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The ECCO Book of Christmas Stories edited by Alberto Manguel
Friday, December 29, 2006
Over the busy holiday season, I was lucky enough to have the chance to read a newly released book of Christmas short stories, "The Ecco Book of Christmas Stories". Edited by acclaimed essayist/translator Alberto Manguel, this book was truly a Christmas treat for me.
I've always been a fan of holiday-themed short stories and actually have a collection of Christmas shorts that I read each season. Some of my favorite Christmas stories, like "The H Street Sledding Record" by Ron Carlson, I have practically memorized from reading so much. Every year I also read Jean Shephard's book of essays, "A Christmas Story", as well as John Grisham's thin novel "Skipping Christmas". I love these stories but I know them like the back of my hand. So suffice it to say that I was more than thrilled when I spotted "The Ecco Book of Christmas Stories" at my favorite bookstore chain last month. Finally some new Christmas stories to get me into the holiday spirit! Or to at least get my mind off of all of the holiday spirit!
And while not all of the stories in this collection are uplifting, all have a message. This book features 23 stories by such acclaimed writers as Ann Beattie, John Cheever, Alice Munroe, Truman Capote and Muriel Spark. There's also a short introduction by editor Alberto Manguel.
A few of the stories have been translated into English by Manguel. This makes for the chance to read some classic stories in English for the first time.
Some of my favorite pieces from this book include "Christmas is a Sad Season for the Poor" by John Cheever. It's an unusual story about an unusual man, written in that great Cheever style. You can't help but feel for Charlie the doorman a she meanders through another lonely Christmas day.
"A Christmas Memory" by Truman Capote is a story that I have read before, but had long forgotten about. I love the style of this story and am thrilled to now have it in my permanent collection.
Ann Beattie has long been a master of the short story form, and is known for her interwoven tales of family strife. Her inclusion in this book, with the story "Horatio's Trick" does not disappoint. I became completely enveloped in this story of Charlotte and her family and their dog, Horatio. Beattie packs a lot of punch into such a short story and the message comes across loud and clear.
My favorite story in this collection by far is "O'Brien's' First Christmas " by Jeanette Winterson. I had never read Winterson's work before, but after reading this story about a single woman named O'Brien, who is searching for love (or just companionship) at Christmastime, I have perused Winterson's website and come across all sorts of little gems that she has written.
"O'Brien's First Christmas" is part reality and part fantasy, as most classic Christmas stories usually are (take Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" or Philip Van Doren's "The Greatest Gift"). I absolutely love this story! In my opinion, the Winterson story is worth the price of this book alone.
I'm a writer, so I get excited when I discover a "new" writer that I can connect with. That is why I am such a fan of short story collections, as you can learn a lot about a writer's writing style in the extremely hard-to-write short-story format. And while most of these authors are by no means "new", many of them are new to me. Thus, I now have a list of great writers to add to my ongoing library search list.
The book concludes with a short biography on each of the writers. I always enjoy reading author bios, as they give me insight on other books by those authors. Some of the writers I intend to read more of include Grace Paley, Siegfried Lenz and Graham Greene.
Yes, most of the stories included in "The Ecco Book of Christmas Stories" have been seen elsewhere, but how wonderful to have them gathered together and to read them all in this great collection.
I highly recommend "The Ecco Book of Christmas Stories" any time of year-- either as an escape during the hectic Christmas season or as a great read while you're lying on the beach.
5:11 AM
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