Narrated by Hugh Grant.
Released 21st December 2020 by Audible Studios.
From the cover:
Audible Studios presents a brand new recording of Charles Dickens' timeless seasonal story A Christmas Carol, performed by Hugh Grant.First published in 1843, it tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a mean and unpleasant man who dislikes people generally and Christmas especially.
One Christmas Eve he is visited by the ghost of his former business partner Jacob Marley and the spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come and given a glimpse of the many homes and lives which Scrooge has touched in his wretched life to date. After their visits, Scrooge is transformed into a kinder, gentler man.
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I am not sure that A Christmas Carol needs much of an introduction. However, just in case you are not familiar with the story, it tells the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, the mean old skinflint who hates everyone, and pretty much everything (except money), especially Christmas.
Over the courses of this much loved short story, Dickens makes Scrooge see the error of his ways through the intervention of four unexpected, spectral visitors, on Christmas Eve. The first is his deceased business partner, Jacob Marley, who has very little in the way of comfort to offer him about what awaits him after his own demise, and warns him that three spirits will be visiting him to try to bring about his redemption. Then, in turn, Scrooge is visited by the spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come, whose lessons turn him into someone who understands the message of Christmas, and transform him into a very different kind of man.
It is an absolute Christmas classic, and the fodder for many an adaptation on stage and screen (both in the original version and as a trope) - more than one of which always make it on to my viewing schedule during the festive season. However, I also like to go back the original text in the run up to the big day, and this year this has been in the form of the Audible Studios unabridged, audio book narrated by Hugh Grant, which is one I have not listened to before.
For 2 hours and 44 minutes, while I was wrapping Christmas presents, Hugh Grant's dulcet tones kept me company through the story of Scrooge's change of heart. This a version on the softer, gentle side, without scary sound effects, and although there are definitely chills and plenty of gravitas in Dicken's words, this is more PG than some of the other narrations I have listened to. It was hugely enjoyable though, and Grant particularly excels in portraying the poignant scenes in which Scrooge regrets his life choices, and those when he becomes 'as light as a feather'.
I can highly recommend this as a family friendly, festive listen - and it is currently free to Audible members as part of the Audible Plus catalogue!
Christmas tradition box ticked for the 2023 season!
A Christmas Carol is available to buy now in multiple formats.
About the author:
Charles Dickens was born in 1812 near Portsmouth where his father was a clerk in the navy pay office. The family moved to London in 1823, but their fortunes were severely impaired. Dickens was sent to work in a blacking-warehouse when his father was imprisoned for debt. Both experiences deeply affected the future novelist. In 1833 he began contributing stories to newspapers and magazines, and in 1836 started the serial publication of Pickwick Papers. Thereafter, Dickens published his major novels over the course of the next twenty years, from Nicholas Nickleby to Little Dorrit. He also edited the journals Household Words and All the Year Round. Dickens died in June 1870.
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