Rich in the imagery of nineteenth-century England, this literary classic celebrates a return to old-fashioned Christmas festivities while examining the crisis in one man's personal life. One of the most famous characters in literary history, Ebenezer Scrooge is the "grasping old sinner" who finds redemption after witnessing scenes from his life in which his greed, self-interest, and lack of compassion are revealed. Complementing the master storyteller's wise and witty prose are the timeless illustrations of Arthur Rackham, whose evocative artwork finds humor in Scrooge's miserly ways, depicting him as a cranky humbug who eventually relents and joins the merrymaking. Continuously in print since it was first published in 1843, Dickens's immortal tale is still relevant today, sending a message that cuts through the materialistic trappings of the holiday season and gets to its heart and soul. This illustrated edition stands as one of the most beautiful available.