Publisher, HighBridge Audio (September 2007)

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The enchanting NPR holiday favorite is finally on CD.

“Old Marley was as dead as a doornail”—and so, nearly, was Christmas itself when Charles Dickens published “A Christmas Carol” in 1843. Most traditions had been forgotten, and few if any employees got time off to celebrate. Dickens’ story captured the imagination of a generation and transformed December 25 into a major holiday.

For many National Public Radio listeners, it wouldn’t be Christmas without hearing Jonathan Winters perform “A Christmas Carol.” The master comedian brilliantly re-creates Dickens’ cast of colorful characters: Ebenezer Scrooge, Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim, Jacob Marley’s spirit, and the three Christmas ghosts, Past, Present, and Future. His distinctive and charming reading uses a special performing edition prepared by Dickens for his own presentations. The liner notes are by Winters, who clearly revels in the story’s language and message: “Merry Christmas, every one!”

About the Performer: JONATHAN WINTER began his career as a standup-comic and radio personality before moving to television and films. The late talk show icon Jack Paar dubbed him “Pound for pound . . . the funniest man on earth.” The comedian was awarded the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 1999. He has multiple Grammy® nominations and one win.