The books of 2022
Most of this month’s reads fall under the category of “books of Christmas past.” With snow swirling and wind howling, I settled into a comfy chair each evening and cracked open collection after collection of themed short stories.
Have I mentioned I’m not crazy about short stories? Several dozen of the Folio Society books we inherited from Mom and Dad are collections of short stories. They’re just not as satisfying to me, but I’ll keep trying in 2023.
Book 1: Christmas Books by Charles Dickens
It seems Mr. Dickens recognized a good thing with the success of A Christmas Carol.
The very next year, Dickens dug in even deeper with his social commentary with The Chimes.
Subtitled A Goblin Story of Some Bells that Rang an Old Year Out and a New Year In, Dickens’ 1844 novella brings to mind once again how little has changed in the way some judge the less fortunate. For example, a pompous alderman all but convinces the protagonist that the working poor are, by nature, downright wicked.
Hear it often enough and you’ll eventually believe it, right? Humbug!
The other Christmas Stories in this collection are The Cricket on the Hearth, The Battle of Life, and The Haunted Man.
Book 2: The Folio Book of Christmas Crime Stories
Who could resist a volume of Christmas crime stories?
No surprise that Dame Agatha Christie provided the first tale, The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding. Monsieur Poirot is persuaded to join a family for the Christmas holidays, as he works to detect the location of a stolen jewel. Two guesses as to where it turns up!
The two other stories I read covered first the theft of a charitable donation and the adventure to capture the criminal and the missing money. And finally, a dreadful tale of greed, divorce, and murder while on Christmas vacation in Florida. Comfort and joy!
Book 3: The Boys by Ron Howard and Clint Howard
Wonderful memoir! Brothers Ron and Clint Howard take turns through the decades as they tell the stories of their careers.
Their parents were the first to catch the performing bug, and found opportunity for adventure on both coasts.
Ron and Clint were born five years apart. Their devoted parents made sure the boys had as normal a childhood as was possible while in “the business” – plus a bank account waiting for them when they became adults.
This warm account includes some behind-the-scenes stories, but also confessions regarding their teenage behavior and blushing apologies to their now-gone parents. Bottom line, they seem like a nice family.
Book 4: The Folio Book of Christmas Ghost Stories
The three stories I chose to read from this compilation were The Kit-Bag, The Old Nurse’s Story, and Smee.
The first two could easily have been Twilight Zone or Night Gallery episodes. The third, though, struck me as a campfire story, ending in screams and uneasy sleep before the campers’ next adventure.
Book 5: Amahl and the Night Visitors by Gian-Carlo Menotti
There’s no better way to usher out the Christmas season at Epiphany than Amahl and the Night Visitors.
Amahl is a desparately poor shepherd boy who lives with his mother. The Three Kings, following the brightest star in the sky, stop by to rest for the night. During their stay, the magi learn about another humble child deserving of gifts.
This is an opera. Now, before you roll your eyes, please give it a chance. This made-for-TV 1951 opera is hauntingly beautiful. Only recently did I find this book – written in storybook form – which uses the libretto for the characters’ quotes.
That’s it for 2022 – a total of 74 books! Not sure exactly what 2023 will bring, but Dickens, Trollope, Capote, and Conan Doyle volumes must not be allowed to gather dust on our shelves!
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