Jessica Harrison (Editor)

The Penguin Book of Christmas Stories: From Hans Christian Andersen to Angela Carter

This collection of Christmas stories from around the world takes the reader on an extraordinary journey which includes a trip through frozen Nordic woods, a New York speakeasy, the bustling streets of Lagos, and even outer space! All the contributors are literary heavyweights including Truman Capote, Shirley Jackson, Dylan Thomas, Saki and Chekhov. Readers can feast on such little known treasures as Italo Calvino’s sideways look at Christmas consumerism, Wolfdietrich Schnurre’s tale of festive ingenuity in Berlin, and Irène Nemerovsky’s dark family portrait. Featuring santas, ghosts, trolls, unexpected guests, and even miracles, this is Christmas as imagined by some of the greatest short story writers of all time.

Hardcover: 288 Pages

Language: English

Format: Kindle Edition, Audiobook, Hardcover & Paperback

4.5/5
Reviewed By Reviewed By Juliette Foster
“What makes this short story collection so memorable is its subversion of the traditional Christmas tale. If you’re looking for a book that eschews the sugar frosted, candy coated image of the festive season then this is the go-to read, thanks in part to a panoply of characters that include drunks and adulterers. They might not be the typical personalities of a happy ever after Christmas story, but hope and redemption can be found anywhere…even in dark, wounded souls.”
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