The Best of Christmas in My Heart

by Joe L. Wheeler (Compiler)

An anthology of eighteen favorite holiday stories is culled from the editor's previous collections, in a gift-bound edition that is complemented by memory pages that invite readers to record their own Christmas memories. 20,000 first printing.

Genres: Christmas

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Joe Wheeler has been labeled many things: as Father Christmas because of his editing/compiling America’s longest-running Christmas of story series — Christmas in My Heart (now in its 18th season); as one of America’s leading story anthologists (56 story collections by twelve publishing houses); as the world’s foremost authority on life and times of the frontier writer Zane Grey (he is co-founder and executive director of the international Zane Grey’s West Society); as a biographer, having written full-length biographies of Abraham Lincoln and St. Nicholas and shorter biographies of Louisa May Alcott, Abbie Farwell Brown, Daniel Defoe, Charles Dickens, Lucy Maud Montgomery, Gene Stratton Porter, Grace Richmond, Henryk Sienkiewicz, and Lew Wallace; and as a Renaissance Man because of his encyclopedic interest in everything (popular culture as well as the academic); and his master’s degree in the teaching of History, his master’s degree in English (thesis on Utopian and Dystopian literature), and his Vanderbilt doctorate in English (History of Ideas emphasis).

Because of all these variables, and stirring in his 71 books (and counting), this blog series promises to be unlike any other — and that’s why he titles the series, “UNCHARTED WATERS.”

Reviews

[Barbara Harper · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had not heard of the Christmas in My Heart series by Joe Wheeler, but apparently he’s compiled several books of Christmas stories, his own as well as others’.

The Best of Christmas in My Heart is made of several heartwarming stories from the series gathered over the years. Many are old-fashioned, but some are new. Most are fiction, but some, like John Cain’s account of Christmas in a POW camp, are true. I had not heard of most of the authors, but a few familiar ones are represented, like O. Henry and McCain. One story about a tablecloth made the rounds of the Internet a few years back.

Wheeler begins the book with telling how he came to start writing and then start compiling this series.

There are eighteen stories, so it would be easy to spread this out over December with almost a story a night.

[Betty Strohecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautifully crafted book is perfect for the Christmas season. Joe Wheeler, a writing professor, who grew to love stories because of the ones his mother told him as a child, was encouraged to write and compile his favorites into a book that would inspire others. By reading about him in the introduction, I found out that he has published numerous collections, which I'm sure would be worth reading. These stories will touch your heart, and as Wheeler says, "are judged by how many tissues each requires while reading."

I picked up this copy on a Christmas table several years ago. It would make a treasured gift to someone as there are pages throughout to record personal Christmas memories.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book of short stories. I wanted something short and sweet to help get me through the holidays, and this book did not disappoint. Every story touched my heart. It is a book worth reading each Christmas.

[Jacquie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice collection of Christmas/Giving related stories.

[D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful short stories. A great Christmas read.

[Douglas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Its stories are inspired & attractive! Thank you, Joe, for compiling them into the book. 😀

[Arleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

As expected, these were old stories. Some I enjoyed, some I endured. I wouldn’t call this an uplifting book.

[Ola · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this collection of heart-warming stories. I read them before every Christmas, and even if there is no snow, no lights outside, no decorations, this book fills my heart with Christmas joy.

[Charissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can't believe I dragged myself through that... Honestly, the stories were either extremely boring, or extremely confusing.