Instead of the books I chose when we did the original DIK, I decided to do six Christmas DIK’s. I guess everyone should know that I celebrate Christmas so these books reflect that. I realize that not everyone celebrates Christmas, so I just thought you all should know where I was coming from. I hope you enjoy my picks!
#6 A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
I know, it’s almost a cliché now, but I think everyone should read the original. It’s actually a very short story. And the only Dickens book I like. (Refer to yesterday’s rant on Hemingway.)
#5 Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding
It all begins and ends around the holidays. That’s my reasoning for why it’s a Christmas book. But I just love beleaguered Bridget Jones, chain-smoking, alcohol- swilling sex goddess, and Mark Darcy and even that cad, Daniel. I’d love to be this witty when I’m depressed and drunk.
#4 Mr. Timothy by Louis Bayard
This book came out a few years ago, and ever since I’ve been recommending it to everyone. Louis Bayard is a master of historical fiction. In Mr. Timothy his hero is Tiny Tim, tiny no more. It’s an adult Timothy Cratchit, dealing with the ghost of his father, Victorian pedophile’s, fishing dead bodies from the Thames for the money, and avoiding his successful, happy older brother Peter and his well-meaning, concerned, but very busy philanthropist Uncle Scrooge. The tone of the whole book is very dark, almost steam punk dark, but it is not steam punk. But Tim is living in a brothel, doing the books for the madam, and trying to rescue young girls from the alleys of Victorian London in his spare time with a young pickpocket as his sidekick. This is a great book.
#3 How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
This is the Christmas of my childhood. I love those darn Whos, and Max, and the Grinch with his great big heart. I think the green Grinch made science fiction so appealing when I was younger, and so believable. That’s what the Grinch really is, science fiction/fantasy for kids. It’s affected my reading and writing ever since. And it’s just such a feel good story. Way to go, Dr. Seuss.
#2 Two from Galilee: The Story of Mary and Joseph by Marjorie Holmes
This book is told from Mary and Joseph’s viewpoint. It’s about two young people who fall in love and are confronted with some very confusing, painful decisions. You don’t often get to read Joseph’s side of things. He really is the ultimate romance hero. The woman he loves comes to him and says the child that I carry is the child of God, and after a lot of soul searching he chooses to accept her and her unborn child. And he marries her, in spite of the protests of family and friends, and raises the boy like his own son. Pretty profound. I read this when I was a teenager and it really affected me.
#1 The Bible/The Gospel of Luke 2:1-20
The Christmas story. It’s the reason for the season. :-D
Friday, December 19, 2008
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14 comments:
I adored Bridget Jones, especially the first scene when she meets Darcy in her corny Christmas sweater.
I have a gorgeous nativity story I read every Christmas Eve to my kids..it's the Luke and the Matthew and it's just beautifully illustrated.
And we read the Polar Express and T'was the Night Before Christmas. Oh and The Gift of the Magi.
Nicely done.
I love, love, love Two From Galilee and now must locate my copy and re-read.
I was buying books for my BF's son yesterday, who is three and was desperately searching for "B is for Bethlehem" and couldn't find it anywhere. I think I'm going to have to order it.
Thanks, Sam!
I've never really thought about that story in the sense that it's a romance story, but what an amazing take on Mary & Joseph. I'm definitely picking this up now. 'The ultimate romance hero'. Love it!
Katiebabs ~ I know, the sweater! Only Colin Firth could pull that off.
lb ~ Yep, the Polar Express, and Twas the Night Before Christmas, and last year my sister got the kids A Soldier's Twas the Night Before Christmas, very cute about Sgt. McClaus. And Rudolph. I'm going to read "A Christmas Carol" with my 8 year old this year.
Kati ~ I knew there were others out there who'd read this book. Wasn't it great? Very influential for me. I've never heard of "B is for Bethlehem." Now I must order it too!
Katie ~ I think a lot of people rush to the baby Jesus part and don't think too much about what happened between the angel appearing to Mary and the birth. And they don't think about the fact that Joseph had to deliver that baby, either.
#4 Mr. Timothy by Louis Bayard
#2 Two from Galilee: The Story of Mary and Joseph by Marjorie Holmes
Oh, I've never heard of either of those, but they sound very, VERY interesting.
You give good DIK, Sam.
You give good DIK, Sam.
Ya know, I've never heard that one before. ;-)
Seriously, try them, you'll like them!
Sam -It's the Christmas story told in the A-B-C's. I love it. It's gorgeously illustrated, and is great for the little guys.
My SIL bought a ton of Christmas storybooks, and when her kids were little, she would wrap each one and put it in a basket. And for the last 10 days before Christmas, at bedtime, the girls would pull one out and they'd unwrap it and read the story. It helped temper the anticipation a little bit. The girls are all big now, but they still read a story every night for the 10 days before bed. How cute is that?
Oh, that sounds like a book my kids would love! And that is a sweet tradition, a book a night. My kids have been reading Christmas books since July, lol! Needless to say, it's their favorite holiday.
Dear DIK Ladies: I just wanted you to know I've awarded you a Kreativ Blogger award for " Blog that makes me laugh out loud"!
More details on my post. Congrats!
Renee ~ I completely agree! Congrats, DIK ladies. :-D
What an awesome idea Sam! Thank you! I've not read Mr. Timothy or Two From Galilee. I do love bible stories told from different points of view though. Or those in the bible that you just don't hear much about. Have you read The Red Tent by Anita Diamant? So good.
oh my dad reads the Christmas story every Christmas before we open gifts - it really is wonderful to listen to and it helps ground the kids. :)
Renee! Thank you so much!
The Red Tent? No, what's it about?
My kids love the Christmas story. At preschool my two yr. old girl was the only one in her class who knew Mary and Joseph by name. Not that I'm bragging. ;-)
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