A Christmas Carol Special Edition from Standard Publishing Takes Readers Beyond the Special Effects

Annotated book explores deeper meaning behind Dickens' original text

CINCINNATI - Dec. 3, 2009 - Just in time for the holiday season, Standard Publishing has introduced an annotated version of Charles Dickens' beloved tale, A Christmas Carol. The book - A Christmas Carol Special Edition by celebrated Christian author Stephen Skelton - aims to provide new insights and highlight the deeper meaning behind the 1843 classic.

A Christmas Carol resonates with all ages. The newest version of the classic story, Disney's A Christmas Carol in 3D, allows a new generation to discover the story of Ebenezer Scrooge's road to redemption.

However, if you want to go beyond the special effects this holiday season, explore the messages in A Christmas Carol Special Edition. The new edition includes the complete text of the book, along with insights, definitions, and discussion questions for groups and families. In his annotations, Skelton explores the 19th Century language and references to Christianity.

Born an Anglican, Dickens often drew on Biblical stories to inspire his own writing. A Christmas Carol, written in 1843, was to be the first of several Christmas-themed books by Dickens, and according to some scholars, revived his later career. As a result of A Christmas Carol, such familiar expressions as "Bah! Humbug!" and "Merry Christmas" entered both the English and American vernacular.

Through annotations in the book's margins, Skelton explores the universal themes of regret, repentance, and redemption in his study of A Christmas Carol, which offers opportunities for intergenerational and family discussion, in both casual conversation and formal secular and Christian classroom settings.

Skelton's previous work includes producing a DVD Bible study series based on A Christmas Carol, as well as DVD Bible studies on classic television shows.

A Christmas Carol Special Edition is available at local Christian bookstores, or online at www.standardpub.com/christmascarol. To learn what reviewers are saying about A Christmas Carol Special Edition, visit http://www.fsbmedia.com/book_reviews.php?isbn13=9780784723913.

About Standard Publishing

For more than 140 years, Standard Publishing has been raising the standard for true-to-the-Bible resources that educate, encourage, and enrich. The company is based in Cincinnati, Ohio, where it was founded in 1866. For more information, visit www.standardpub.com.