The Nutcracker and Other Christmas Tales: (Barnes & Noble Collectible Editions)

by Alexander Dumas, Louisa May Alcott, L.M. Montgomery

This Christmas treasury features 10 heart-warming stories, including the title tale by Alexander Dumas which inspired the well-known ballet. The contents also include works by Louisa May Alcott, L. M. Montgomery and L. Frank Baum, as well as the full text of Charles Dickens's classic A Christmas Carol. In addition, the collection includes a dozen poems, led by Clement Clark Moore s famous account of the night before Christmas, A Visit from St. Nicholas . The entire book features full-colour artwork from the Golden Age of Illustration.

Genres: Classics, Christmas, Fantasy, Fiction, Childrens, Historical Fiction, Fairy Tales

368 pages, Hardcover

Published September 7, 2019

About the author

Alternate language profile for Alexandre Dumas.

Do NOT merge author profiles in different languages.

Per GR policy, books published as Alexander Dumas should have that name as secondary author, with Alexandre Dumas as primary author.

Reviews

[Gavin Hetherington · Rating 4 out of 5]

A stunning retelling of the original Nutcracker story by E.T.A. Hoffmann, this time Alexandre Dumas takes to telling the tale.

This is literally just the original story but embellished by Dumas. He doesn't really take anything away from the original, but more so embellishes it and makes it longer, expanding quite a few things. The story begins with a man telling a group of kids the story of the Nutcracker by Hoffmann, so it's not like Dumas is trying to claim the story as his own. The narrator then goes into just telling the original Nutcracker story, but adds a whole lot of detail to it.

While this is arguably better than the original because of the embellished writing and expansion of story and world, I have to admit, I kind of preferred the shorter original. I found at times, during this one, that a rehashing of the plot got a little bit tedious. Perhaps I shouldn't have read it right after the original, but there were moments, like the story of the Crackatook Nut and Princess Pirlipata, where I was getting rather bored by the time that story within the story ended.

The positive aspect is that I got to visualise the imagination of the author a little better with this one, and I loved the story still. There were some scarier elements to it, such as the mouse king with seven heads, and the sinister story behind that too, so there are parts of this one that I actually preferred over the original.

This is still a great story and Dumas really did the original proud as he kept very true to Hoffmann's vision.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely read, while I have already read "A Christmas Carol" by Dickens, which is included in this edition and the poem "A Visit From St. Nicholas", I hadn't read the others. I quite enjoyed them, especially the Nutcracker by Dumas as I enjoyed his other works. Definitely a good read, though some are exceptionally sad.

[Carrie Brownell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've never read The Nutcracker version by Dumas before this year. I've been thoroughly immersed in the ballet story over the years and while the Dumas version contains hints of that world, it is a different story with a little bit more gore and mystery involved. I liked it. It was suspenseful and mysterious in a way in which the ballet is not. I read this book aloud with my kids this past Christmas season and we were thoroughly entertained. Feeling like I've had my fill of the ballet version to last me for awhile, this was a nice change of pace. Highly recommended!

[Charlotte (Bogrejser) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started reading this book just after Christmas, but maybe that's when I ought to have finished it...

My favourite poem in the whole wide world is "A Visit from St. Nicholas", and so, of course, I've already read this poem before - but it was my first time reading the other poems.
As for the stories, of course I knew the plot of "The Nutcracker" and "A Christmas Carol" (oh, poor Tiny Tim!), but I don't think I've ever read them before. But now I have, and I'm glad that I bought the book!

Every story or poem is illustrated with beautiful pictures, and it's a joy just looking at them without reading the stories (although that does add a bit to it). I'd definitely recommend this book - despite some of the pages being a bit boring... :)

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I give this book a 4.5 out of 5

A Barnes and Noble leather bonded collection of Christmas stories and poems. With gold guild sprayed edged and a ribbon bookmark this book is beautiful inside and out.
The stories begin with The Nutcracker and finishes with A Christmas Carol, The last section of the book are Christmas poems starting with The Night Before Christmas.

I would recommend this book to anyone that loves the Christmas season and would look beautiful displayed on a shelf with your holiday decorations.

My reason for the half a star knocked off is, with this book having classic tales they can make for a harder read.

[Ali Rites · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful book with an amazing storyline. I was so entertained with the story of this nutcracker, how he came to be, and how he fought off the mice king. The ending was adorable, loved it!

[Del Feeny · Rating 4 out of 5]

What did I just read at the end of The Nutcracker? She’s 7. SEVEN!!!

[Dave Mello · Rating 5 out of 5]

Includes work from L. Frank Baum, Washington Irving, Louisa May Alcott, Charles Dickens, Alexandre Dumas, Clement C. Moore, Kate Douglas Wiggin, L.M. Montgomery, Georgene Faulkner, Edith Houghton Hooker, Priscilla Underwood, Elizabeth Gaskell, James Courtney Challis, Carolyn Wells, Harriot Brewer Sterling, Arthur Upson, Mary Mapes Dodge, Hanna Dawe Lloyd, Lucy Larcom, and Charlotte Bowen.

[Ophilia Adler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a lovely edition with great christmas stories! And qll the illustrations! To not speak of the leatherbound book in itself. Such art to just look at.

But its very heavy ^^ not something to carry around to read!

[Samantha van Buuren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a glorious collection of beautiful Christmas stories perfect for inducing Christmas spirit in even the grinchiest of Scroogies.

I'll begin with a little negative and the reason why I almost gave it 4 stars. There are a couple of stories that I did not enjoy. For example, A Christmas Mistake by L. M. Montgomery. This story is redundant, very little happens in the very short story and it did feel like I'd wasted the two minutes it took to read. I also didn't enjoy Christmas Storms and Sunshine by Elizabeth Gaskell and a couple of the poems included, and I did notice quite a few typos throughout.

However, the other stories and poems are so wonderful, and the book itself is beautiful with stunning illustrations. I couldn't give this any less than 5 stars.

And now for the good stuff!!! I loved The Nutcracker!!! It was my first time reading it and I loved every moment. Its a wonderful fairy tale filled with stunning imagery, courageous characters and plenty of Christmas spirit. The other main story included in the book is A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens which I have read before, but loved all over again.

Others I really enjoyed were How It Happened by Louisa May Alcott, A Christmas Tree for Santa by Georgene Faulkner, A Kidnapped Santa Clause by L. Frank Baum, The Birds Christmas Carol by Kate Douglas Wiggin (though this one broke my heart, it is devistating), A Visit From St. Nicholas by Clement Clarke Moore, A Christmas Eve Thought by Harriot Brewer Sterling, An Interrupted Auction by Carolyn Wells and The Robin's Christmas Eve by Charlotte Bowen.

If you're looking for a beautiful Christmas read, this one is perfect for you. Wonderful for children and adults alike, I plan to read a couple of the stories with my son on Christmas Eve, and I'm sure the Christmas spirit it has awoken in me will last until well into the new year.

[Charlee-Ann Ellis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I mainly wanted to read this book because I love the ballet but I have no idea what's going on in it. I still don't have much of an idea but this at least filled in a few blanks. Overall this book was just weird in that way that only imaginative works of this time period are. And I won't go into the child marriage at the end of a girl who still plays with dolls and has to be seven or eight I'd guess, and a boy in his late teens, maybe even early twenties. That felt a little unnecessary but other than that, it was interesting to read about Christmas traditions in a time before Santa Claus.

[Marouscha S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only read "The Nutcracker" by Dumas for now and rated it 4 stars. Unfortunately X-mas time is over, I will therefore put the rest of the book aside for next Christmas, 'cause I'd like to enjoy it next to the Christmas Tree with a warm blanket and a cat on my lap :)

Little sidenote: the book also contains Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" which I already read a dozen times because it is my alltime favorite novella. This book alone deserves 5 stars.

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading the nutcracker, was very enjoyable. However, the collection of Christmas stories was somewhat lacking . I had hoped to read stories that were a little more inspirational and fun. Overall, it was interesting to read the nutcracker and a Christmas Carol. I now understand the nutcracker ballet so much better.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nostalgic look at Christmas ideologies and fantasies with these classic stories by famous authors. A very nice edition with illustrations (some original) that are particularly exquisite. Other than the all-time infamous Dickens' A Christmas Carol, I thought Elizabeth Gaskill's story was the best.

[Debra Petersen (Queen of Historical Fiction) · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was cute if not a little bit too sweetly made for my tastes especially towards the end. The idealists the Victorian's established throughout the time period and this narrative of how girls and boys should act were quite hollowed out when viewed in a modern retrospect.

[crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This a book you come back to year after year! This year I only read The Nutcracker told by Alexandre Dumas and some Christmas poems at the back one of which is “A Visit from Saint Nicholas” I can’t wait to read A Christmas Carol and a story by Frank L. Baum!

[meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this throughout the month of December! Some of the stories were VERY long and in depth, truly the original story that many know and love. The illustrations were beautiful as well.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good selection of feel-good Christmas stories.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the perfect Christmassy read to warm your heart on a cold winter's night. L.M. Montgomery, Louisa May Alcott and L. Frank Baum were my favourite of the stories.

[Mark Slauter · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a wonderful collection of Christmas tales and poems. The final poem, The Robin's Christmas Eve, is touching and sad, and maybe the best way to end the book.

[Charlee-Ann Ellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've loved working my way through this collection of short stories, novellas, and poems. Not all of them have been my cup of tea, but in general it does it's job of bringing festive spirit

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stories were okay. Poems were cute. Real selling point was how beautiful this edition was. Nice gold trimmed pages and BEAUTIFUL illustrations. Worth having for the home collection.

[Iris · Rating 3 out of 5]

The spirit of Christmas - 188-198
A fun shortstory about an old man who doesn't believe in Santa Claus (A Merry Nonsense!)

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

So cute! It’s a bit like Alice in wonderland as the main girl, Marie, is whisked away to another land. In this case the land is made of candy. I also liked the cadence of the words. You can tell it was translated from another language. It added to the magic of the story in a strange way. It just might become my new Christmas tradition to read it every year!

I’m curious to see how Dumas’ version compares with E.T.A Hoffman which I am reading next.

[frkingerlise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Traditional Christmas stories and poems in a beautiful book. Feels like Christmas.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful collection of truly magical Christmas Stories, with stunning illustrations, perfect for bringing out the Christmas Spirit in anyone.

The book opens with The Nutcracker by Alexander Dumas, which I had never read before. It was a wonderful intro to this book. A Christmas Fairy tale full of engaging characters and imaginative storytelling in which reality sometimes fuses with fiction. This story alone is entitled to its own five stars.

After the Nutcracker, the reader is treated to a collection of short stories all centered around different aspects of Christmas, in various different lengths, some taking merely a page to tell its tale while others span more. I have to say I didn't dislike any of these stories, but some definitely stood out more than others.

My favorites being: How it All Happened by Louisa May Alcott, A Christmas Tree For Santa Claus by Georgene Faulkner, The Birds Christmas Carol by Kate Douglas Wiggin, this one being my favorite of the short stories as it was such a wonderful tale with a bittersweet ending, and Christmas Storms and Sunshine by Elizabeth Gaskell.

After the short stories, we come to the other novel included; A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. I've always wanted to read Dickens' works and I couldn't have picked a better one to start with. The timeless tale of Ebenezer Scrooge becoming a better man by discovering his Christmas Spirit is a joy to experience. Every supporting and side character is busting with life making the story engaging and real. I loved A Christmas Carol and would award it five stars on its own.

Once finished with the stories, we come to the last section of the book: the poems. This is the only negative point I have about the book as a whole. I didn't find any of the poems bar one enjoyable. I must, however, point out that I am not really one for poetry, so this is up to personal preference. The one poem I did enjoy was A Visit From St. Nicholas by Clement Clarke Moore, only the most famous Christmas Poem in existence.

As a whole, this book is incredible. It has two beautiful novels that are full of Christmas Joy and the short stories are not to be skipped. Yes, the poems were a disappointment, but the rest of the collection more than makes up for this. I fully recommend this book, and know that I will be reading it every Christmas Season for the foreseeable future.

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is beautiful. Lots of classical Christmas stories and beautiful illustrations. Golden edges.
I love this!