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Discover Dickens through his work, his home and the things that mattered to him most
Episode Six: Food, Glorious Food
Why was food so important to Dickens? What do his descriptions tell us about Dickens as a person? And did he really help to make turkey the most popular Christmas meat?
Episode Five: Striking A Blow
Was Dickens attempting to agitate for political change? What were his perceptions of the political structures of the day? And how political was 'A Christmas Carol?'
Episode Four: Ignorance and Want
Were these figures based on real children? Why are they included in an otherwise joyful part of the story? What is Dickens trying to tell his readers through these characters?
Episode Three: Making A Christmas Carol
How was 'A Christmas Carol' designed? Who drove its creation? And what does all this tell us about Dickens as a writer?
Episode Two: Scrooge's London
What was London really like in the 1840s? What help was available to the London poor? What was life like in the Victorian slums? And how did all of this shape Dickens's writing?
Episode One: Charles Dickens and Christmas
Episode One introduces us to the remarkable, little book, 'A Christmas Carol.'
Catherine's Cookbook
This is a recipe book, written by Charles Dickens's wife, Catherine, under the pen-name 'Lady Maria Clutterbuck.'
Ignorance and Want
Scrooge confronts the children 'Ignorance' and 'Want.'
Sketch of the Ghost of Christmas Present
Sketch of Jacob Marley
Scrooge, illustrated here for the very first time, being confronted with the ghost of Jacob Marley.
Trial edition of 'A Christmas Carol'
A trial edition of 'A Christmas Carol' in which Dickens played with the idea of changing the font colour.
Oliver Twist asks for more
Illustration by George Cruikshank
Playbill for 'A Christmas Carol'
This playbill from February 1844 advertises the very first adaptation of 'A Christmas Carol.' Discussed by Cindy, Frankie and Emma in episode one.