Imagine a moonlit railroad track, a rural road and barn covered with just a dusting of snow, a hound dog asleep by the woodstove, and a Red Ryder BB gun hidden behind the tinseled tree—all the makings of an unforgettable Indiana Christmas. In An Indiana Christmas, editor Bryan Furuness brings together timeless short stories, poems, plays, and letters to help you get into the holiday spirit. Lose yourself in classics like ‘In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash’ by Jean Shepherd, which inspired the beloved movie A Christmas Story, and ‘A Feel in the Christmas Air’ by James Whitcomb Riley, along with more recent literary works like ‘The Myth of the Perfect Christmas Photo Family’ by Kelsey Timmerman and ‘While Mortals Sleep’ by famed Indiana writer Kurt Vonnegut. To achieve the perfect combination of Christmas nostalgia and cheer, Furuness has curated Hoosier stories that allow you to experience an idyllic holiday gathering in ‘Indiana Winter’ by Susan Neville, feel the excitement of a child on Christmas Eve with ‘Earthbound’ by Barbara Shoup, and face the loneliness of a drifter on Christmas night in ‘Howard Garfield, Balladeer’ by Edward Porter. The collection even offers the chance to read a Christmas war dispatch from the late, great Hoosier journalist Ernie Pyle. Heartfelt and unique, An Indiana Christmas paints a picture of what Hoosiers truly hold dear. Family, love, giving, hope, and faith shine through these poignant stories, which are sure to put you in good spirits for the holidays.
Tabella dei contenuti
Preface
Earthbound / Barbara Shoup
Winter Scene, Past Midnight / Matthew Brennan
The Fable of the Cut-up Who Came Very Near Losing His Ticket, But Who Turned Defeat into Victory / George Ade
Making Pierogi on Christmas Eve / Karen Kovacik
Keeping Christmas Our Way / Gene Stratton-Porter
Digging and Grousing / Ernie Pyle
The farm wife finds grace in her empty barn / Shari Wagner
The farm wife makes her Christmas list / Shari Wagner
Indiana Winter / Susan Neveille
Home for the Holidays / Liz Whiteacre
A Reversible Santa Claus / Meredith Nicholson
Two Pieces / Ambrose Bierce
Shepherds, Why This Jubilee? / Bryan Furuness
Pictures from a Clapboard House / Jessamyn West
Too Cold / Jayne Marek
Winter Runes / Jayne Marek
Trifles / Lori Rader-Day
December Barns of Darkness / George Kalamaras
In Sunset and Moonlight, What Gathered Our Thoughts Was the Adhesive Dark / George Kalamaras
Nanny Anne and the Christmas Story / Karen Joy Fowler
Blessed rancor of music / Curtis L. Crisler
Wealth / Scott Russell Sanders
The Christmas Long Ago / James Whitcomb Riley
A Feel in the Christmas Air / James Whitcomb Riley
A Song for Christmas / James Whitcomb Riley
Baby Alive / Melissa Fraterrigo
Santa Claus, Indiana/ Bryan Furuness
Howard Garfield, Balladeer / Edward Porter
The Five Little Sykeses, from Mr. Bingle / George Barr Mc Cutcheon
The Schneebrunzer / Norbert Krapf
The Myth of the Perfect Christmas Photo Family / Kelsey Timmerman
Treasure! / Eliza Tudor
from ‘December’ in Abe Martin’s Almanack / Frank Mc Kinney Hubbard
Beasley’s Christmas Party / Booth Tarkington
from In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash / Jean Parker Shepherd Jr.
While Mortals Sleep / Kurt Vonnegut
Circa l’autore
Bryan Furuness is author of The Lost Episodes of Revie Bryson and Do Not Go On. In addition to this anthology, he is editor of My Name was Never Frankenstein: And Other Classic Adventure Tales Remixed and (with Michael Martone) Winesburg, Indiana. He grew up in the Region (Schererville), went to college in Bloomington, and currently lives in Indianapolis, where he teaches at Butler University.