Christmas was Charles Dickens’s favorite holiday. He always celebrated the season exuberantly, and in 1843 published A Christmas Carol, which was enormously popular.

This is Dickens's own copy of the book — called a prompt copy, he used it in more than 100 public readings (including several here in New York) that he gave to huge, sold-out audiences. These performances date back to the early 1850s, with his final American performance at Steinway Hall in New York City in 1868.

The book contains his own hand-written notes in the margins, including voice instruction for the readings, as well as audience reaction. MORE AT https://gothamist.com/arts-entertainmen ... xpR9EZ_m6I