The Gift of Your Voice: Stories to Read Aloud at Christmas
by Marilyn Green Faulkner

The practice of reading aloud, both to oneself and to others, has been part of our culture from ancient times. The Old Testament stories were oral literature before they were written, retold from generation to generation. Authors from Chaucer to Dickens wrote with the intention of being read out loud, and all over the world families regularly gathered in the evening for a chapter from the Bible or a great book. It is only in our century, and particularly with the advent of television, that we have lost the custom of reading aloud to each other beyond early childhood. In so doing we have lost a precious dimension of literature, which is poetic in nature. Poetry may be defined as an artistic combination of sound and meaning. Without the sound, much of the beauty and impact of literature is lost. Beyond that, there is a spiritual and emotional bond that springs up between people when they read to each other, which cannot be replaced by the collective isolation of television viewing. Families and friends should read to each other.

With this in mind I have suggested selections for December that are fun to read aloud.

Christmas is one time when people are inclined to read stories to each other, and no story is more loved than Dickens's The Christmas Carol. The idea for his first Christmas book came to Dickens while on a speaking engagement where he shared the podium with Benjamin Disraeli. As he looked down into the faces of his audience, Dickens decided to write a story about a man who is converted from miserable selfishness to generosity of spirit at Christmas time. This, he hoped, would symbolize a change of heart in society as a whole, and illustrate the possibility of regaining the magical sense of wonder Dickens found in the Christmas season. From the start he had a sense of inspiration about the book, and was carried along in a feverish pace of writing, where he (in his own words) "wept and laughed, and wept again, and excited himself in a most extraordinary manner in the composition, and thinking whereof walked about the back streets of London fifteen and twenty miles many a night when all sober folks had gone to bed." The book was completed in less than two months, sold six thousand copies on its first day of release, and went on to be one of the most popular books of all time.

The Christmas Carol was the first of several stories that Dickens published on an annual basis for Christmas, and I recommend them all to you. The Chimes and The Cricket on the Hearth were even more popular than the first work in Victorian times, though their popularity has not endured. Take a look at all of the stories, but read The Christmas Carol aloud to your family this year. It is a precious gem of a book, and as you speak the words you will notice depths in it that staged versions often miss. (I predict you will never forget the children of Christmas present, Ignorance and Want, as they make their miserable appearance on the heels of all the festivities.) Dickens, by the sheer force of his comic genius, makes us want to "open our shut-up hearts," and find the finer, more loving person that lies within each of us.

Our second selection may not be as familiar to readers of this generation, but your parents will remember The Human Comedy as a very successful movie starring Mickey Rooney. William Saroyan, the brilliant Armenian from Fresno, California, drew upon his own life experiences to create a classic tale of love and hope in time of war. His story is set in Ithaca, and his heroes are named Homer and Ulysses. It is clear from these mythic references that Saroyan is using his simple tale of a messenger boy in a small town to teach a larger truth; war is a part of the fabric of our history, and indeed part of the nature of man. Homer is the fastest messenger boy in town, but his messages, during the height of World War II, are heartbreaking telegrams announcing the deaths of young sons serving far away. Homer's experiences in his small town are heart-warming, yet take a realistic look at the sorrows of war and the struggles of racism in America. Unlike much of the propaganda of the time, Saroyan does not allow his readers to hate the enemy or pity themselves. Instead, through Homer's mother, he teaches us that no one nation can be blamed for war. Its causes lie deep in the hearts of men. One cannot hate the enemy for the enemy is only human, but one can believe in the goodness of the human heart and try to make sense of life through family ties. The Human Comedy is a small treasure, and its tremendous popularity during World War II, when it was published, will be readily understandable to us in this time of war and uncertainty. Though not a Christmas story, its message is a timely one.

Most of us have Christmas stories that hold special meaning, and usually it is because someone, an aunt, a parent, or a grandparent, read them aloud to us. Whether the author be O. Henry, Henry Van Dyke, or Ogden Nash, there are great stories, poems and anecdotes to share on these long winter evenings, if we will only turn off the TV and take the time. This year, along with the video games and various geegaws, the jewelry and new jammies, give your family a gift that will stay with them forever, the gift of your voice. Read a story at Christmas.

Best Books Club Reader Comments
November's Selection: The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas
It's a big book, but our Best Books Club was ready for Dumas's epic. Here are some insightful comments about the Count and his quest for revenge:

When I first read The Count of Monte Cristo as a senior in high school, I was changed forever by it. I have re-read it several times over (always the unabridged version).It is such a sad book, really, becausebesidesthe theme of revenge, I think it also speaks to that desire in us all to go back and try to recapture something we have lost -- only to realize that no matter what, we can never have things be exactly as they once were because time and experience changes everything. Dantes realizes this in the end and is content finally to retire to his island with his devoted manservant/friend and the woman who accompanies them (I can't remember quite what her name is because it's been a few years since I lastread the book). What a wonderful story!! Tacy

I enjoyed reading your review and enjoyed your thoughts, especially starting with the Savior. After reading both The Count of Monte Cristo and Les Miserables, I found it interesting that both main characters in each book were (1) wrongly imprisoned, (2) had an interaction with a priest which affected the rest of their lives, one for revenge -- hate and the other for service -- good. The comparison also an example to us and the choices and roads we take. A single decision has so many ripples. Thanks again. Nanette October's Selection: How Green Was My Valley, by Richard Llewellyn Here is a lovely comment on Llewellyn's masterpiece: One of my treasured recollections (from the 40's) is going with my white-haired grandfather to see the movie "How Green Was My Valley", which he loved and saw many times. He worked in the coal mines in Coalville, Utah for ten years, from age 14, supporting a widowed mother and his younger siblings. The family had joined the Mormon church in England and found its way toUtah. "Papa", as he was affectionately called, was a self-made man; he studied Law, passed the Bar, and was instrumental in passing legislation to benefit the miners, before he went on permanently into church work as his life's career. As he viewed the movie, he became part of that Welsh family and the Valley, nodding at such thoughts as "no matter how much you scrubbed, the coal dust never could be removed completely" and said "ah, yes" under his breath as the characters put some of his thoughts into words. What a pleasure it was to finally read the book, which was packed with feelings of nostalgia from the first paragraph. I found myself caring so deeply for the family members that I couldn't put the book down or stop thinking about them even after the book was read. In spite of the misunderstandings, the pettiness, the ignorance, the hypocrisy, did anyone else feel there was a touch of Zion in this valley community? The whole village celebrated the return of two brothers who'd been long gone; in times of near starvation, food was shared with neighbors; when the family sang in the evening, pretty soon the whole neighborhood gathered in their home in a spirit of brotherly love. Thanks for choosing this book! Jo

Readers continue to answer the question, "What are you reading?"
Sign me up, please, for your book club. I'm a book-a-holic and have enjoyed your reviews and suggestions about good books. I have recently finished re-readingAngle of Repose,whichI enjoyed very much. I've also recently readGirl with the Pearl Earring, whichisn't Pulitzer quality, but compelling. I'm currently reading Interpreter of Maladies. which did win the Pulitzer (as did Angle of Repose). It's a collection of short stories, all of which are interesting and well written. My book club also recently read Nafanua by former BYU professor Paul Cox. We found it very worthwhile reading, especially since we have so many Samoan students here at BYU-Hawaii. It deals with his experiences doing research in Samoa and his efforts to save the Samoan rainforest. We're reading Mutant Message From Down Under for January. I could go on and on about past book lists and others for this year, but this is probably enough. —Ruth Ann

In answer to your question as to what we're reading: I'm currently 29 pages into the 850-page David Copperfield. —Tacy

I love books! Its a great article and place for comments. I read all types of books, church authors, Tom Clancy (a favorite), read Harry Potter books - loved them - not buying Kingdom and Crown book 2, so the family will have something to buy me for Christmas! Joan I hope it is not to late to tell you and the other book club members about two truly awesome books. The first is Enchantment by Orson Scott Card. I normally don't read fantasy or Sci-fi, but this book is wonderful. It is a fantastic retelling of the classic Sleeping Beauty Tale. I've recommended it to several people who have all loved it. The other book which is also a retelling of the Sleeping Beauty story is Briar Rose by Jane Yolen. It is a bit haunting. The book uses the backdrop of the Holocaust as its setting. It is also very thought provoking. I hope you enjoy my suggestions. Tina I just saw the article in Meridian Magazine, and thought I would pass along one of my new finds to you. Thanks to a late night replaying of Oprah, and me happening to catch five minutes of it, I ran across a book of poetry written by a remarkable 11 year old boy. Granted, he has been writing since he was three, or rather dictating to his mother. He has muscular dystrophy and the heart and soul of an old man. It is called "Journey Through Heartsongs" by Mattie Stepanek. I was thinking of giving it as gifts, but decided I would need to give tissue as well. Mattie's three older siblings were also all born with MD and none of them survived. His mother also has it, although she didn't know it for years. She always thought she was tired because she had sick children. Each poem is dated, giving you an idea of when he wrote it. I really loved it. Karen I love the books you choose. They seem to be a perfect blend of some of my all-time favorites and some I have never read. I also like the lists from your readers. I am always looking for a good book. One I have really enjoyed lately is Five Smooth Stones by Anne Fairborne. Thank you for enriching my life. —Sherri

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Marilyn Faulkner likes to read and talk about books. After graduating with a degree in Humanities from Brigham Young University, she served a mission to Japan and went to work for the Disney Corporation in Southern California, where she met her husband, Craig. When Craig, a financial planner, decided to start a publishing company to create marketing materials for the financial services industry, Marilyn served as the writer for the original products, and later coordinated the national advertising. The company, Emerald Publications, was recently sold to a large financial institution. Marilyn went back to school the day her fifth child entered pre-school and earned a Master's Degree in English Literature from San Diego State University. The Faulkners have two sons serving missions, one in Siberia and one in Florida, two daughters in high school, and one son young enough to still like to be read to. They live in Poway, California.

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