"A Christmas Carol"

Book Club to discuss the original Charles Dickens’ Christmas classic at the December 11th meeting

In keeping with the Book Club’s decision to revisit some "classic" novels, “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens seems an obvious choice during the holiday season. The novella was first published in London on December 19, 1843. It met with instant success and critical acclaim and has never been out of print.

“A Christmas Carol” tells the story of a bitter old miser named Ebenezer Scrooge and his transformation into a gentler, kindlier man after visitations by the ghost of his former business partner Jacob Marley and the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come.

The novella is short, which will be convenient during the busy holiday season, and you don't even have to buy the book! It is available in its entirety from multiple online sources, such as literature.org, gutenberg.org, or stormfax.com. Just Google the book. Many online copies even include the original illustrations. The book is also available in the Sacramento Public Library system, although many of the editions are adapted, abridged, or otherwise modernized.

This meeting will take place at Alice Schilla’s house and will begin at 6:30 p.m. Rather than the usual potluck dinner, everyone can bring his or her favorite hearty appetizer. Alice will provide dessert, wines, and maybe eggnog.

For more information or directions, contact Alice by email at amschilla1@yahoo.com. Please let her know whether or not you will be attending and what you plan to bring for the meal.

The club is also looking for volunteers to host meetings on the following dates in 2016: July 8; August 12; September 9; October 14; November 11; and December 9. The host selects the book and the location, which can be at someone's home with a potluck dinner or an after-dinner meeting with dessert, coffee and wine, or the meeting can be at a restaurant with a suitable quiet space or private room.

If you are interested in hosting a meeting, contact Alice Schilla by email at amschilla1@yahoo.com.