American Christmas Stories -- and OTHER great American Xmas fiction
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1Truett
Even though I've come to realize that the editor -- Connie Willis -- is a fundamentalist in liberal's clothing (okay: I MIGHT be exaggerating a tad), and that she has (sad, but true) lost her mojo when it comes to writing (haven't read a great short story -- meaning I wanted to, and did, read it several times -- since "Inside Job", or "D.A."; nor a great, or even good, novel, since PASSAGE -- the companion novels, BLACKOUT & ALL CLEAR were, upon reflection, WAAAAAAY too long, and way overwritten; and CROSSTALK was Willis doing her usual screwball comedy for the umpteenth time, like one too many "Die-Hard" sequels)...where was I?
Oh, yeah! Despite alla that, I have to say that AMERICAN CHRISTMAS STORIES is a terrific, stand-alone volume. This, despite Willis also having written a closing essay about Christmas in her expanded volume of such stories, A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS, in which Willis extolls the virtues of the "symbolism" of "Miracle on 49th Street", saying it's the best Xmas movie ever, and that it's much more believable than "It's a Wonderful Life" (because the latter never addresses George's embezzlement charges, because he has to rely on the good heartedness of the people of Bedford Falls -- a dicey prospect (as if the people of NYC in "Miracle" are all rosy-cheeked angels) -- and because Mr. Potter, the undeniable scrooge in "Wonderful Life", goes unpunished (nevermind that Scrooge himself is never truly punished in "A Christmas Carol", only chastised and enlightened). Someone should point out to Mrs. Willis that a movie in which the mom is such a grinch that she continues to lecture her kid about pretending (it ain't just Xmas, it's EVERY darn thing that has to do with imagination), that she is happy to leave her daughter with the stranger in the apartment across the hall, and that "Miracle on 34th Street" might be the first Xmas film to thoroughly make use of product placement -- Macy's, Gimbles, and every damn store in NYC (nevermind that she actually thinks "Home Alone" is a great Xmas movie -- Jesus H. Kheee-rist!) Only a truly capitalist, fundamentalist would choose that movie and "34th Street" over "It's a Wonderful Life".
And, while I dig all the stories, her reasons for the choices of fiction in the book (hating Anderson's tales because of "horrible" things that happen) are also WAY too conservative. And probably why why missed out on choosing the truly hilarious, three wise men, short-short story, "The Outpost Undiscovered By Tourists" by Harlan Ellison, or the brilliant "Nackles" by Donald Westlake. :) And with Willis' uptight parameters, its unlikely that the cult classic -- and truly twisted -- Christmas novel, SANTA STEPS OUT (one my favorites!) would ever make her best of list for great Xmas-related novels.
Where was I?
Oh, yeah.
AMERICAN CHRISTMAS STORIES.
Terrific collection. Worth owning.
But it coulda been better, had a more open-minded editor been chosen.
Oh, yeah! Despite alla that, I have to say that AMERICAN CHRISTMAS STORIES is a terrific, stand-alone volume. This, despite Willis also having written a closing essay about Christmas in her expanded volume of such stories, A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS, in which Willis extolls the virtues of the "symbolism" of "Miracle on 49th Street", saying it's the best Xmas movie ever, and that it's much more believable than "It's a Wonderful Life" (because the latter never addresses George's embezzlement charges, because he has to rely on the good heartedness of the people of Bedford Falls -- a dicey prospect (as if the people of NYC in "Miracle" are all rosy-cheeked angels) -- and because Mr. Potter, the undeniable scrooge in "Wonderful Life", goes unpunished (nevermind that Scrooge himself is never truly punished in "A Christmas Carol", only chastised and enlightened). Someone should point out to Mrs. Willis that a movie in which the mom is such a grinch that she continues to lecture her kid about pretending (it ain't just Xmas, it's EVERY darn thing that has to do with imagination), that she is happy to leave her daughter with the stranger in the apartment across the hall, and that "Miracle on 34th Street" might be the first Xmas film to thoroughly make use of product placement -- Macy's, Gimbles, and every damn store in NYC (nevermind that she actually thinks "Home Alone" is a great Xmas movie -- Jesus H. Kheee-rist!) Only a truly capitalist, fundamentalist would choose that movie and "34th Street" over "It's a Wonderful Life".
And, while I dig all the stories, her reasons for the choices of fiction in the book (hating Anderson's tales because of "horrible" things that happen) are also WAY too conservative. And probably why why missed out on choosing the truly hilarious, three wise men, short-short story, "The Outpost Undiscovered By Tourists" by Harlan Ellison, or the brilliant "Nackles" by Donald Westlake. :) And with Willis' uptight parameters, its unlikely that the cult classic -- and truly twisted -- Christmas novel, SANTA STEPS OUT (one my favorites!) would ever make her best of list for great Xmas-related novels.
Where was I?
Oh, yeah.
AMERICAN CHRISTMAS STORIES.
Terrific collection. Worth owning.
But it coulda been better, had a more open-minded editor been chosen.
