Christmas books: past present future

The Guardian Book Review this past Saturday had a wonderful feature entitled Christmas books past present and future where they asked prominent authors to elaborate on their favorite books that they have received, given, or plan to read during the holiday season over the years.

Not only is this is a wonderful exercise to discover the personalities of famous writers, but also an interesting look at the significance of literature in shaping the memories of our Christmases over the years. I really enjoyed this nugget from Anne Enright:

“When I was still at school, a boyfriend gave me Wuthering Heights and The Complete English Poems of John Donne for Christmas. What a fabulous double blow that was to a young girl’s heart. Who knew? Up to this point he had merely been good at rugby. I read them over the holiday, thinking that he had, somehow, written them himself — and not only that, but he had done so with me in mind. It made me feel a bit peculiar, this discovery that men have souls, too. Of course, I realised, when we met again, that he had not written them himself, so that was a bit of a letdown. It was not because he had soul, it was because he had such impeccable manners. I had no manners at all, but I was suddenly loopers about Donne. And the moral of the story is: kick it high, but not out of the park.”

In the spirit of the Guardian feature, I’ve decided to share with you all a few of my own thoughts on Christmas books: past, present, and future.

Christmas Past

My family has never celebrated Christmas, so while I received many books for birthdays and other occasions, I never really did receive any books during the holiday season. five years ago, however, I went to a girlfriend’s place for Christmas dinner and was given a copy of Mitch Albom’s Tuesdays With Morrie by her brother, and it turned out to be the best Christmas present I have ever received (and subsequently given to others as well).

Albom’s book was a reminder that our memories and learnings are often tied to important people in our lives: a message that resonated strongly within the 20-year-old me that had spent the early part of the holiday season trying to figure out the purpose and meaning of his life. It was the Christmas gift that not only brought some clarity, but brought some perspective—truly a gift that still keeps on giving.

Christmas Present

It’s true, even I often get caught up in the commercialism of the holiday season. Which is why I’m giving a few of my friends a copy of Alan Weisman’s The World Without Us—one of my favorite books I have read in all of 2007—as a Christmas gift this year.

Weisman’s book, though it may seem at first like a doomsday novel, is full of expressions of gratitude and appreciation, two sentiments that are particularly relevant during the Christmas season. Not only does its premise (of humanity being wiped off the face of the earth) make the reader give thanks for their current existence, but it also provides reason for hope that there is possibility for a more beautiful and sustainable future. Looking past the horror of human extinction, the reader of The World Without Us can truly come to look at the beauty of human existence.

Christmas Future

Unlike many of the authors in the Guardian article, I don’t have access to manuscripts of books that are yet to be released, so speculating on future Christmas books may be a bit difficult. I am, however, excited about the prospect that two people I really admire—Khoi Vinh and Tara Hunt—are currently writing books themselves. It’s always nice to know that friends are exercising their creativity and making their thoughts heard in the print world.

And in the end, isn’t that what Christmas is all about: celebrating in the achievements of friends and family?