Family Christmas

Just in time for the holidays: a collection of beloved Christmas stories and writings that every family will cherish.

One of the many joys of Christmas comes from the traditions associated with it. Bestselling author Caroline Kennedy drew on her own family's traditions to create this charming collection of favorite stories, poems, and writings that celebrate the holiday spirit.

In addition to excerpts and full texts of contemporary and classic writings, A Family Christmas features a letter Caroline Kennedy herself wrote to Santa Claus as well as a letter written to President Kennedy from a little girl concerned about Santa Claus. The introduction, written and read by Caroline, relates the importance of the holiday to her family, and shares how the literature in this collection is an essential part of her own tradition.

This warm and personal collection will delight all who make it a part of their own family Christmas.

Publishers Weekly

Kennedy, who possesses a proven track record for bringing literary anthology into the publishing mainstream, offers a potpourri of her favorite stories, poems, essays, scriptures and songs associated with the holiday season. Though David Sedaris's performance of his whimsical monologue "Six to Eight Black Men" provides a notable exception, the narration duties fall to a rotating cast of veteran readers. Some standout performances include Barbara Caruso's rendition of Grace Paley's "The Loudest Voice," Jeff Woodman's presentation of Truman Capote's "A Christmas Memory" and Saidah Arrika Ekulona's brief but riveting selection from Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girlby Harriet A. Jacobs. Some listeners might have preferred a greater proportion of contemporary recordings from their original sources. Also, some of the letters, telegrams and other correspondences are choppy relative to the overall flow of the collection, and the musical selections sometimes serve as pleasant interludes rather than stand-alone works of expression. However, in an era when Christmas has become a polarized tug-of-war between religious and secular arenas, Kennedy strikes an appealing balance that celebrates diverse perspectives. The enclosed booklet is helpful for tracking down specific material. Simultaneous release with the Hyperion hardcover. (Oct.)

Caroline Kennedy is the editor of the New York Times bestselling A Family of Poems, Best-Loved Poems of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, A Patriot's Handbook, and Profiles in Courage for Our Time, and is the coauthor of The Right to Privacy and In Our Defense: The Bill of Rights in Action. She serves as the Vice Chair of the New York City Fund for Public Schools.