Christmas comes but once a year so celebrate it in style with A Christmas Treasury, a collection of classic stories and poems that commemorate the yuletide season. Abundantly illustrated with the work of Arthur Rackham, Mary Cowles Clark, Alice Ercle Hunt, and other titans of the Golden Age of Illustration, the book features the full texts of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol and L. Frank Baum’s The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus, as well as stories by Louisa May Alcott, Lucretia Hale, Harriet Beecher Stowe, L. M. Montgomery, Mary E. Wilkins Freeman, O. Henry, and William Dean Howells.
Of course it wouldn’t be Christmas without “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” and this volume includes, in addition to that timeless classic from Clement Clarke Moore, a selection of poems by Lewis Carroll, Mary Mapes Dodge, Harriet Prescott Spofford, William Cotter Wilson, and others.
So trim the tree, hang the stockings, and deck the halls! A Christmas Treasury is the perfect accompaniment to all of the holiday’s festivities, with stories and poems that will appeal to readers young and old and continue to delight and entertain into the new year and beyond.
Arthur Rackham (1867-1939) was a British illustrator and translator of books in the English and Spanish languages.
He was born in London as one of 12 children. At the age of 18, he worked as a clerk at the Westminster Fire Office and began studying part-time at the Lambeth School of Art.
In 1892, he quit his job and started working for The Westminster Budget as a reporter and illustrator. His first book illustrations were published in 1893 in To the Other Side by Thomas Rhodes, but his first serious commission was in 1894 for The Dolly Dialogues, the collected sketches of Anthony Hope, who later went on to write The Prisoner of Zenda. Book illustrating then became Rackham's career for the rest of his life.
In 1903, he married Edyth Starkie, with whom he had one daughter, Barbara, in 1908. Rackham won a gold medal at the Milan International Exhibition in 1906 and another one at the Barcelona International Exposition in 1912. His works were included in numerous exhibitions, including one at the Louvre in Paris in 1914. Arthur Rackham died 1939 of cancer in his home in Limpsfield, Surrey.
This Barnes and Noble Collectible Edition has so many lovely illustrations, stories, and poems. My favorite stories were the Dickens’ classic, “A Christmas Carol”, L.M. Montgomery’s “A Christmas Inspiration”, Kate Douglas Wiggin’s “The Romance of a Christmas Card”, and L. Frank Baum’s “The Life and Adventures of Santa Clause.” Merry Christmas everyone!
A Christmas Treasury contains both stories and poems most people will know like A Christmas Carol and A Visit from St. Nicholas also knows 'twas the night before Christmas by Clement Clarke More along with maybe less know (poem) The Little Christmas-Tree by Susan Coolidge and (story) The Peterkins' Christmas Tree by Lucretia P. Hale.
What a great collection of stories and poems for readers of all ages - some quite familiar and some new but by beloved authors. This is a great December read even with the story by L. Frank Baum explaining the life and origin of Santa Claus. It is a great December read as for me reading time in December is intermittent but the short story format of this book worked well.
This was an interesting collection. And by interesting I mean kind of lack luster. You have a collection of odd Christmas stories that vary in age and meaning. I was trying to think of the directed audience, because at first you think it is children, but there is a story about romance and a Christmas card which, to me, was so completely boring, and has such adult themes that I can't picture children being interested.
A Christmas Carol and The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus are the best out of the bunch in here. The latter being one that introduces older origins of Santa Claus and I could see reading to children.
The art and cover are nice. I guess for an older child this would be a good gift due to the theme and the eventual progression into some of the stories. I just think it would be too much for a younger kid, you would spend a lot more time explaining the context of some of it than telling the story. But it is odd for an adult reader too, as some tales are obviously children focused.
What a charming book with old fashioned Christmas stories and poems from days gone by! Complete with lovely period illustrations, too! This book would be perfect for reading aloud to young children—in fact, I read some of these stories to my children years ago. Really, it’s perfect for any age! Highly recommended for chilly December nights, with a cup of hot chocolate and a comfy blanket while cozied up in your favorite reading chair.
A Christmas Treasury gives the readers a book full of stories and poems written in the 1800s. It includes stories by Charles Dickens, " A Christmas Carol" Louisa May Alcott, L.M. Montgomery, O' Henry to name a few. There are also some famous poems included. A very fun and nice book to read if you enjoy reading from authors in the 1800s.
No formal review, but a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ book. I purchased this earlier this year “used” on Amazon for $15. It came brand new, still in the plastic wrap.
I read this cover to cover this year, and will probably read out of it each year. This is a gorgeous copy and a really good collection of great stories and poems to read in December. The illustrations inside are also beautiful.
It's a beautiful book that's worth a read for the illustrations alone. Most of the stories and poems were just ok, but the pieces from Dickens', Moore, Baum, and O. Henry are deserving of their classic status.
Absolutely enjoyed this Barnes & Noble Collectible Edition. Illustrations were beautiful and the stories are great for the Christmas holiday season. I can't wait to reread this.
This is the perfect book to get anyone in the Christmas spirit. I'm happy because I got my Dickens fix, as well as a reconnection to The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus. Whether you read this before falling into the realm of sugar plums or sharing it with your loved ones, this collection holds the traditional warmth that we all like to cuddle with at this time of year.