The Gift of the Magi (Holiday Classics Illustrated by P.j. Lynch) - Henry, O. Review & Synopsis

 Synopsis

O. Henry's classic tale of the wisest gifts of Christmas, brought to life by P.J. Lynch's extraordinary art, is itself a gift to share and treasure.

In a shabby New York flat, Della sobs as she counts the few coins she has saved to buy a Christmas present for her husband, Jim. A gift worthy of her devotion will require a great sacrifice: selling her long, beautiful hair. Jim, meanwhile, has made a sacrifice for Della that is no less difficult. As they exchange gifts on Christmas Eve, the discovery of what each has done fills them with despair, until they realize that the true gifts of Christmas can be found more readily in their humble apartment than in any fine store. O. Henry paints a masterly portrait of unfaltering love, a haven from the harsh world outside. The poignancy of his story is captured in P.J. Lynch's eloquent art, wherein every glance, every gesture, tells a subtle truth.

Review

O. Henry, aka William Sydney Porter, was born in North Carolina in 1862. A master of the short story, he wrote hundreds of tales whose wry humor and plot twists, often amusing or ironic, have earned him a place as one of the best-loved American writers. He died in 1910 at the age of forty-seven.

P.J. Lynch is the celebrated illustrator of many beloved and acclaimed books, including A CHRISTMAS CAROL, THE BEE-MAN OF ORN, and IGNIS. He has won the Kate Greenaway Medal twice, for THE CHRISTMAS MIRACLE OF JONATHAN TOOMEY and WHEN JESSIE CAME ACROSS THE SEA. He lives in Ireland.O. Henry's classic story has been embellished in this adaptation performed by the St. Charles Players. In this production, Della is rummaging through the attic on a Christmas Eve with her granddaughter. This brings back memories of a Christmas Eve many years before, and she tells the story of how she and Jim Dillingham met and courted, leading to the story we know so well. All of the performers in this work are splendid. Della, young and not so young, is vivacious and full of spunk. Jim is a confident, ambitious young man who is smitten by Della. Granddaughter cannot get enough of the story. While not faithful to the story in many respects (the setting, for example), this delightful and entertaining production is faithful to its spirit. M.T.F. � AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine-- Copyright � AudioFile, Portland, Maine

The Gift of the Magi

O. Henry's classic tale of the wisest gifts of Christmas, brought to life by P.J. Lynch's extraordinary art, is itself a gift to share and treasure. In a shabby New York flat, Della sobs as she counts the few coins she has saved to buy a Christmas present for her husband, Jim. A gift worthy of her devotion will require a great sacrifice: selling her long, beautiful hair. Jim, meanwhile, has made a sacrifice for Della that is no less difficult. As they exchange gifts on Christmas Eve, the discovery of what each has done fills them with despair, until they realize that the true gifts of Christmas can be found more readily in their humble apartment than in any fine store. O. Henry paints a masterly portrait of unfaltering love, a haven from the harsh world outside. The poignancy of his story is captured in P.J. Lynch's eloquent art, wherein every glance, every gesture, tells a subtle truth.

        O. Henry's classic tale of the wisest gifts of Christmas, brought to life by P.J. Lynch's extraordinary art, is itself a gift to share and treasure."

Classic Christmas Collection

Three quintessential Christmas stories, superbly illustrated by the award-winning P.J. Lynch, are now available in a lavish three-volume slipcase. P.J. Lynch’s incomparable artistic sensibility has brought warmth and depth to three cherished holiday stories: — THE CHRISTMAS MIRACLE OF JONATHAN TOOMEY by Susan Wojciechowski — A CHRISTMAS CAROL by Charles Dickens — THE GIFT OF THE MAGI by O. Henry Now offered together in a beautiful slipcase, this timeless Christmas collection, showcasing P.J. Lynch’s masterful artwork, is a gift to be savored for seasons to come.

        P.J. Lynch’s incomparable artistic sensibility has brought warmth and depth to three cherished holiday stories: — THE CHRISTMAS MIRACLE OF JONATHAN TOOMEY by Susan Wojciechowski — A CHRISTMAS CAROL by Charles Dickens — THE GIFT OF ..."

Gift of the Magi/The Purple Dress

The WISP series (short for Wonderfully Illustrated Short Pieces) represents an ingenious marriage of two creative forces: the artistry of today's foremost children's book illustrators and the literary legacy of beloved authors of popular short works for adults. The resulting offspring of this union are captivating, full–color illustrated editions of timeless classics that readers will want to savor and collect. This WISP presents O. Henry's classic Christmas tale, The Gift of the Magi, along with The Purple Dress, a story about a young lady who makes a personal sacrifice for the sake of her friend's happiness at a holiday party. Bringing these stories to life are the wondrous illustrations of Chris Raschka, a highly acclaimed illustrator, whose delightful artwork perfectly matches the tale. GIFT OF THE MAGI is sure to attract readers familiar with O. Henry's timeless holiday tales, as well as introduce a new generation of readers to his charming work. These one–of–a–kind, attractively priced and invitingly formatted illustrated editions will make a great impulse buy, appealing to audiences of all ages.

        Bringing these stories to life are the wondrous illustrations of Chris Raschka, a highly acclaimed illustrator, whose delightful artwork perfectly matches the tale."

Instructor

#ADSHERE#

         THE SHORTEST DAY : CELEBRATING THE WINTER SOLSTICE ( Gr . 1-4 ) By Wendy Pfeffer , illustrated by Jesse Reisch . Dutton , 2003 ; 40 pages ; $ 17.99 . Instructive but easy to understand , this engaging picture book , describing the ..."

Bangkitnya Para Naga (Raja dan Penyihir—Buku 1)

"Jika Anda pikir bahwa segalanya telah usai seiring tamatnya serial Cincin Bertuah, maka Anda keliru. Dalam BANGKITNYA PARA NAGA, Morgan Rice kembali hadir dengan janjinya akan sebuah serial baru yang brilian, yang akan menghanyutkan kita dalam kisah fantasi tentang para troll dan naga, keberanian, kehormatan, semangat, keajaiban dan keyakinan akan takdir. Morgan sekali lagi berhasil menghadirkan sederet tokoh yang akan menghibur kita pada tiap lembar kisahnya....Inilah karya yang direkomendasikan sebagai koleksi wajib para pencinta kisah fantasi nan apik." --Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos Buku Terlaris #1! Sebuah serial kisah fantasi epik kembali lahir dari tangan penulis Terlaris #1, Morgan Rice: BANGKITNYA PARA NAGA (RAJA DAN PENYIHIR—Buku 1). Kyra, gadis berusia 15 tahun, bermimpi menjadi seorang ksatria termashyur seperti ayahnya, meskipun ia adalah satu-satunya anak perempuan di antara saudara-saudara laki-lakinya. Tatkala ia berusaha memahami kemampuan istimewanya, yaitu kekuatan tersembunyi yang misterius, ia menyadari bahwa dirinya berbeda dengan orang lain. Namun ada sebuah rahasia yang tersimpan tentang kelahiran dan ramalan tentang dirinya, hingga membuatnya bertanya-tanya siapakah dirinya yang sesungguhnya. Ketika Kyra telah cukup dewasa dan seorang bangsawan setempat datang untuk mengawininya secara paksa, maka ayahnya terpikir untuk menikahkannya demi menyelamatkan putri satu-satunya itu. Namun Kyra menolak dan ia kabur seorang diri; ia masuk ke sebuah hutan keramat, di mana ia bertemu dengan seekor naga yang terluka—dan sejak saat itulah terjadi berbagai peristiwa yang akan mengubah seluruh kerajaan untuk selamanya. Sementara itu, Alec yang berusia 15 tahun berkorban demi sang kakak, menggantikannya sebagai serdadu aplusan yang dipilih untuk dibawa ke Benteng Api, sebuah benteng di sisi timur dengan dinding api setinggi seratus kaki yang menjadi sarang para prajurit Troll. Jauh di sisi lain kerajaan, Merk -seorang prajurit bayaran yang mencoba lari dari masa lalunya nan gelap- berjalan menembus hutan demi menjadi Sang Penjaga Menara dan membantu menjaga Pedang Api, sumber kekuatan ajaib kerajaan. Namun para Troll pun mengincar pedang itu—dan mereka tengah menyiapkan serangan besar-besaran demi menumpas kerajaan itu untuk selamanya. Dengan atmosfer yang kuat dan penokohan nan rumit, BANGKITNYA PARA NAGA menjadi sebuah hikayat besar tentang para ksatria dan pejuang, tentang para raja dan bangsawan, tentang kehormatan dan keberanian, tentang keajaiban, takdir, siluman dan para naga. Ini adalah sebuah kisah tentang cinta dan hati yang remuk redam, tipu muslihat, ambisi dan pengkhianatan. Inilah puncak dari sebuah kisah fantasi, yang mengajak kita masuk ke sebuah alam yang akan terus kita selami, kisah yang memikat pembaca dari segala umur dan jenis kelamin. Buku #2 dari serial RAJA DAN PENYIHIR akan segera terbit. "BANGKITNYA PARA NAGA benar-benar sukses—sejak awalnya.... Sebuah kisah fantasi yang hebat...Seperti yang kita duga, kisah ini diawali dengan perjuangan seorang tokoh protagonis dan kemudian mengalir berkisah tentang para ksatria, naga, sihir dan siluman, serta takdir...Semua daya pikat kisah fantasi ada dalam buku ini, dari cerita tentang para prajurit dan peperangannya hingga pergolakan batin mereka...Inilah kisah terbaik yang direkomendasikan bagi para pencinta novel fantasi yang penuh dengan kisah tentang tokoh protagonis muda yang kuat dan handal. --Midwest Book Review, D. Donovan, Pengulas eBook

        " --Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos Buku Terlaris #1! Sebuah serial kisah fantasi epik kembali lahir dari tangan penulis Terlaris #1, Morgan Rice: BANGKITNYA PARA NAGA (RAJA DAN PENYIHIR—Buku 1)."