Download or read book Almost Like Christmas written by Joseph Heller and published by Mulholland Books. This book was released on 2016-12-06 with total page 26 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A masterful short story from the acclaimed author of Catch-22, about one long night of anticipation. In a small town in the American South, it is night in the middle of the twentieth century. Carter, a high-school teacher and football coach in the newly desegregated schools, is awaiting news of two of his students who have been in a serious altercation. Outside the building where Carter has kept his vigil, a crowd of townspeople have also gathered to keep watch. Carter must choose how much he wants to participate in the spectacle, and how much he can afford to keep his distance. "Almost Like Christmas" by Joseph Heller is one of 20 short stories within Mulholland Books's Strand Originals series, featuring thrilling stories by the biggest names in mystery from the Strand Magazine archives. View the full series list at mulhollandbooks.com and listen to them all!

Download or read book An Almost Perfect Christmas written by Nina Stibbe and published by Hachette UK. This book was released on 2018-11-06 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the author of Love, Nina -- a hilarious ode to the joys and insanities of the most wonderful time of the year. Every family has its Christmas traditions and memories, and Nina Stibbe's is no exception. From her kitchen-phobic mother's annual obsession with roasting the perfect turkey (an elusive dream to this day) to the quest for a perfect teacher gift (memorable for all the wrong reasons); from the tragic Christmas tree ("is it meant to look like that?") to the acceptable formula for thank-you letters (must include Health Inquiry and Interesting Comment), Nina Stibbe captures all that is magical and maddening about the holidays.

Download or read book The Legend of the Christmas Witch written by Aubrey Plaza and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2021-11-16 with total page 57 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From Parks and Recreation star Aubrey Plaza and creative partner Dan Murphy comes the long lost tale of the Christmas Witch, Santa Claus's much misunderstood twin sister. The perfect gift for the holiday season and beyond! Gather ‘round the fire to hear a Christmas legend that has never been told before...until now. Each year a mysterious figure sweeps into town, leaving behind strange gifts in the night. No, not Santa Claus, but his sister… The Christmas Witch. Her story begins many, many years ago when her brother was torn away from her as a child. Raised alone by a witch of the woods, Kristtörn's powers of magic grew, as did her temper. Determined to find her long lost twin, she set out on a perilous journey across oceans to find him. But what she found instead was a deep-seated fear of her powers and a confrontation that would leave the fate of Christmas hanging in the balance. From award-winning producer and actress Aubrey Plaza and her creative partner Dan Murphy comes a holiday story unlike any told before. With all the richness of classic folklore, they’ve woven a tale of bravery, love and magic. Whatever you thought you knew about Christmas…think again.

Download or read book Just Like Magic written by Sarah Hogle and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2022-10-04 with total page 369 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The holidays were never her thing, until she accidentally conjures the Holiday Spirit...before her very eyes. Bettie Hughes once knew the comfort of luxury, flaunting a collection of designer purses and an enviable dream home in Hawaii. That was before she lost all her money. Long obsessed with her public image, Bettie boasts an extravagant lifestyle on social media. But the reality is Bettie is broke and squatting in Colorado, and her family has no idea. Christmas, with its pressure to meet familial expectations, is looming when Bettie plays a vinyl record of “All I Want for Christmas Is You” backward and accidentally conjures up Hall, the Holiday Spirit, in the form of a charming and handsome (if offbeat) man. Once the shock wears off, Bettie knows she’s stumbled upon the greatest gift: a chance to make all her holiday wishes come true, plus a ready-made fiancé. But as some of Bettie’s wishes lose their charm, she finds herself thrown off-kilter by Hall’s sweet nature. Suddenly, grumpy Bettie is finding her heart merry and light. But the happier she gets, the shorter Hall’s time on earth grows. Can Bettie channel the Christmas spirit and learn to live with goodwill toward all men? Or will her selfish ways return as soon as the holidays are over?

Download or read book A Christmas Memory written by Truman Capote and published by Knopf Books for Young Readers. This book was released on 2014-10-28 with total page 49 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A reminiscence of a Christmas shared by a seven-year-old boy and a sixtyish childlike woman, with enormous love and friendship between them.

Download or read book Singin Swingin and Gettin Merry Like Christmas written by Maya Angelou and published by Hachette UK. This book was released on 2010-09-02 with total page 266 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A memoir about motherhood and music from the bestselling author of I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS 'A brilliant writer, a fierce friend and a truly phenomenal woman' Barack Obama Maya Angelou's seven volumes of autobiography are a testament to the talents and resilience of this extraordinary writer. Loving the world, she also knows its cruelty. As a black woman she has known discrimination and extreme poverty, but also hope, joy, achievement and celebration. In this her third marvellous volume, music and her son are the focus of Maya Angelou's life. She is on the edge of a new world: marriage, show business and a triumphant tour of Porgy and Bess. 'She moved through the world with unshakeable calm, confidence and a fierce grace . . . She will always be the rainbow in my clouds' OPRAH WINFREY 'She was important in so many ways. She launched African American women writing in the United States. She was generous to a fault. She had nineteen talents - used ten. And was a real original. There is no duplicate' TONI MORRISON

Download or read book Christmas at the Comfort Food Caf The Comfort Food Caf Book 2 written by Debbie Johnson and published by HarperCollins UK. This book was released on 2016-09-23 with total page 193 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: ‘Full of quirky characters, friendship and humour, you will devour this engaging and heartwarming novel in one sitting’ – Sunday Express‘My new favourite author’ – Holly Martin

Download or read book Auggie Wren s Christmas Story written by Paul Auster and published by Henry Holt and Company. This book was released on 2014-05-13 with total page 33 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A timeless, utterly charming Christmas fable, beautifully illustrated and destined to become a classic When Paul Auster was asked by The New York Times to write a Christmas story for the Op-Ed page, the result, "Auggie Wren's Christmas Story," led to Auster's collaboration on a film adaptation, Smoke. Now the story has found yet another life in this enchanting illustrated edition with Argentine artist Isol. It begins with a writer's dilemma: he's been asked by The New York Times to write a story that will appear in the paper on Christmas morning. The writer agrees, but he has a problem: How to write an unsentimental Christmas story? He unburdens himself to his friend at his local cigar shop, a colorful character named Auggie Wren. "A Christmas story? Is that all?" Auggie counters. "If you buy me lunch, my friend, I'll tell you the best Christmas story you ever heard. And I guarantee every word of it is true." And an unconventional story it is, involving a lost wallet, a blind woman, and a Christmas dinner. Everything gets turned upside down. What's stealing? What's giving? What's a lie? What's the truth? It's vintage Auster, and pure pleasure: a truly unsentimental but completely affecting tale.

Download or read book Every Day Is Like Christmas Almost written by Melanie Smith and published by Page Publishing Inc. This book was released on 2018-02-14 with total page 77 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Taken away from her birth mom at a very young age, Lucy wasn't quite sure what was in store for her. Visitors came by from time to time to look at her and her other puppy siblings, and she kept longing for what was on the other side of the big door. After one of her sisters was taken away in a little basket, she devised her plan of action. Finally, the day arrived when she would go to her forever home and embark on a whole new set of adventures. Her mind was always racing, and she began deciphering all of life's situations. A quick learner, she immediately started noting what merited treats. She decided that life is always better with treats-and a lap to cozy into. She was a handful when she was young, mischievous throughout most of her life, happy with the simplest gesture of affection, and maybe too smart for her own good. This is her tale of life, love, and challenges-challenges that almost claimed her life too soon. She has put paw to paper to share her life lessons in hopes that everyone can put what really matters into perspective.

Download or read book All I Want for Christmas Is You written by Mariah Carey and published by RH Childrens Books. This book was released on 2015-11-10 with total page 18 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Mariah Carey's classic Christmas song is now featured in a one-of-a-kind picture book that will have readers of all ages singing all season long! Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You", one of the bestselling and most beloved songs of all time, brings Christmas joy to countless listeners of all ages every year. And now its classic lyrics will bring that same holiday spirit to readers of all ages in this one-of-a-kind picture book about a young girl whose greatest Christmas wish is for a new puppy! Full of festive December moments with family, friends, presents, and of course, Santa Claus—and featuring lively yuletide illustrations alongside the complete song lyrics—All I Want for Christmas Is You will become a cherished part of your family's Christmas traditions for many years to come. Includes a special Christmas letter from Mariah to her fans! "All we want for Christmas is this!" —USA Today "All we want for Christmas is Mariah Carey's new book!" --People Magazine "All I Want For Christmas Is You is the gift that keeps on giving." --Entertainment Weekly

Download or read book The Christmas Princess written by Mariah Carey and published by Henry Holt and Company (BYR). This book was released on 2022-11-01 with total page 50 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Inspired by Mariah Carey's childhood, The Christmas Princess is an unforgettable holiday story, told by the Queen of Christmas herself with Michaela Angela Davis and featuring beautiful illustrations by Fuuji Takashi. The Queen of Christmas introduces . . . Little Mariah! There was one time unlike any other, when everyone pitched in and helped one another . . . CHRISTMAS TIME! Mariah Carey, lovingly and aptly known as the Queen of Christmas, has brought forth a unique, heartwarming, and modern fairy tale with The Christmas Princess, starring Little Mariah! Like her historic, globally adored song “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” this story is an instant and inclusive family holiday classic. While firmly placed in the tradition of Christmas storytelling, The Christmas Princess is infused with her one-of-a-kind festive Mariah magic and musicality. Little Mariah doesn’t have much and doesn’t want a lot, but there is just one thing she longs for: a peaceful and joyous holiday season. Feeling outcast and alone, Little Mariah sets off on a wintry, wondrous journey, ultimately discovering the healing power of her voice to spread the spirit of Christmas at home and all around the world.

Download or read book A Christmas Spark written by Cindy Steel and published by . This book was released on 2020-12-02 with total page 112 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Snowed in at a cabin with the most infuriating man in the world. I may take my chances with the wolves...When my best friend found out I'd be alone over Christmas, she hooked me up with a week stay in her family's cabin in Idaho. I was on a publishing deadline for my latest book and was really looking forward to a cozy week by the fire, cuddled up in flannel pajamas with my laptop and hot chocolate. Alone. So imagine my surprise when I arrived at the cabin during a blizzard, and found it already occupied. By an all too familiar face and a fine pack of chiseled abs. Even though it had been ten years since I'd last seen Chase, he had no problem picking up exactly where we left off. I had a big problem with it.It didn't matter what he threw at me--the old nickname, the teasing, his charming grin, or even those chiseled abs (did I already mention those?), I refused to let him get to me after...the incident. Nope, not me. I was made of stone.Unfortunately, I'm beginning to understand that when you strike Chase against stone...you get sparks. Lots of them.

Download or read book Finding Christmas written by Karen Schaler and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 2019-10-15 with total page 384 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the writer of the Netflix sensation, A Christmas Prince, and Christmas Camp, the Hallmark movie and novel, comes a heartwarming new Christmas story, Finding Christmas, showing how sometimes the detour in your journey is the path to true love. With all the glittering decorations, twinkling lights, snow angels, gingerbread men and mistletoe, Christmas is Emmie’s first love. This year, she can’t wait to share her favorite Christmas traditions with her boyfriend, Grant. She thinks he’s “the one.” So when Grant’s hectic work schedule has him more “Bah Humbug” than “Ho, Ho, Ho,” Emmie creates a holiday-themed scavenger hunt to help him find his Christmas spirit. At the end of the journey, Grant will arrive at the charming town of Christmas Point where she’s planned a romantic weekend filled with holiday activities. But Emmie’s plan backfires when a mix-up has the wrong guy following her clues! Sam, a best-selling mystery writer, thinks Emmie’s clever Christmas riddles are from his agent, who is trying to help him get over his epic writer’s block. When he arrives at Christmas Point and finds the stunned Emmie, he immediately feels she’s someone special, but she can’t see beyond the fact that the wrong guy has shown up. Inspired by the small, charming town, Sam decides to stay and convinces Emmie to join him in a little holiday fun while she waits for Grant. When Grant finally shows up, Emmie is disappointed to discover he’s not enjoying the activities she planned and can’t help wonder if he’s really the one for her. She also can’t get Sam out of her mind and all the great times they had together. With Christmas coming fast, Emmie will need the magic of the season to help steer her in the direction of true love...

Download or read book A Lot Like Christmas written by Connie Willis and published by Del Rey. This book was released on 2017-10-10 with total page 578 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This new, expanded edition of Miracle and Other Christmas Stories features twelve brilliantly reimagined holiday tales, five of which are collected here for the first time. Christmas comes but once a year, yet the stories in this dazzling collection are fun to read anytime. They put a speculative spin on the holiday, giving fans of acclaimed author Connie Willis a welcome gift and a dozen reasons to be of good cheer. Brimming with Willis’s trademark insights and imagination, these heartwarming tales are full of humor, absurdity, human foibles, tragedy, joy, and hope. They both embrace and send up many of the best Christmas traditions, including the holiday newsletter, Secret Santas, office parties, holiday pageants, and Christmas dinners (both elaborate and spare). There are Rockettes, the best and worst Christmas movies, modern-day Magi, Ghosts of Christmases Past, Present, and Yet to Come—and the triumph of generosity over greed. Like all the timeless classics we return to year after year, these stories affirm our faith in love, magic, and the wonder of the season. Praise for A Lot Like Christmas “A perfect stocking stuffer for Christmas—celebrating fans of [Connie] Willis’s humorous SF.”—Publishers Weekly “A collection of Christmas stories with just the right blend of sugar and spice . . . sweet and sharp, whimsical and heartfelt, funny and warm . . . Fans of Willis’s gently comic speculative fiction will love this collection, and it will also appeal to readers looking to get into the holiday spirit.”—Kirkus Reviews

Download or read book Christmas at the White House written by Jennifer B. Pickens and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Christmas at the White House beautifully documents the lavish public and private Christmas decorations, celebrations, themes, and traditions spanning half of a century inside the world's most famous address: 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. With a foreword written by former First Lady Laura Bush, this singular book has earned the devotion of six of the most recent United States First Ladies, all of whom penned introductions to their sections. In the book, you can read what Betty Ford, Rosalynn Carter, Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush, Hillary Clinton, and Laura Bush have to say about how they celebrated Christmas inside America's most special home. Illustrated with more than five hundred exquisite photographs, most of which have never been viewed by the public before, the 408-page book is the first documented and published history of fifty years and nine different administrations beginning in the early 1960s with First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, who initiated formal Christmas themes at the White House.

Download or read book It s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas written by Andrew Wilson and published by The Good Book Company. This book was released on 2024-10-01 with total page 48 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Evangelistic book explaining why Jesus is the best thing about Christmas. What makes Christmas feel special for you? Fairy lights? Familiar Christmas movies? Seeing friends and family? There’s so much to love about Christmas, but what if you’re missing out on the best thing of all? In this engaging, thoughtful, and winsome book, Andrew Wilson takes us to the first Christmas to show that what can make our Christmases truly special is Jesus, the light of the world. Andrew Wilson explains how Jesus makes a difference to the darkness of this world—and how he can make a difference to our lives too. This short and warmly-written book is perfect for giving away to family, friends, and neighbors, as well as giving away at Christmas services and Christmas outreach events.

Download or read book A Lot Like Christmas written by Michelle Major and published by HQN Books. This book was released on 2022-09-01 with total page 46 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: At Christmastime in Magnolia, a pet sitter might find more than she bargained for with her new client! Animal-lover Carli Connelly is determined to make a fresh start in Magnolia this Christmas, and her side hustle as a pet sitter is just the thing to make ends meet. So when her most lucrative client, Mark Simpson, asks for help becoming a more affable boss, she agrees. But spending more personal time with Mark—who may be a grump on the outside but slowly shows Carli the heart of gold buried beneath—has risks, changing the dynamic of her business and her heart.