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strangenoquestion's review against another edition
5.0
I adored this: reading about old Christmas celebrations and customs is so interesting to me. It was a wonderful way to get in the spirit of the season.
claireviolet's review against another edition
3.0
charming and sweet for the season. the illustrations are definitely the high point.
ehays84's review against another edition
4.0
A charming piece of nostalgia, even when it was first written, but that is what I was looking for, so it hit the sweet spot. If you aren't into Christmas traditions, this book is not for you, but I liked it a lot, and will read it again in the future. Essentially, Irving goes with a friend to an old country house in Yorkshire for Christmas. The squire there is a country gentleman who wants nothing more than to preserve the "ancient" traditions, especially at Christmas. So, we get a view into at least what someone from the early 1800s thought Christmas had looked like in generations past, and all through the lens of an author who surely is embellishing for his audience. But again, I'm perfectly ok with that.
ashleybenbow's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
millese2's review against another edition
hopeful
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
mad_about_books's review against another edition
3.0
It would seem that nostalgia for the old days, better days, less complicated days was something about which Washington Irving wrote. I tried to find when this story was first published, but found it difficult. It doesn't seem to rank with "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" or " Rip Van Winkle," titles with which we are all familiar. My guess is that it first appeared sometime between 1819 and 1821, or some 200 years ago. (However, according to the copyright page, it was first published in 1876, 17 years after Washington Irving died.) As I started reading, my thoughts went to 'the more things change, the more they stay the same.'
OLD CHRISTMAS is a tale in five parts commencing with the chance meeting of our hearty traveler with an old acquaintance and ending with Christmas dinner. Each part harkens to a previous, better time of traditions lost and in need of resurrection.
Some of the words used are so obscure as to not bring up a definition or Wikipedia entry when highlighted on Kindle. Then there is language well worth noting, such as "if the face be an index to the mind,…" I would also mention, that this Kindle edition could use better formatting.
For all the fussiness of the Squire that Christmas traditions of old be followed to the letter, Irving's descriptions of the Christmas morning church service are pretty hilarious. The juxtaposition of intent with execution is a testament to real human nature. During the sermon, there is a long passage that reflects a bit of American history worth noting vis a vis our venerable Puritan forebears. Christmas dinner and the aftermath speak to the family gatherings of any age.
Overall, OLD CHRISTMAS, is a timeless tale in which we see the history of the class system and the evolution of politics where, sadly, nothing really changes. Modernize the language, and the story could have been written yesterday.
Rating Note: It is difficult to 'rate' a long-dead author; if the works are still being read, they certainly have merit. My 3-star rating is a reflection of presentation, not content.
OLD CHRISTMAS is a tale in five parts commencing with the chance meeting of our hearty traveler with an old acquaintance and ending with Christmas dinner. Each part harkens to a previous, better time of traditions lost and in need of resurrection.
Some of the words used are so obscure as to not bring up a definition or Wikipedia entry when highlighted on Kindle. Then there is language well worth noting, such as "if the face be an index to the mind,…" I would also mention, that this Kindle edition could use better formatting.
For all the fussiness of the Squire that Christmas traditions of old be followed to the letter, Irving's descriptions of the Christmas morning church service are pretty hilarious. The juxtaposition of intent with execution is a testament to real human nature. During the sermon, there is a long passage that reflects a bit of American history worth noting vis a vis our venerable Puritan forebears. Christmas dinner and the aftermath speak to the family gatherings of any age.
Overall, OLD CHRISTMAS, is a timeless tale in which we see the history of the class system and the evolution of politics where, sadly, nothing really changes. Modernize the language, and the story could have been written yesterday.
Rating Note: It is difficult to 'rate' a long-dead author; if the works are still being read, they certainly have merit. My 3-star rating is a reflection of presentation, not content.
hanjang's review against another edition
3.0
A fascinating, Dickensian depiction of Christmas traditions in the 19th-century English countryside. Made me nostalgic for a time when Instagramming gifts wasn't a prevalent part of Christmas. Be sure to read an edition containing Caldecott's wonderful illustrations (can be found here: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/20656/20656-h/20656-h.htm).