With 12 color and 21 b/w illustrations, this classic novella, by English author Charles Dickens, tells the story of bitter and miserly Ebenezer Scrooge's ideological, ethical, and emotional transformation resulting from supernatural visits from Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come. The mid-nineteenth century story highlights the plight of those whom the Industrial Revolution has displaced and driven into poverty, and the obligation of society to provide for them humanely. After its initial publication and critical acclaim, there was a sudden burst of charitable giving in Britain, and A Christmas Carol is now credited with establishing the modern concept of Christmas as a festival of generosity. Arthur Rackham is widely regarded as one of the leading artists of the late-nineteenth century 'Golden Age' of British book illustration.