Quote:
Originally Posted by HarryT
It's actually called "The Haunted Man and the Ghost's Bargain". This is not a good version at all, in that it is completely lacking the illustrations which were an integral part of all of Dickens's Christmas Books. I am rather bemused by how you can possibly declare that other available editions would compare unfavourably when you admit yourself that you know nothing about the book, and have made no effort to actually look at any other editions of it. Dickens is, as you may know, a speciality of mine, and I have created meticulously proofed versions of all his work for the MR library.
Dickens wrote a "Christmas Book" every year between 1843 and 1848, with the exception of 1847 when he was touring the United States. The five books are:
- A Christmas Carol (1843)
- The Chimes (1844)
- The Cricket on the Hearth (1845)
- The Battle of Life (1846)
- The Haunted Man (1848)
All five are collected together in a volume called "Christmas Books" in the MR library. Perhaps worth noting that until the early decades of the 20th century, "The Chimes" was far better known and more popular than "A Christmas Carol"! |
Omitting the "haunted" was simply a slip up.
I didn't declare that other versions would compare unfavorably. My exact words (and I always
try to say
exactly what I mean) were "I rather think not very favorably." I didn't know for sure, that's why I said what I did. My main point was that this version was very "clean"--exceptionally so--and it was hard to see how other versions of the book would be as good in that respect.
I wasn't aware that Dickens was a speciality of yours. I appreciate your effort in creating the proofed versions of his works for the MR library. Likewise, I appreciate your work as a moderator. I know that it's a thankless job.
The saying, "there is no such thing as bad publicity" (apocryphally attributed to P.T. Barnum and perhaps others) holds true with our exchange. People who weren't interested in the book now may very well have an interest now! And that is good.