A new single-volume edition of all Dickens' Christmas books, with a selection of the original illustrations and a full critical introdution. Includes a selection of 20 of the original illustrations. An excellent introduction by Robert Douglas-Fairhurst contextualizes the Christmas stories, the social questions they set out to address, their reception and the enduring popularity of 'A Christmas Carol,' and how their style and themes resonate in more complex ways in his major fictions. Lively notes point to parallels with Dickens' other writings. Up-to-date bibliography. Two appendixes including Dickens' article, 'What Christmas Is As We Grow Older', and facsimile pages from Dickens' reading version of 'A Christmas Carol'.