{"product_id":"dickens-at-christmas-9781784876746","title":"Dickens at Christmas","description":"It is said that Charles Dickens invented Christmas, and within these pages you'll certainly find all the elements of a quintessential traditional Christmas brought to vivid life: snowy rooftops, gleaming shop windows, steaming bowls of punch, plum puddings like speckled cannon balls, sage and onion stuffing, miracles, magic, charity and goodwill. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThis beautifully produced Vintage Classics edition gathers together not only Dickens' \u003ci\u003eChristmas Books\u003c\/i\u003e ('A Christmas Carol', 'The Chimes', 'The Battle of Life', 'The Cricket on the Hearth' and 'The Haunted Man') but also stories that Dickens wrote for the special seasonal editions of his periodicals \u003ci\u003eAll the Year Round\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eHousehold Words\u003c\/i\u003e, and the hilarious festive episodes from \u003ci\u003eThe Pickwick Papers\u003c\/i\u003e. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eA must-have for Christmas, this edition should be as necessary to your festivities as holly, mistletoe and silver bells.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCHARLES DICKENS was born in Hampshire on February 7, 1812. His father was a clerk in the navy pay office, who was well paid but often ended up in financial troubles. When Dickens was twelve years old he was sent to work in a shoe polish factory because his family were taken to the debtors' prison. Fagin is named after a boy Dickens disliked at the factory. His career as a writer of fiction started in 1833 when his short stories and essays began to appear in periodicals. \u003ci\u003eThe Pickwick Papers\u003c\/i\u003e, his first commercial success, was published in 1836. In the same year he married the daughter of his friend George Hogarth, Catherine Hogarth. The serialisation of \u003ci\u003eOliver Twist\u003c\/i\u003e began in 1837 while \u003ci\u003eThe Pickwick Papers \u003c\/i\u003ewas still running. Many other novels followed and \u003ci\u003eThe Old Curiosity Shop \u003c\/i\u003ebrought Dickens international fame and he became a celebrity in America as well as Britain. He separated from his wife in 1858. Charles Dickens died on June 9, 1870, leaving his last novel, \u003ci\u003eThe Mystery of Edwin Drood\u003c\/i\u003e, unfinished. He is buried in Westminster Abbey.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Vintage Classics","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50914327920914,"sku":"9781784876746","price":26.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_bfb1ca93-4414-40a5-8c7d-d52dd26014ab.jpg?v=1738812590","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/dickens-at-christmas-9781784876746","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}