin, but time is a valuable gift that many of us can give if we make the effort. 

My family is blessed, so in the true spirit of Christmas, I asked my children to make an amendment to their material Christmas lists.  I challenged them to identify and perform one act of kindness and generosity this holiday season.  This can be a small donation of food, money or time, but hopefully it will serve as a life lesson that they personify and eventually pass on to their children.

We can all make a difference with very little time or effort.  The gift of giving to someone less fortunate should inspire us.  The fictional story of Ebenezer Scrooge or the real life generosity of Abe Pollin can serve as a Polaris to navigating through life in a manner that makes the world a better place to live. Make time this holiday season for something that benefits those in need and you may find reward in rediscovering the true meaning of Christmas.

Only earlier this week I mentioned that though it was in many ways painful and was taking some serious avoidance my month of no book buying hasn’t been quite as difficult as I thought it would. This is both thanks to ReadItSwapIt and the Library as I mentioned in the earlier post. I also said I had received some lovely parcels from some lovely publishers and would let you know what had arrived and so I thought as its a Saturday and book shopping is so tempting I would tease you with these delights that you could run out and buy; as none of you are doing anything as silly as a self imposed ban like I am hopefully!! First up some classics…

I have been making a concerted effort to read more classics and two publishers you cant go wrong with are Vintage Classics and Oxford University Press. When a rather large thud resounded through the building from the letterbox I came down and found ‘The Bronte Collection’ which includes Wuthering Heights, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, Villette and Jane Eyre. I will admit I didnt love Wuthering Heights but after reading The Taste of Sorrow by Jude Morgan which is all about the sisters earlier this year I think a Bronte-Binge is on the way and the season after New Year seems perfect for this don’t you think? Might be a good Xmas pressie for relatives this Christmas maybe. (Hang on did I just mention the C word before December starts – I should be ashammed!) They also sent The Wapshot Chronicle by John Cheever and a huge collection of his letters. I havent read any Cheever but am thrilled about these two delights. Oxford University Press kindly sent the last of the Sensation Season novels (don’t cry they may be back again next year) in the form of Charles Dickens ‘Great Expectations’ along with George Moore’s ’Esther Waters’ which hit my attention waves on BBC Radio 4’s Open Book show when they looked at neglected classics. Be warned – the neglected classics are dangerous list of books which could lead to a huge spree.

From the people at Harper arrived a very diverse collection of books in one big parcel, the postman is not a fan of this address – his arms certainly aren’t, quite an eclectic mix indeed. Two of the books are from thier new imprint Blue Door ‘The Ballad of Trench Mouth Taggart’ (great title) by M Glenn Taylor and Mots d’Heures: Gousses, Rames by Luis d’Antin Van Rooten the latter can only be described by a post on their new blog. Sounds bizarre but will give it a go. They also sent me Snow Hill a thriller by Mark Sanderson, who has written a memoir so heartbreaking I have owned it for years and never able to read, Mark will be doing a Savidge Reads Grills very soon. Last but not least by any means as actually this is one of the books I have been most excited about in weeks (as you know I am having an Agatha Christie binge) is ‘Agatha Christie’s Secret Notebooks’ compiled by John Curran, I had to stop myself reading it as soon as it arrived. It’s a treat for a very lazy Sunday.

Now in a few weeks I will be doing a piece on the books to look forward to over the next year, you can see the predictions I made for this year here should you wish. Already some are coming through the letter box and Sceptre have done some very clever marketing with a collection of three books and three characters “you simply must meet in 2010″. They are called Nevis Gow, Lindiwe Bishop and Jack Rosenblum and I shall tell you more about them in the forthcoming weeks. I just love how they have packaged it all, no titles or authors on the cover, intriguing.  Books already out arrived too and they are The Sorrows of an American by Siri Hustvedt, which I think has a stunning cover, and Incendiary by Chris Cleave and you all know how I loved The Other Hand.

Another massive parcel has arrived from Orion. I have succumbed to the latest in the Twilight Saga and it seems more Vampire delights await me with the first two of Charlaine Harris’ series about Sookie Stackhouse (great name) which have become the incredibly successful True Blood tv series. I haven’t heard much on the blogosphere on these but am very much intrigued by them as have seen tonnes on the tube.  The final tome that you can see is one thats not out until June next year but I have been priviledged enough to be asjed to take a very early look at. ‘The Passage’ by Justin Cronin is massive, comes with very little, though intriguing blurb and has already had the film rites bought by Ridley Scott, more on that soon too as I think this is going to be huge (and not just in size) next year. And finally…

It’s always nice when a publisher emails you be they big or small. I have to admit I hadn’t heard too much about Honno Press when they emailed me asking if they could send me a catalogue. Honno Press is an independent publisher of Welsh Women’s fiction (so a bit like a welsh version of Persephone if you are a fan) and they have a wonderful selection of books, they also go the extra mile as they went through my blog and picked three books they thought I would love. A welsh sensation novel ‘A Burglary’ by Amy Dillwyn, a book where “each generation looks back into the tragic past, loves, secrets and lies are hauled into the open with surprising consequences for all” in ‘Hector’s Talent for Miracles’ by Kitty Harri and finally a collection of witty, wry and sharply observed stories about women with ‘Stranger Within The Gates’ by Bertha Thomas. Sounds like they have got me spot on!!!

Blimey. Now over to you… are Bronte’s and other classics the perfect pressies for Christmas and reading as Spring… erm… springs up? Who has read the Charlaine Harris books, are they like Twilight? Who has tried Honno Press and what did you think?  What will you be curling up with this weekend? What books have you accumulated of late?

I’m not expecting to blog much in the next couple of weeks (apart from a long overdue Home post.) My last Dickens of comparable length took some six weeks or so to read! But in the meantime there are a couple of memes which might be made to lend themselves to the book at hand:

The first line can make or break a reader’s interest. Just how well did the author pull you in to the story with their first sentence?

The first line of Little Dorrit reads thus:

“Thirty years ago, Marseilles lay burning in the sun one day.”

Oh dear.  If the first line was make or break time, I fear that Little Dorrit would have found herself unceremoniously reconsigned to the shelf from whence she came.  Fortunately Dickens’ reputation precedes him, and it isn’t necessary to be hooked on the first line, paragraph, or even chapter.

THE CHIMES

A Goblin Story

OF SOME BELLS

THAT RANG AN OLD YEAR OUT

AND A NEW ONE IN

~~~~~

CHARACTERS

Sir Joseph Bowley, MP, an old and stately gentleman

Master Bowley, son of the preceding

Alderman Cute, a man priding himself on his plain practical knowing character

Will Fern, a poor and honest man, but who has been given a bad name

Mr Filer, a disconsolate gentleman of middle age

Mr Fish, confidential secretary to Sir Joseph Bowley

Richard, a handsome young smith

Tugby, porter to Sir James Bowley

Toby Veck (“Trotty”), a ticket-porter

Lady Bowley, wife of Sir Joseph Bowley

Mrs Anne Chickenstalker, keeper of a ‘general shop’

Lillian Fern, an orphan; niece to Will Fern

Margaret Veck, daughter of Toby Veck

~~~~~

Now doesn’t that just sound like the most amazing book?!!  I can’t wait to find out what happens.  Maybe Mrs Chickenstalker and Alderman Cute will have some sort of relationship, only time will tell…