Norman Rockwell's Christmas Book

I love Saki’s stories. My father read them aloud from when I was a small child, and I’ve returned to them regularly over the years, especially around the time of his sudden death a few years ago.

I’d forgotten this one, and I didn't enjoy it quite as much as many of his. It has the signature mix of waspish satire, animals, humour, and a dash of non-Christian beliefs (reincarnation, in this case), but “A little beast of a naked brown Nubian boy” jars to modern eyes and ears.

The characters' names are not as strange as those in many of his stories, but I'm sure it's no coincidence that the character who is very fond of his hens is called Egbert.

All the narrative is in the past tense.
Except for the final sentence, which is in the show more present.
The circle of life - and death?

Image: A European otter (common in the UK), in autumnal leaves (Source)

Quotes

“‘You are not really dying, are you?’ asked Amanda.
‘I have the doctor's permission to live till Tuesday,’ said Laura.”

“As a matter of fact Laura died on Monday.
‘So dreadfully upsetting,’ Amanda complained to her uncle-in-law, Sir Lulworth Quayne. ‘I've asked quite a lot of people down for golf and fishing, and the rhododendrons are just looking their best.’
‘Laura always was inconsiderate,’ said Sir Lulworth; ‘she was born during Goodwood week, with an Ambassador staying in the house who hated babies.’”

See also

The Best of Saki, in which I reviewed many of his stories, HERE.

Short story club

I read this in Black Water: The Anthology of Fantastic Literature, by Alberto Manguel, from which I’m reading one story a week with The Short Story Club, starting 4 September 2023.

You can read this story here.

You can join the group here. show less

Just exactly what one would imagine. A coffee table book to set out for the season and read from upon occasion. Mostly treacly old-fashioned stories (though a few did not have happy endings), illustrated by combing through Rockwell's ginormous ouvre and finding good enough matches. No index or catalog notes. Does include some recipes, also lyrics & sheet music to carols, also poems.

Why did I even read this? I should have just looked at the art. It has nice art. Obviously if you're a huge Norman Rockwell fan that helps. I have a mild appreciation for his work.

Unless you're elderly and/or very religious about your Christmas feels (which I'm not) I doubt you'll enjoy much of the actual text. I certainly didn't. Bad short stories, bad poems, bible excerpts, carols with sheet music (why?). This is...an odd book. And a boring one. Meh.

Very good. Very funny.

from LOC: Stories, poems, carols, and recollections of Christmas by world-famous authors, with 120 illustrations by Norman Rockwell

The one about the otter... and the skinny Nubian boy :D

If I could only have one Christmas book, I would pick this one.