Special Collections
Winter Holiday Reads
- Table View
- List View
The History of the Snowman
by Bob EcksteinWho made the first snowman? Who first came up with the idea of placing snowballs on top of each other, and who decided they would use a carrot for a nose? Most puzzling of all: How can this mystery ever be solved, with all the evidence long since melted? The snowman appears everywhere on practically everything -- from knickknacks to greeting cards to seasonal sweaters we plan to return. Whenever we see big snowballs our first impulse is to deck them out with a top hat. Humorist and writer Bob Eckstein has long been fascinated by this ubiquitous symbol of wintertime fun -- and finally, for the first time, one of the world's most popular icons gets his due. A thoroughly entertaining exploration, The History of the Snowman travels back in time to shed light on the snowman's enigmatic past -- from the present day, in which the snowman reigns as the King of Kitsch, to the Dark Ages, with the creation of the very first snowman. Eckstein's curiosity began playfully enough, but soon snowballed into a (mostly) earnest quest of chasing Frosty around the world, into museums and libraries, and seeking out the advice of leading historians and scholars. The result is a riveting history that reaches back through centuries and across cultures -- sweeping from fifteenth-century Italian snowballs to eighteenth-century Russian ice sculptures to the regrettable "white-trash years" (1975-2000). The snowman is not just part of our childhood memories, but is an integral part of our world culture, appearing -- much like a frozen Forrest Gump -- alongside dignitaries and celebrities during momentous events. Again and again, the snowman pops up in rare prints, paintings, early movies, advertising and, over the past century, in every art form imaginable. And the jolly snowman -- ostensibly as pure as the driven snow -- also harbors a dark past full of political intrigue, sex, and violence. With more than two hundred illustrations and a special section of the best snowman cartoons, The History of the Snowman is a truly original winter classic -- smart, surprisingly enlightening, and quite simply the coolest book ever.
Home for the Holidays
by Debbie MacomberEveryone Wants to be Home for the Holidays...The Forgetful Bride Caitlin Marshall's trying to go home to Minnesota, but at the last minute she gives her airline ticket to a stranded soldier. So Cait spends Christmas with Joe Rockwell, who was a childhood friend-and is still a terrible tease, claiming that Cait's his wife. Oh, sure, they were "married" in a pretend ceremony when she was eight, but now Joe wants to make their "marriage" real!When Christmas Comes Emily Springer trades her Leavenworth, Washington, home for Charles Brewster's Boston condo. Then Emily's friend Faith comes to visit her in Washington-and instead finds Charles, a complete stranger and a curmudgeon, to boot. His brother, Ray, meanwhile, shows up at Charles's place, only to discover Emily living there. But through all the mix-ups and misunderstandings, among the chaos and confusion, romance begins to emerge....
Burning Bright
by Megan Hart and KK Hendin and Stacy Agdern and Jennifer GracenThis December, take a break from dreidel spinning, gelt winning, and latke eating to experience the joy of Chanukah. When you fall in love during the Festival of Lights, the world burns a whole lot brighter.It’s definitely not love at first sight for Amanda and her cute but mysterious new neighbor, Ben. Can a Chanukah miracle show them that getting off on the wrong foot doesn’t mean they can’t walk the same road?Lawyers in love, Shari Cohen and Evan Sonntag are happy together. But in a moment of doubt, he pushes her away—then soon realizes he made a huge mistake. To win her back, it might take something like a Chanukah miracle.When impulsive interior designer Molly Baker-Stein barges into Jon Adelman's apartment and his life intent on planning the best Chanukah party their building has ever seen, neither expects that together they just might discover a Home for Chanukah.All Tamar expected from her Israel vacation was time to hang out with one of her besties and to act like a tourist, cheesy t-shirt and all, in her two favorite cities. She definitely was not expecting to fall for Avi, a handsome soldier who’s more than she ever dreamed.
Las Christmas
by Esmeralda Santiago and Joie Davidow24 stories, 6 poems and songs, and 22 recipes for the Christmas season.
Fruits of the Harvest
by Eric V. CopageFruits of the Harvest: Recipes to Celebrate Kwanzaa and Other Holidays offers more than 125 treasured recipes from people of African descent all over the world: Jerked Pork Chops and Fresh Papaya Chutney from Jamaica; New-Fashioned Fried Chicken, a dish from the Deep South; and Tiebou Dienne, Senegalese herb-stuffed fish steaks with seasoned rice. In addition to main courses, there are recipes for a full range of dishes, from appetizers to soups, salads, side dishes, vegetables, breads, beverages, and, of course, desserts. Fried Okra, Antiguan Pepper Pot, Ambrosia Salad and Potato Salad, Garlic-Chedder Grits Soufflé, Caipirinha, and Sweet Potato Tarts in Peanut Butter Crusts are but a few of the delights featured here.And along the way, learn about African American culture, including the seven principles of Kwanzaa and how people of African descent all across the globe celebrate the best their cultures have to offer through food and communion. Fruits of the Harvest: Recipes to Celebrate Kwanzaa and Other Holidays isn't just a cookbook -- it's a source of inspiration for the most extravagant of holiday gatherings as well as for a simple Sunday dinner.
Holiday in Death
by J. D. RobbLieutenant Eve Dallas tails a serial killer who has a passion for the "Twelve Days of Christmas" in this novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling In Death series. No one likes to be alone during the holidays. For New York's most posh dating service, Personally Yours, it is the season to bring lonely hearts together. But Lieutenant Eve Dallas, on the trail of a ritualistic serial killer who likes to dress up as Santa Claus, has made a disturbing discovery: all of the victims have been traced to Personally Yours. As the murders continue, Eve enters into an elite world of people searching for their one true love. A world where the power of love leads men and women into the ultimate act of betrayal...From the Paperback edition.
Nicholas
by Jeremy SealA historical investigation into the transformation of Saint Nicholas. The author often writes from the perspective of a saint protecting his own interests.
The Snow Child
by Eowyn IveyAlaska, 1920: a brutal place to homestead, and especially tough for recent arrivals Jack and Mabel. Childless, they are drifting apart--he breaking under the weight of the work of the farm; she crumbling from loneliness and despair. In a moment of levity during the season's first snowfall, they build a child out of snow. The next morning the snow child is gone--but they glimpse a young, blonde-haired girl running through the trees. This little girl, who calls herself Faina, seems to be a child of the woods. She hunts with a red fox at her side, skims lightly across the snow, and somehow survives alone in the Alaskan wilderness. As Jack and Mabel struggle to understand this child who could have stepped from the pages of a fairy tale, they come to love her as their own daughter. But in this beautiful, violent place things are rarely as they appear, and what they eventually learn about Faina will transform all of them.
You Better Not Cry
by Augusten BurroughsYou've eaten too much candy at Christmas...but have you ever eaten the face off a six-foot stuffed Santa? You've seen gingerbread houses...but have you ever made your own gingerbread tenement? You've woken up with a hangover...but have you ever woken up next to Kris Kringle himself? Augusten Burroughs has, and in this caustically funny, nostalgic, poignant, and moving collection he recounts Christmases past and present--as only he could. With gimlet-eyed wit and illuminated prose, Augusten shows how the holidays bring out the worst in us and sometimes, just sometimes, the very, very best.
A Season of Love
by Kim WattersThe Soldier's Gift Just in time for Christmas, a tall, dark and handsome Scrooge visits Holly Stanwyck's holiday shop, threatening eviction. But once landlord Ethan Pelligrino sees the single mom's plight, the former soldier becomes her protector instead. Suddenly he's helping her with her struggling business and bonding with her troubled son. A wounded veteran come home to heal, Ethan is no stranger to sorrow. But something about the pretty widow fills him with hope. Will Holly be able to let go of her own painful past to see her future by his side?
The Krampus and the Old, Dark Christmas
by Sean Tejaratchi and Al RidenourThe Krampus, a folkloric devil associated with St. Nicholas in Alpine Austria and Germany, has been embraced by the American counterculture and is lately skewing mainstream. The new Christmas he seems to embody is ironically closer to an ancient understanding of the holiday as a perilous, haunted season. In the Krampus' world, witches rule Christmas, and saints can sometimes kill.
You Better Knot Die
by Betty HechtmanHer crochet group, The Tarzana Hookers, is working overtime for the holidays-but Molly Pink is having trouble finding time to crochet so much as a snowflake. The bookstore where she works is adding a yarn department, and planning a huge launch party where the mysterious author of a popular series will reveal his or her true identity.
Dedicate and Celebrate
by Barry Rubin and FamilyHanukkah, the Feast of Dedication, or the Festival of Lights, is not the Jewish alternative to Christmas. Although it is celebrated in the winter, this festive holiday describes a story all its own--of faithfulness to God, of bravery against all odds, and of the rededication of a defiled Temple. For Jews, Hanukkah is a time of bright lights, of delicious smells, of delightful singing, presents, and games. It is a time to proudly remember our heroes and wonder at the miracles of God.
Winter Solstice
by Elin Hilderbrand*The USA Today Bestseller*Raise one last glass with the Quinn Family at the Winter Street Inn.It's been too long since the entire Quinn family has been able to celebrate the holidays under the same roof, but that's about to change. With Bart back safe and sound from Afghanistan, the Quinns are preparing for a holiday more joyous than any they've experienced in years. And Bart's safe return isn't the family's only good news: Kevin is enjoying married life with Isabelle; Patrick is getting back on his feet after paying his debt to society; Ava thinks she's finally found the love of her life; and Kelly is thrilled to see his family reunited at last. But it just wouldn't be a Quinn family gathering if things went smoothly. A celebration of everything we love--and some of the things we endure--about the holidays, WINTER SOLSTICE is Elin Hilderbrand at her festive best. Follow the Quinn family through the entire Winter Street Series:Winter Street Winter Stroll Winter Storms Winter Solstice
The True Saint Nicholas
by William J. BennettIf you've ever been asked, "Who is Saint Nicholas?". . . If you've ever wondered if he is just a commercial invention. . . If you've ever thought there is no such person. . . You may be surprised to know the true Saint Nicholas. You'll never again think of Santa Claus in quite the same way. An instant classic by one of America's most respected thinkers, The True Saint Nicholas is a book to be shared with family and friends every year to evoke the true spirit of Christmas.
Snow Country
by Yasunari Kawabata and Edward G. SeidenstickerNobel Prize winner Yasunari Kawabata’s Snow Country is widely considered to be the writer’s masterpiece: a powerful tale of wasted love set amid the desolate beauty of western Japan. At an isolated mountain hot spring, with snow blanketing every surface, Shimamura, a wealthy dilettante meets Komako, a lowly geisha. She gives herself to him fully and without remorse, despite knowing that their passion cannot last and that the affair can have only one outcome. In chronicling the course of this doomed romance, Kawabata has created a story for the ages — a stunning novel dense in implication and exalting in its sadness.
Chicken Soup for the Soul
by Amy NewmarkAnyone who loves this joyous time of year will love these heartwarming and entertaining stories of family bonding, holiday hijinks, community spirit, and family and religious traditions. A fantastic holiday gift and a great way to start the season! Christmas is a merry and joyful time of year, full of family, friends, and traditions. You'll delight in reading these 101 holiday tales of inspiration, love, and wonder. Many will make you laugh out loud; others will make you tear up a little. And all the stories are "Santa safe" so they can keep the magic alive for the whole family!
Hanukkah in America
by Dianne AshtonExplores the ways American Jews have reshaped Hanukkah traditions across the countryIn New Orleans, Hanukkah means decorating your door with a menorah made of hominy grits. Latkes in Texas are seasoned with cilantro and cayenne pepper. Children in Cincinnati sing Hanukkah songs and eat oranges and ice cream. While each tradition springs from its own unique set of cultural references, what ties them together is that they all celebrate a holiday that is different in America than it is any place else. For the past two hundred years, American Jews have been transforming the ancient holiday of Hanukkah from a simple occasion into something grand. Each year, as they retell its story and enact its customs, they bring their ever-changing perspectives and desires to its celebration. Providing an attractive alternative to the Christian dominated December, rabbis and lay people alike have addressed contemporary hopes by fashioning an authentically Jewish festival that blossomed in their American world.The ways in which Hanukkah was reshaped by American Jews reveals the changing goals and values that emerged among different contingents each December as they confronted the reality of living as a religious minority in the United States. Bringing together clergy and laity, artists and businessmen, teachers, parents, and children, Hanukkah has been a dynamic force for both stability and change in American Jewish life. The holiday’s distinctive transformation from a minor festival to a major occasion that looms large in the American Jewish psyche is a marker of American Jewish life. Drawing on a varied archive of songs, plays, liturgy, sermons, and a range of illustrative material, as well as developing portraits of various communities, congregations, and rabbis, Hanukkah in America reveals how an almost forgotten festival became the most visible of American Jewish holidays.
Mischief and Mistletoe
by Mary Jo Putney and Joanna Bourne and Patricia Rice and Jo Beverley and Nicola Cornick and Anne Gracie and Susan King and Cara Elliott&“Eight authors celebrate Christmas in Regency England in this heart-warming anthology . . . each second chance is a sweet gift for the reader.&” —Publishers Weekly Unwrap the most romantic of Regency delights in this sparkling holiday collection . . . Christmastime in England—a time for passionate secrets, delicious whispers, and wicked-sweet gifts by the fire. From a spirited lady who sets out to save her rakish best friend from an unsuitable engagement, to a bold spy who gets the unexpected chance to win the woman he&’s always loved, to a vicar&’s daughter who pretends to be a saucy wench, these holiday tales will make you curl up in front of the fire for a memorable season of mischief and mistletoe . . . &“Confections that charm and delight, like the holidays themselves.&” —RT Book Reviews &“Touching, gently funny, satisfying, and short enough to be read in one sitting, each story in this delectable anthology is a holiday treat.&” —Library Journal &“A collection of historical fiction romances set around the Yuletide season. This was a delightful collection and while I had favorites I can honestly say I enjoyed each and every tale by these talented authors.&” —Caffeinated Book Reviewer
Krampus
by BromThe author and artist of The Child Thief returns with a modern fabulist tale of Krampus, the Lord of Yule and mortal enemy of Santa Claus. One Christmas Eve in a small hollow in Boone County, West Virginia, struggling songwriter Jesse Walker witnesses a strange spectacle: seven devilish figures chasing a man in a red suit toward a sleigh and eight reindeer. When the reindeer leap skyward taking the sleigh, devil men, and Santa into the clouds, screams follow. Moments later, a large sack plummets earthward, a magical sack that will thrust the down-on-his luck singer into the clutches of the terrifying Yule Lord, Krampus. But the lines between good and evil become blurred as Jesse's new master reveals many dark secrets about the cherry-cheeked Santa Claus, and how half a millennium ago, the jolly old saint imprisoned Krampus and usurped his magic. Now Santa's time is running short, for the Yule Lord is determined to have his retribution and reclaim Yuletide. If Jesse can survive this ancient feud, he might have the chance to redeem himself to his family, to save his own broken dreams...and help bring the magic of Yule to the impoverished folk of Boone County.
Winter Street
by Elin HilderbrandCozy up with New York Times bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand's first Christmas novel, hailed &“a diverting tale… filled with humor, romance, and realism&” by USA Today, in which a family gathers on Nantucket for a holiday filled with chaos, caroling, and cheer. Kelley Quinn is the owner of Nantucket's Winter Street Inn and the proud father of four, all of them grown and living in varying states of disarray. Patrick, the eldest, is a hedge fund manager with a guilty conscience. Kevin, a bartender, is secretly sleeping with a French housekeeper named Isabelle. Ava, a school teacher, is finally dating the perfect guy but can't get him to commit. And Bart, the youngest and only child of Kelley's second marriage to Mitzi, has recently shocked everyone by joining the Marines. As Christmas approaches, Kelley is looking forward to getting the family together for some quality time at the inn. But when he walks in on Mitzi kissing Santa Claus (or the guy who's playing Santa at the inn's annual party), utter chaos descends. With the three older children each reeling in their own dramas and Bart unreachable in Afghanistan, it might be up to Kelley's ex-wife, nightly news anchor Margaret Quinn, to save Christmas at the Winter Street Inn. Before the mulled cider is gone, the delightfully dysfunctional Quinn family will survive a love triangle, an unplanned pregnancy, a federal crime, a small house fire, many shots of whiskey, and endless rounds of Christmas caroling, in this heart-warming novel about coming home for the holidays.Follow the Quinn family through the entire Winter Street Series:Winter Street Winter Stroll Winter Storms Winter Solstice
Saint Nicholas
by Joe WheelerYou know him as the rotund merry-maker in the red suit. Butset aside the childhood myth. In this portrait, you'll encounter the true St.Nicholas, a figure revered for his astonishing miracles and a humility thatredirected all attention to God's glory. You'll be amazed to find St. Nicholasalways turning up at just the right time--rescuing sailors from the certaindeath of a violent sea, saving three young women from a life of prostitution,and guarding an infant from the burns of a boiling bath.A tireless defender of God's truth and His people, St.Nicholas's wonderful and mysterious deeds illustrate, time and again, a heartfor the weak, the poor, and the endangered--truly "the patron saint ofpractically everybody" and one of the most fascinating figures in all ofChristian history.We learn about life through the lives of others. Their experiences,their trials, their adventures become our schools, our chapels, our playgrounds.Christian Encounters, a series of biographies from Thomas Nelson Publishers,highlights important lives from all ages and areas of the Church through proseas accessible and concise as it is personal and engaging. Some are familiar faces.Others are unexpected guests. Whether the person is D.L. Moody, Sergeant York, SaintNicholas, John Bunyan, or William F. Buckley, we are now living in the worldthat they created and understand both it and ourselves better in the light oftheir lives. Their relationships, struggles, prayers, and desires uniquelyilluminate our shared experience.
Crimson Snow
by Martin Edwards and EditorMystery crime fiction written in the Golden Age of Murder"Edwards's second winter-themed anthology in the British Library Crime Classics series is a standout. As in the most successful of such volumes, the editor's expertise results in a selection of unusual suspects, expanding readers' knowledge." —Publishers Weekly STARRED reviewCrimson Snow brings together a dozen vintage crime stories set in winter. Welcome to a world of Father Christmases behaving oddly, a famous fictional detective in a Yuletide drama, mysterious tracks in the snow, and some very unpleasant carol singers. There's no denying that the supposed season of goodwill is a time of year that lends itself to detective fiction.On a cold night, it's tempting to curl up by the fireside with a good mystery. And more than that, claustrophobic house parties, with people cooped up with long-estranged relatives, can provide plenty of motives for murder.Including forgotten stories by major writers such as Margery Allingham, as well as classic tales by less familiar crime novelists, each story in this selection is introduced by the leading expert on classic crime, Martin Edwards. The resulting volume is an entertaining and atmospheric compendium of wintry delights.
Advent with Pope Francis
by Marianne Lorraine Trouvé FSPLet the inspiring words of Pope Francis guide your Advent journey of preparation so that you can fully celebrate the birth of Christ. This daily devotional includes Scripture citations for each day of the season, a selection of the Holy Father's writings, reflection questions, and a prayer. It will be the perfect volume to remind you to slow down and breathe in God's spirit, no matter how busy you find yourself!
A Christmas Carol
by Charles DickensBest-selling author Charles Dickens has created some of the world's most remarkable and memorable characters, including Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim, Jacob Marley, and Bob Cratchit--all from his famous novella, A Christmas Carol. Often regarded as the greatest author of the Victorian era, Dickens tells the story of the miserable, miserly Ebenezer Scrooge and his incredible transformation of mind, heart, and soul as he encounters supernatural visits from his good-hearted business partner Jacob Marley, along with ghosts of Christmas past, present, and yet to come. With each visit, Ebenezer is slightly transformed, just as our culture has also been transformed by the story's existence, and its characters and quotes have become a mainstay in Western culture.