"Marley was dead: to begin with. There was no doubt whatever about that. The register of burial was signed by the clergyman, the clerk, the undertaker, and the chief mourner. Scrooge signed it: and Scrooge's name was good upon 'Change for anything he chose to put his hand to. Old Marley was as dead as a door-nail."

So begins Charles Dickens' Christmas classic, A Christmas Carol. But how did Dickens, a struggling writer with six children, come to write his classic tale? Such is the stuff of fairy tales and museum exhibitions. And the Morgan Library and Museum in New York City puts that question at the heart of their holiday program this year.

From now until January 10, 2010, Dickens' original manuscript of "A Christmas Carol" is on display at the Morgan. Drop by and see Dickens' work in his own hand... the additions and deletions, the editing of details, and the work of one of the English language's most influential authors (and one of my favorites).

Can't make it to New York? The New York Times has a high resolution version of the manuscript online, so you can peruse it in your jammies.

The Morgan Library and Museum
225 Madison Avenue at 36th Street
New York, NY 10016
(212) 685-0008
http://www.themorgan.org

Admission
$12 Adults
$8 Children (under 16)
The Morgan also has student and senior rates.


Merry Christmas, and God bless you, every one!

In reference to: A Christmas Rewrite, as Dickens Edits Dickens - City Room Blog - NYTimes.com ( view on Google Sidewiki)