Christmas Makes Me Think

A young African American boy reflects on the spirit of Christmas and thinks of ways he can behave in more caring ways and share what he has with others.

Clarice Bean, aspiring actress and author, emulates her favorite book heroine, detective and spy Ruby Redfort, when someone steals a trophy for a school project and to help a friend in need, and worries when her best friend plans to move away.

Film plays a vital role in the celebration of Christmas. For decades, it has taught audiences about what the celebration of the season looks like – from the decorations to the costumes and to the expected snowy weather – as well as mirrors our own festivities back to us. Films like It’s a Wonderful Life and Home Alone have come to play key roles in real-life domestic celebrations: watching such titles has become, for many families, every bit as important as tree-trimming and leaving cookies out for Santa. These films have exported the American take on the holiday far and wide and helped us conjure an image of the perfect holiday. Rather than settling the ‘what is a Christmas film?’ debate – indeed, Die Hard and Lethal Weapon are discussed within – Analyzing Christmas in Film: Santa to the Supernatural focuses on the how Christmas is presented on the deluge of occasions when it appears. While most Christmas films are secular, religion makes many cameos, appearing through Nativity references, storylines involving spiritual rebirth, the framing of Santa as a Christ-like figure and the all-importance of family, be it the Holy family or just those gathered around the dining table. Also explored are popular narratives involving battles with stress and melancholy, single parents and Christmas martyrs, visits from ghosts and angels, big cities and small towns, break-ups and make-ups and the ticking clock of mortality. Nearly 1000 films are analyzed in this volume to determine what the portrayal of Christmas reveals about culture, society and faith as well as sex roles, consumerism, aesthetics and aspiration.

Since walking out on her life at sixteen, Lamb has lived alone in the gaps between other people's lives. Secretly inhabiting the cellar of an elderly man for whom she cleans, she keeps herself to herself, her life a precarious balancing act - until she meets Doggo, a young criminal on the run. Both strangers to the concept of truth, Doggo and Lamb are drawn together, glimpsing in one another the possibility of finding solace and maybe even love. But with secrets too dark to admit to even themselves, let alone someone else, first they must just learn to trust in each other.

With his last adventures officially behind him, Huck Finn has just made up his mind to escape Aunt Sallys wishes for him to get sivilized. Without a second thought, Huck strikes out for the Injun Territory on foot, leaving Tom Sawyer and Jim behind. But before long, the mischievous Huck Finn soon realizes that getting to Injun Territory is not going to be as easy as he thought. It is not long before Huck secures an opportunity as a drover for a party of settlers heading for Oregon. As soon as he feels confident he is headed in the right direction, the settlers inform him he is closer to Injun Territory than he thinks. After he departs from the family, he meets a traveling doctor who convinces him to be a swami; and an Injun named Mankiller who introduces him to the ways of the Cherokee tribe and teaches him about responsibility. As he slowly immerses himself into a new life, Huck sees another side of racism, falls in love, and learns what it is like to become a man. In this adventurous tale, Huckleberry Finn embarks on a journey of self-discovery where he eventually uncovers the truths about sivilization, slavery, and the differences between right and wrong.

“You are in the valley now, Modetse, but one day you’ll come out on the mountain,” is what Mama Zuma tells him, but having been brainwashed by the horror of the Lord’s Resistance Army what chance can Modetse ever have of truly finding himself again, or rescuing his little sister Thandi?

Apotheosis of My Butterfly embraces death and renewal, leavened with humorous and insightful repartee about art, nature, and creativity. As Edouard and Melissa develop their butterfly garden they fight to maintain their marriage against internal doubt and external forces. Physical needs and medical treatment of amputees, sexuality, grief, and death, are described frankly. Managed care malfeasance foreshadows a dramatic medical malpractice settlement. Indictment of the medical and legal professions is pointed, and serves as both caution and support to readers undergoing similar struggles. Poignantly Apotheosis of My Butterfly portrays marriage and life celebration through work, determination, art and love.