This content is from Wikipedia. We do not consider this content professional or citable. Please use your discretion when relying on it. GradeSaver also offers a professionally written study guide by one of our staff editors.

Publication

Dickens began Carol in October 1843,^[15] and completed the book in six weeks with the final pages written in the beginning of December.^[16] As the result of a feud with his publisher over the meager earnings on Martin Chuzzlewit,^[17] Dickens declined a lump-sum payment for the tale, chose a percentage of the profits in hopes of making more money thereby, and published the work at his own expense.^[16] High production costs however brought him a mere £230 rather than the £1,000 he expected – and needed, as his wife was once again pregnant.^{[17][18][note 2]}

The book was published in London by Chapman and Hall on 19 December 1843,^{[note 3]} and bound in red cloth with gilt-edged pages.^[15][16] Four expensive, hand-coloured etchings and four black and white wood engravings by John Leech accompanied the text.^[16] Production was not without problems. The drab olive endpapers were replaced for the second printing with yellow endpapers, but, once replaced, clashed with the title page which was then redone.^[5][19] Modestly priced at five shillings,^[16] the first run of 6,000 copies sold out by Christmas Eve and the book continued to sell well into the New Year.^{[5][20][note 4]} In spite of the disappointing profits for the author, the book was a huge artistic success with most critics in generous and kind moods.^[20] The tale gave Dickens's career a much needed boost after the fiasco of his poorly-selling and disappointing previous novel, Martin Chuzzlewit.^[6]