"In this beautifully illustrated, richly contextualized study, Robert Patten traces the often surprising and deeply-rooted connections between death and Christmas festivities in Dickens's Christmas books and in his own experiences of the winter solstice holidays." -- Dickens Quarterly"This is a thoughtful, comprehensive representation of the book, by one of the most informed of all Dickensians." -- Philip V. Allingham, The Victorian Web"A great accomplishment of scholarship and literary commentary . I felt privileged to be invited into a Victorian sitting room. Plush and comfortable, designed for comfort and pleasure, the reader feels the depth of knowledge and erudition that is integrated into deep understanding and love of Dickens. It is, in short, a great tribute to a lifetime of work on Dickens involving deep research, a keen literary sensibility, and a rapport with the community of Dickensians of all sorts." -- Edward Tomarken, Emeritus Professor, Miami University.

Honorary Research Associate, Kent University, Canterbury"Dickens, Death, and Christmas is undoubtedly a valuable contribution to Dickens studies and a must-read for academics, students, and teachers who want to delve deeper into the manifold ways Dickens portrays the spirit of the winter holidays, and to be better informed about "The Man Who Invented Christmas"--the title bestowed on the novelist by The Sunday Telegraph in 1988." -- Magdalena Pype?, English Studies"In this beautifully illustrated, richly contextualized study, Robert Patten traces the often surprising and deeply-rooted connections between death and Christmas festivities in Dickens's Christmas books and in his own experiences of the winter solstice holidays." -- Natalie J. McKnight, Dickens Quarterly.