[bksvol-discuss] Re: Can someone take a look at this print book
- From: Cindy Rosenthal <grandcyn77@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 1 Aug 2014 20:30:26 -0700
Yes, i t has "attractive illustrations" smile)
I don't know if they have to be described in detailed, i.e., here's what
they are:
involving an antique pump organ, a smoke-belching 1928 Rumely OilPull
tractor, and a strange cavalryman wearing a blue uniform, with a saber
scabbard and a Colt revolver on his belt.
does it add to the pleasure if one describes the soldier's uniform?
probably wouldn't describe a pipe organ or tractor in detail but you might
want the clothes the children wear, and possibly the environment
described ? It's up to you; you kow what blind people would like to "see"
in their mind's syes
Here's what I copied about the book from Amazon.
A Christmas Gift is a reprint of a novel first published as The Melodeon by
Doubleday in
Cindy
P.s. I see the author has written other books: Bless the Beasts and
Children. The Homeman, and Theyt Came to Cordura. The first 2 I found when
I checked my library to see if it had *The Christmas Gift They Came To
Cordura* *I saw n Amazon. *You might be able to get the first 2 from a
library if you want to scan them. *They Came To Cordura* sounds familiar; I
wonder if it, too,was made into a movie.
Cindy
1977. Glendon Swarthout later realized he'd given this holiday tale the
wrong title and it was reissued in 1992 by St. Martin's Press with the
missing "Christmas" in its title. This story was also made into a CBS
Television movie in 1978, retitled A Christmas To Remember starring Joanne
Woodward, Eva Marie Saint, and Jason Robards. That's where most readers
have seen this story, when it replays occasional winter holidays on TV.
Very confusing to fans, though, with 3 different titles for the exact same
Christmas story.
This novella did make the New York Times bestseller list when first
published and was very well-reviewed. It became a Readers' Digest Condensed
book and was also condensed in Good Housekeeping magazine in December,
1992. Obviously A Christmas Gift has become a classic holiday tale with all
these different editions and titles and a TV-Movie made from it as well.
On a stormy Christmas Eve on a remote Michigan farm during the Great
Depression of the 1930's, a teenaged city boy and his old grandfather
decide to give the family's heirloom melodeon (a small pump organ) to their
impoverished local church so that, on Christmas morning, the congregation
can sing to the accompaniment of inspiring music. But how are they to haul
the heavy musical instrument through the most violent snow blizzard of the
year? How? With fierce determination and the dubious help of four
rambunctious girls -- and the intervention of a mysterious "Cavalryman" who
will transform their young lives. Their neighborly triumph is a Christmas
miracle indeed, and few have ever made it through reading this story's last
poignant chapter without shedding a tear.
Reviews --
"A genuine Christmas story...Warm with human goodness and love." Christian
Science Monitor
"There is both charm and a nostalgic ability to recapture times past in
Swarthout's enchanting fictionalized memoir of a city boy's days on a
farm... An appealing Christmas book." Publisher's Weekly
"A story spun of the simple and homely old human struggles and virtues that
will startle the reader like an unexpected dawn...Here is a book which,
while its theme and its attractive illustrations make it a suitable
Christmas gift, will provide interesting reading for any time of the year."
Stanton Coblentz, Los Angeles Times
"Swarthout has written a touching tale for the entire family. It's short
and simply written, and its message is clear: Christmas is love and
miracles, though small, do happen." Pam Brown, Macon, Georgia Telegraph and
News
"A Christmas Gift is a book that should be a Christmas classic in the
traditions of Clement C. Moore. It's a beautiful story of love, and I could
hardly read the last two chapters for pausing to mop my streaming eyes.
Swarthout's story of small miracles is guaranteed to touch the heart of
even the coldest Scrooge." Delores Ballard, the Jackson, Tennessee Sun
"True lessons of giving and sharing are conveyed in the sensitive story
about the donation of the family heirloom, a melodeon, achieved through a
small miracle that reunited a family. Swarthout's moving story succeeds in
its simplicity and its setting in an earlier time, full of hope."
Booklist, American Library Association
"What an ideal Christmas book this is! It's all about miracles...The rest
of the charming, beautifully illustrated little book is another Christmas
miracle, one the entire community shared." Margaret Wiggins, Ft. Wayne,
Indiana News-Sentinel
"Builds the suspense to a lump-in-the-throat climax that will draw many a
tear from tender-hearted readers. This kind of story is supposed to have
become a victim of our materialist age, but see if you can read it without
feeling a surge of sentiment in that closing church scene. It's a charming
tale written without a false note and perfectly attuned to the Christmas
spirit." Barkham Reviews
On Fri, Aug 1, 2014 at 8:04 PM, Larry Lumpkin <llumpkin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
> Sure. If you and susan can work it out, I’m very good with that.
>
>
>
>
>
> *From:* bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:
> bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] *On Behalf Of *Cindy Rosenthal
> *Sent:* Friday, August 01, 2014 8:38 PM
> *To:* bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> *Subject:* [bksvol-discuss] Re: Can someone take a look at this print book
>
>
>
> If no one better at describing illustrations offers, I'll do it ) (if
> Susan has the patience to edit my descriptions (you and she know what my
> work is like. If you agree, let me know how detailed (or not) they should
> be smile.
>
> Cindy
>
>
>
> On Fri, Aug 1, 2014 at 5:52 PM, Larry Lumpkin <llumpkin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> wrote:
>
> Hi. I’ve just finished Scanning “a Christmas gift”, formerly published as
> “The Melodian” by Glendon Swarthout. I think it has lots of
> illustrations. If it does, would someone be interested in describing them
> for me? I think Susan is going to proof it. I could send the print book
> but I’d need it back so I could rescan pages for her if needed.
>
>
>
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>
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