Author: Tom A. Jerman Publisher: McFarland ISBN: 1476680930 Category : Social Science Languages : en Pages : 249
Book Description
This is a comprehensive history of the world's midwinter gift-givers, showcasing the extreme diversity in their depictions as well as the many traits and functions these characters share. It tracks the evolution of these figures from the tribal priests who presided over winter solstice celebrations thousands of years before the birth of Christ, to Christian notables like St. Martin and St. Nicholas, to a variety of secular figures who emerged throughout Europe following the Protestant Reformation. Finally, it explains how the popularity of a poem about a "miniature sleigh" and "eight tiny reindeer" helped consolidate the diverse European gift-givers into an enduring tradition in which American children awake early on Christmas morning to see what Santa brought. Although the names, appearance, attire and gift-giving practices of the world's winter solstice gift-givers differ greatly, they are all recognizable as Santa, the personification of the Christmas and Midwinter festivals. Despite efforts to eliminate him by groups as diverse as the Puritans of seventeenth century New England, the Communist Party of the twentieth century Soviet Union and the government of Nazi Germany, Santa has survived and prospered, becoming one of the best known and most beloved figures in the world.
Author: Gerry Bowler Publisher: McClelland & Stewart ISBN: 1551996081 Category : Religion Languages : en Pages : 305
Book Description
An entertaining, often surprising look at the life of the world’s most influential fictional character. He is the embodiment of charity and generosity, a creation of mythology, a tool of clever capitalists. The very idea of him is enduring and powerful. Santa Claus was born in early-nineteenth-century America, but his family tree goes back seven hundred years to Saint Nicholas, patron saint of children. Intervening generations were shaggy and strange — whip-wielding menaces to naughty boys and girls. Yet as the raucous, outdoor, alcohol-fuelled holiday gave way to a more domestic, sentimental model, a new kind of gift-bringer was called for — a loveable elf, still judgmental but far less threatening. In this engaging social and cultural history, Gerry Bowler examines the place of Santa Claus in history, literature, advertising, and art. He traces his metamorphosis from a beardless youth into a red-suited peddler. He reveals the lesser-known aspects of the gift-bringer’s life — Santa’s involvement with social and political causes of all stripes (he enlisted on the Union side in the American Civil War), his starring role in the movies and as adman for gun-makers and insurance companies. And he demolishes the myths surrounding Santa Claus and Coca-Cola. Santa Claus: A Biography will stand as the classic work on the long-lived and multifarious Mr. Claus.
Author: Claude Boucher Publisher: FriesenPress ISBN: 1039179312 Category : Transportation Languages : en Pages : 186
Book Description
In a fast-paced and frantic world, it feels like the most important thing is getting from point A to point B as fast as possible. But sometimes, the urgency of the modern world makes us forget that the journey is just as important too - even if the journey is seemingly as simple as the route the bus takes every day. As a transit bus driver, Claude Boucher ferries passengers from every walk of life. He connects with each of his passengers as best he can, sharing with them their highs and their lows as they traverse through life. In Claude and His Bus, his passion for his work and kindness toward his passengers shines through, showing that there is still room for positivity and laughter in an otherwise busy society. From late-night drunken passengers to lost Canadian immigrants, Claude has seen it all, and his heart has done nothing but grow with compassion. Join Claude as he tells over sixty stories of his time as a public transit driver. From hilarious to heartwarming, his experiences are a feel-good reminder that even something as small as a smile and a “thank you” can change the trajectory of someone’s entire day.
Author: Roger Highfield Publisher: Back Bay Books ISBN: 0316054518 Category : Science Languages : en Pages : 202
Book Description
Why might Rudolph's nose have been red? Why do we actually give Christmas gifts? Why has smell become an important component in the Christmas shopping experience? Roger Highfield, science editor of London's Daily Telegraph and co-author of the highly acclaimed The Arrow of Time, has taken a long-overdue look at our most cherished holiday from the rigorous (but highly entertaining) viewpoint of a scientist. What are the thermodynamics involved in cooking a turkey? What are the likely celestial candidates for the Star of Bethlehem? Is the concept of a virgin birth scientifically feasible? What happens to us physically when we overindulge in alcohol? How does snow form? Why are we always depressed after Christmas? How does Santa manage to deliver all those presents in one night? (He has, in fact, little over two ten- thousands of a second to get between each of the 842 million households he must visit.) The Physics of Christmas is that rare science book that manages to be as delightful as it is informative.
Author: Fanny Dunbar Corbusier Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press ISBN: 9780806135311 Category : History Languages : en Pages : 366
Book Description
Born in Baltimore in 1838, Fanny Dunbar grew up in Louisiana to a family who survived the hardships of the Civil War. An intelligent, sensitive woman, Fanny experienced a radical life change when she met William Henry Corbusier, a Yankee officer and army surgeon. Her memoir recounts their subsequent forty-eight year marriage. The events of Fanny’s life are sometimes amusing but more often dramatic. The Corbusiers moved frequently, but Fanny made moving an art form, often selling all the family possessions to avoid high shipping rates. She learned to cope with primitive living conditions and harsh climates. She raised five sons at posts with no schools. But Fanny took her job as a mother seriously, providing her sons with a broad education and a nurturing home. Corbusier’s long life and her husband’s thirty-nine-year career in the army (recounted in his memoir Soldier, Surgeon, Scholar) allow the reader to experience the period between the Civil War and World War I in totality, including her exceptional memories of the Spanish-American War and the Philippine Insurrection. As the recollections of two people whose lives played out against a world panorama, Fanny and William’s memoirs together provide a rare opportunity to examine events of frontier military life from both male and female perspectives. "Mrs. Corbusier writes from the unique perspective of a surgeon’s wife, and we have a picture not only of an army wife, but of an army wife who saw many different aspects of frontier military life and frontier life in general."—Charles M. Robinson, author of General Crook and the Western Frontier and A Good Year to Die: The Story of the Great Sioux War "Of the memoirs penned by wives of nineteenth-century army officers, this is among the best and most detailed. The woman’s perspective of events that transpired in the Indian-fighting army is a much needed counterbalance to the male-dominated histories of these same events."—Darlis Miller, author of Mary Hallock Foote: Author-Illustrator of the American West Fanny Dunbar Corbusier was the career army wife of officer-surgeon William Henry Corbusier. Patricia Y. Stallard, retired federal civil servant and education specialist with the United States Navy Recruiting Command, is the author of Glittering Misery: Dependents of the Indian Fighting Army, published by the University of Oklahoma Press.
Author: Stephen Doster Publisher: Open Road Media ISBN: 1504078187 Category : Biography & Autobiography Languages : en Pages : 432
Book Description
Drawing on the voices of residents from across the state, this oral history reflects on life in Georgia as it evolved throughout the twentieth century. Author Stephen Doster grew up on St. Simons Island, one of Georgia’s Golden Isles. He began interviewing fellow island residents and captured their personal histories in the book Voices from St. Simons. Now, Doster has expanded the scope of his work to encompass the entire state of Georgia. In Georgia Witness, Doster records the stories of residents from all across the state, capturing the unique life and history of its many communities. Here are the voices of influential figures and ordinary residents, individuals of varying backgrounds and ethnicities, all of whom remember and contribute to the legacy and lifeblood of the peach state.
Author: Charles Dickens Publisher: Good Press ISBN: Category : Fiction Languages : en Pages : 8825
Book Description
The Santa's Big Book of Christmas Tales: 500+ Novels, Stories, Poems, Carols & Legends encapsulates a magnificent tapestry of yuletide narratives, bringing together an array of literary styles ranging from poetry to prose, and short stories to novels. This compilation distinguishes itself by its diversity, traversing through the Victorian sentimentality of Dickens to the rugged American realism of Mark Twain, all the while encapsulating the essence of Christmas. It encompasses myriad themes such as hope, generosity, and the human condition, making this collection not just a celebration of Christmas but a reflection of humanity itself. The anthology serves as a pivotal literary context for understanding the evolution of Christmas narratives across different periods and cultures, showcasing notable works that have shaped the tradition of holiday storytelling. The selected authors in The Santa's Big Book of Christmas Tales are luminaries from various epochs, each bringing their unique cultural, historical, and literary backgrounds to the collection. Contributors like Charles Dickens and Leo Tolstoy offer insights into the social fabric of their respective times, while poets like William Wordsworth and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow capture the ethereal beauty of the winter season and its festivities. This anthology stands at the crossroads of various literary movements, from Romanticism with its emphasis on emotion and individualism to the detailed character studies of Realism. The sheer variety of authors enriches the collection, offering a panoramic view of Christmas through the ages, wrapped in the personal experiences and artistic visions of each writer. For readers seeking to immerse themselves in the Christmas spirit through a literary lens, The Santa's Big Book of Christmas Tales offers an unparalleled journey. This anthology is not just a collection of stories and poems; it is an invitation to explore the rich tapestry of Christmas traditions, emotions, and narratives. Through its pages, readers are offered a unique opportunity to engage with multiple perspectives on Christmas, understanding its universal appeal and the various ways it has been celebrated and interpreted. This book is a treasure trove for anyone interested in the cultural history of Christmas, the evolution of holiday literature, and the enduring power of storytelling in shaping our seasonal rituals and memories.
Author: Mark Twain Publisher: e-artnow ISBN: Category : Juvenile Fiction Languages : en Pages : 8809
Book Description
This holiday, we are offering to you our own Christmas box – filled up to the top with the greatest Christmas novels, magical Christmas tales, legends, most famous carols and the poems dedicated to this one and only holiday: _x000D_ Mr. Pickwick's Christmas (Charles Dickens) _x000D_ The Gift of the Magi (O. Henry)_x000D_ Life and Adventures of Santa Claus (L. Frank Baum)_x000D_ Christmas At Sea (Robert Louis Stevenson)_x000D_ The Savior Must Have Been A Docile Gentleman (Emily Dickinson)_x000D_ The Holy Night (Selma Lagerlöf)_x000D_ A Merry Christmas (Louisa May Alcott)_x000D_ A Letter from Santa Claus (Mark Twain)_x000D_ Shakespeare's Christmas _x000D_ Silent Night_x000D_ The Night After Christmas_x000D_ The Child Born at Bethlehem_x000D_ The Adoration of the Shepherds_x000D_ The Visit of the Wise Men_x000D_ As Joseph Was A-Walking_x000D_ The Tale of Peter Rabbit (Beatrix Potter)_x000D_ Where Love Is, God Is (Leo Tolstoy) _x000D_ The Three Kings (Henry Wadsworth Longfellow) _x000D_ A Christmas Carol (Samuel Taylor Coleridge) _x000D_ The Heavenly Christmas Tree (Fyodor Dostoevsky)_x000D_ The Little City of Hope (F. Marion Crawford)_x000D_ The First Christmas Of New England (Harriet Beecher Stowe)_x000D_ Christmas in the Olden Time (Walter Scott)_x000D_ Christmas In India (Rudyard Kipling)_x000D_ A Christmas Carol (Charles Dickens) _x000D_ The Twelve Days of Christmas_x000D_ The Wonderful Wizard of OZ (L. Frank Baum)_x000D_ Ring Out, Wild Bells (Alfred Lord Tennyson)_x000D_ Little Lord Fauntleroy (Frances Hodgson Burnett)_x000D_ Black Beauty (Anna Sewell)_x000D_ The Christmas Child (Hesba Stretton)_x000D_ Granny's Wonderful Chair (Frances Browne)_x000D_ The Romance of a Christmas Card (Kate Douglas Wiggin)_x000D_ Wind in the Willows (Kenneth Grahame)_x000D_ The Wonderful Life - Story of the life and death of our Lord (Hesba Stretton)_x000D_ The Christmas Angel (A. Brown)_x000D_ Christmas at Thompson Hall (Anthony Trollope)_x000D_ Christmas Every Day (William Dean Howells)_x000D_ The Lost Word (Henry van Dyke)_x000D_ The Nutcracker and the Mouse King (E. T. A. Hoffmann)_x000D_ The Little Match Girl_x000D_ The Elves and the Shoemaker_x000D_ Mother Holle _x000D_ The Star Talers_x000D_ Snow-White_x000D_ The Christmas Hirelings_x000D_ The Blue Carbuncle_x000D_ An Exciting Christmas Eve_x000D_ The Spirit of Christmas…
Author: Tom A. Jerman
Author: Gerry Bowler
Author: Claude Boucher
Author: Library of Congress. Copyright Office
Author: Roger Highfield
Author: Fanny Dunbar Corbusier
Author: Stephen Doster
Author: Charles Dickens
Author: Mark Twain
Author: Francis Fisher Browne