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A Christmas Treasury

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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.

368 pages, Leather Bound

First published September 29, 2017

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209 people want to read

About the author

Arthur Rackham

675 books144 followers
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.

-from Wikipedia

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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
674 reviews19 followers
December 24, 2017
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!
Profile Image for Alicia Riley.
97 reviews6 followers
January 7, 2018
Lovely collection of Christmas stories and poems!

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.

Great Collection for adults and kids alike!
Profile Image for LemonLinda.
866 reviews107 followers
January 20, 2020
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.
Profile Image for Kim.
959 reviews9 followers
December 16, 2019
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.
Profile Image for Camilla.
575 reviews147 followers
tbr-pile-longlist
December 2, 2019
Stories:

A Country Christmas - Alcott

The Peterkin's Christmas-Tree - Lucretia

Christmas; or, the Good Fairy - Harriet

A Christmas Inspiration - Montgomery

The Christmas Masquerade - Mary

The Romance of a Christmas Card - Kate Douglas

Christmas Every Day - William Dean



Poems:

Christmas Greetings - Lewis Carroll

Birth and Adventures of Santa Claus - William Cotter

Mrs. Kriss Kringle - Edith

A Dear Little Schemer - Mary Mapes

The Little Christmas-Tree - Susan Coolidge

When His Whip Goes Crack - John Cook

Christmas Snow - Harriet

A New-Fashioned Christmas - Julie Lippman
Profile Image for Melissa Vinson.
375 reviews11 followers
December 22, 2020
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.
Profile Image for Lori.
1,663 reviews
December 3, 2019
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.
Profile Image for Maria Watkins.
466 reviews25 followers
December 23, 2020
A Christmas Treasury

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.
Profile Image for Erik.
2,190 reviews12 followers
December 28, 2018
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.
Profile Image for Lauren.
2,232 reviews28 followers
December 5, 2018
Delightful little Christmas stories in a beautiful bounded book. Read from some well loved authors to authors I’ve never read before
147 reviews
December 29, 2018
An amazing collection of Christmas Stories to share with the family. My family and I enjoyed this so much what a great tradition.
Profile Image for Laura.
353 reviews6 followers
April 18, 2019
Beautiful illustrations! Loved the story by L. Frank Baum the best.
Profile Image for Lauren .
2,071 reviews
January 1, 2018
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.
Profile Image for Kejana.
155 reviews4 followers
Read
December 12, 2017
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.
Profile Image for Meg Hibbitts.
45 reviews
June 22, 2021
This book is perfect for those who love classics and Christmas. The stories are a collection of short stories and poems.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews

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