The Man Who Invented Christmas by Les Standiford, is a biography of Charles Dickens that explores the genesis of Dickens's most famous work, A Christmas Carol, through his personal struggles with debt, the cultural landscape of Victorian England, and the influence of earlier Christmas traditions. The excerpt examines Dickens's personal and professional life, particularly his struggles with financial instability and his growing reputation as a literary celebrity while simultaneously exploring the history and evolution of Christmas in England and the United States.