A Christmas Carol: A Signature Performance by Tim Curry

By: Charles Dickens

Narrated by: Tim Curry

Length: 3 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's summary

This version of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol, masterfully narrated by Tim Curry, was available for a limited time last year, and now it's back. This one-of-a-kind performance puts a unique spin on a treasured classic, and served as the inspiration for the exciting new line of Audible Signature Classics, including Adventures of Huckleberry Finn with Elijah Wood, and Heart of Darkness with Kenneth Branagh. Tim Curry performs this timeless holiday story in a deliciously dark tone, returning it to its Dickensian roots with a vivid imagining of Victorian London and just the right touch of outrageous fun.

A Christmas Carol has constantly been in print since its original publication in 1849, and has been adapted for stage, television, film, and opera. It has often been credited with returning the jovial and festive atmosphere to the holiday season in Britain and North America, following the somber period that emerged during the Industrial Revolution.

The story opens on a bleak and cold Christmas Eve as Ebenezer Scrooge is closing up his office for the day. As the story progresses and Christmas morning approaches, Scrooge encounters the unforgettable characters that make this story a classic: Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim, and, of course, the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come.

Listen to more Audible Signature Classics now.

An Audible for Dogs Pick: Make your dog's day. Cesar Millan shares how audiobooks can make dogs happier and calmer. Learn more.

Public Domain (P)2009 Audible, Inc.

Permanent Favorite, Anytime of the Year

Any time of the year is a good time to re-read this one. Tim Curry = delightful to hear!

Best Way to Engage with this Timeless Text

Like with other classic texts such as The Three Musketeers, my experience with A Christmas Carol has mostly been filtered through the dozens if not hundreds of movie adaptations (Muppets, Mickey Mouse, Mr. Magoo, Jim Carrey, Patrick Stewart, Kelsey Grammer, and more!). While most of these tales try to stay faithful to the original narrative, they, of course, are not the original. Perhaps the best way to encounter the tale itself is to, you know, actually read the book.

So I tried. I really tried. Several times. I'd start the book, usually around Christmas, and then quit before I was through the first stave. It's not because the book was boring. It's just that with all of the film adaptations out there, I didn't feel it was necessary to actually read the book--I knew the story by heart already without having to read it!

Well, this audiobook seems to have been the answer for my dilemma. It's a short work, and was much easier to engage with (for me) by listening rather than reading. There are several details, such as Scrooge's thoughts, which can't be represented on the screen, and therefore to get the complete picture of the story, it's essential to engage with the actual text. I gained new insights into the tale now that I've listened to Dickens's original words, and would highly recommend that other recalcitrant readers give this one a shot, too.

Tim Curry as a narrator is great. He's an excellent actor and a very talented voice actor. However, I felt like he overdid some of his impressions at times, particularly that of Scrooge, in parts where I felt could have been a little less forced. (Thus my four-star rating). But other than that, his rendition was very well-suited to the atmosphere that is A Christmas Carol.

Best edition of Christmas Carol out there

Would you consider the audio edition of A Christmas Carol: A Signature Performance by Tim Curry to be better than the print version?

Yes, because Curry's narration gives a nice chill to the words that you may not get in the print version.

What did you like best about this story?

Curry's narration

Have you listened to any of Tim Curry’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes, I've listened to some of the Series of Unfortunate Events. Curry performs admirably as always, although this material allows him to really use his voice talents to their best.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I always cry about Tiny Tim, and Curry's narration just made him more piteous.

Any additional comments?

I've listened to Tim Curry read A Christmas Carol at least 5 times now, and not just at Christmas. It's a great story to hear over and over.

enjoyable listen

Tim Curry did a great job narrating this story. it was a very enjoyable listen!

Amazing

Where does A Christmas Carol: A Signature Performance by Tim Curry rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I've seen multiple versions of A Christmas Carol as plays and movies but have yet to read it. And I still haven't! Thanks, Goodreads, for hooking me up with this awesome Audible audiobook of A Christmas Carol, narrated by the great Tim Curry! It was nice to get the whole story and not just bits and pieces that are in the plays and movies. Tim Curry is a fabulous narrator and he brought the story a little more sinister aspect. Much enjoyed!!

Curry makes a small treasure

Signature performances are suppose to be good. Tim Curry performs this timeless tale in sort of a dimensional notion. Fun is read along with the other strands in the story line. I suppose one either likes or dislikes Time Curry but honestly this story and his talent are perfectly paired.

Terrific Holiday Listening Experience!

Would you listen to A Christmas Carol: A Signature Performance by Tim Curry again? Why?

I will listen again next year! I enjoyed it very much; he was splendid!

Which scene was your favorite?

Christmas morning!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No. I listened late at night through December. It went pretty fast.

A classic you have to read if you haven't already.

Everyone knows the story, but not everyone knows Dickens's actual telling of it. It is achingly well written, as humorous and touching and haunting as everything Dickens writes. Tim Curry's read is excellent, as one would expect. There's not much reason to expound--if it's Christmas, listen to this with the family as you visit relatives and see the Christmas lights.

Tim Curry is great!

The story is timeless but Tim’s narration makes it brand new. Really enjoyed this and will listen to it again.

A Christmas Carol

Great listening to on the way to Grandma's House.