12 Books of Christmas

Since the Morning Sun does not seem inclined to run my column, I'll share it with you here:

‘Tis the season for reading! You may think that’s the last thing you have time for this month but I’m a firm believer in reading as relaxation and there is no better way to get away from the hustle and bustle that surrounds the holidays than by picking up a book. So here in alphabetical order by author’s last name (how else would I list them?) are Twelve Books of Christmas to consider when you’re full of bah humbugged-ness.

1) Christmas Train by David Baldacci gives the reader a look back at the glamour of train travel, with a bit of adventure thrown in.
2) Dave Barry’s The Shepherd, the Angel, & Walter the Christmas Dog has the author’s trademark humor, with a touch of poignancy thrown in. One of the few books with a dying dog that didn’t push me over the edge.
3) A Christmas Memory will provide you with an insight to Truman Capote before taking part in the 2008 celebration of “Kansas Reads In Cold Blood”.
4) Phillip Gulley is a favorite author of mine and his Christmas in Harmony is a jewel.
5) O. Henry’s Gift of the Magi may actually be a short story but it’s a classic that isn’t in vogue as much as when I was growing up and is well worth re-reading.
6) The Last Noel by Michael Malone bucks the trend of short, heart-warming tales. It’s a full-length novel with tragedy around the edges. But in true holiday fashion, the reader will be brushing away tears as the story ends.
7) If you aren’t already familiar with Miss Read, then pick up Christmas at Fairacre as an introduction. She is a master at transporting the reader to a gentler time in jolly old England.
8) It’s not my favorite Christmas song but it does come from one of the holiday movies that I try to see each year (and no, it’s not the one with the same name as the song). But White Christmas: the Story of an American Song by Jody Rosen is an interesting history of the Irving Berlin classic.
9) Jean Shepherd’s childhood reminiscences, first told in the collection In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash, created a modern-day yuletide classic movie. A Christmas Story has since been released as a stand-alone book but this is one of the few times when I prefer watching the movie to reading the book.
10) There are a number of mysteries with a holiday setting (think “slay bells”) but I’ll pick Charlene Weir’s Cold Christmas because it’s set in Kansas (if you prefer others, the library has a list of possible titles for you to choose from).
11) Holiday cookbooks abound and you really need to pick up at least one to peruse, even if you aren’t planning a special gathering. They’re just plan fun to look at—any time of the year!
12) OK—I lied about the alphabetical order and saved the best for last: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson. It may be classified as a children’s book but it’s a story that will probably resonate more with adults (just ask my mother). If you’ve only seen the made-for-TV-movie, don’t let it influence you. READ THE BOOK INSTEAD! And if you’ve read it before, pick it up again. You deserve a special treat and this one is calorie-free.

The best thing about lists like this is that you can tweak it any way you want. In fact, throw it out and devise your own. Plus, it’s recyclable! But the most important part is to kick back and forget the business and the busyness that comes with the season and enjoy.

Finally Getting My Nose Out of a Book

My, time sure flies when you read books rather than write about them! Who knew I've neglected this since August?

Rather than update you on all that I read (meaning, the list is at home and I am at work), I will instead concentrate on a recent poll that stated that a majority of Americans read four or less books a year. That number staggers my imagination! Four books in a year? I get that many read in a month--and I know a number of patrons who read more than that in a week! My mother is closing in on 100 for the year (granted, she has a bit more time to devote to reading than I do) so how can that poll be right?

I do realize that I tend to be around readers--a lot; after all, I work in a library--and that could certainly skew my thinking. And ever since I began working in this hallowed institution fifteen years ago, I've heard rumblings about the imminent demise of the book. But events in recent years have disputed that; take a look at the phenomena known as Harry Potter (& he wasn't just read by kids) and The Da Vinci Code. They proved that the book is still a powerful means of entertainment.

And yes, the report didn't say Americans aren't reading, just that they aren't reading books. There are also magazines, newspapers, and yes, even Internet sources, that are read all the time.

So I took a deep breath and told myself not to worry and to get on with my life. Which I did. I picked up a book. And read it. And three others last month (including World Without End, all 1014 pages. So shouldn't that count as at least three books?)