Scrooge: Why A Book is Often Better Than A Movie-We'll find out in London

Confession, before yesterday, I had never read A Christmas Carol. Pitiful, I know. In truth, I've seen the movie a gazillion times, and when I relinquished to finally read Dickens's words, I was surprised. (Today's photos of London were taken by my daughter)

The full title, now that I know the rest of the story is: A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being A Ghost Story of Christmas. No, I don't think his original title received points either. Trimming it down to A Christmas Carol was a smart idea by whoever did it.

The story takes place in horse and buggy days and seven years after Scrooges's partner, Jacob Marley died.

So, why is this tale of "a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner! Hard and sharp as flint,… secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster," better as a book than a movie?

This photo of Big Ben is when it is under construction. The scaffolding designed to protect the building prevents us from seeing the true image at this time.

I discovered scenes in the written pages never included in any of the movies, and I've watched them all. Beautiful scenes. Scenes that warmed the heart and painted Scrooge's character deeper. Sure we get the gist of Scrooge from the films, BUT, you haven't truly met Scrooge until you've read the book.

For example, let's go to the the Ghost of Christmas Past. In the school we meet Scrooge's sister. The movies (and I've seen most of them) only tell us of his annoyingly jolly nephew, but to have a nephew, Scrooge had to have a sibling. Wouldn't you like to meet this dear soul who pulled at his heart string. Did you see those last words...heart string? At this scene he only had grown one. For the movie, he didn't seem to grow a spec of heart until the third ghost.

Read the book, and know him better!

You won't be sorry.

Dickens gets a five out of five from me.

So on this note, I designed the cover of Christmas With The Enemy in a style matching Dicken's Day. He liked the red cover. I do too. I chose, though, to use green. This is a tale of two families who have feuded for years over something trifle, but learn, as Scrooge there is much more to this life we have been given.

Here is the link to Christmas With the Enemy

Link to Mary's books: https://amzn.to/2Fq4Jbm

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