Open up this precious treasury of classic stories and you rediscover what makes Christmas so special. Fond memories come flooding back as these heartwarming tales transport you to happy times surrounded by family and friends. What makes these stories such a special gift is that they come from the heart. They share the spark of Christmas in all of us--the caring, the sharing, and the self-giving love.
Joe Wheeler's great discovery is that the best of Christmas is in our hearts, and we embrace life in new ways when we read heartwarming stories about this joyous season. He was so convinced of this that he began to collect all sorts of Christmas stories, old and new, from far and wide. With the trained eye of a seasoned English professor, and the sensitive heart of one who grew up listening to wonderful stories year after year, he knows a good story when he hears it.
In Christmas in My Heart, the author brings together the best old familiar favorites and fresh new yarns from his literary treasure trove. The riches of master storytellers such as Pearl S. Buck, Madeleine L'Engle, Taylor Caldwell, and O. Henry are combined with stirring tales from the golden age of Christmas stories to form a priceless treasury of holiday classics.
Read them once, to loved ones or in peaceful solitude, and they will forever become a part of your family's Christmas traditions. Because these stories sparkle and shine with the true spirit of Christmas, they will make you smile, bring tears to your eyes, and give you goose bumps all over. You may give this delightful collection as a gift from the heart to someone you love, or buy it for yourself. No matter what, you won't be able to put it down, or to let one Christmas pass by without opening this timeless treasury of heartwarming stories.
Editorial Review(s)
"This is Wheeler's third collection of emotionally cathartic Christmas stories culled from thousands of potential "candidates." The anthology is an attempt to rediscover the family values inherent in this Christ-centered holy day. Preceded by saccharine and superfluous introductions, the 16 selections range from the ubiquitous "Gift of the Magi" through works by respected writers such as Pearl Buck, Taylor Caldwell, and Madeleine L'Engle to lesser-known and anonymous authors. The stories range from the poignancy of a mother's periodic "Jubilee" vacation away from her family through a teary-eyed twist on a Christmas pageant to the trauma of a homeless, pregnant teenager seeking refuge at holiday time. In its own way, each portrays God's intervention during the dark times. Author David Grayson intimates that the kindness of Christmas is too grand to take in all at once; he prefers his Christmas kindness spread throughout the year. That's also a great prescription for consuming these sensitive holiday morsels." --Patricia Hassler, Booklist
About the Author
Joe Wheeler, Ph.D., chaired the English Department at Columbia Union College in Takoma Park, Maryland, before he retired in 1996 and moved with his wife to Conifer, Colorado. A Senior Fellow for Cultural Studies at the Center for the New West in Denver, Colorado, and Executive Director of Zane Grey's West Society, he has edited and published Zane Grey's West. In addition to the popular Christmas in My Heart volumes, his other publications include Remote Controlled and View at Your Own Risk.
