This week, we feature a holiday treasure centered on Mrs. Claus and the little-known short story that brought George Bailey’s “wonderful life” to a famous film director’s attention.
Fiction
‘Wondrous Mrs. Claus: A Literary & Pictorial Review of the Christmas Character’
By Pamela McColl
Here’s a beauty of a book for North Pole fans. It includes over 50 pages of poems and stories, many from the 19th century, about Santa’s wife. Plus, it includes the author’s remarks and commentary on her history. McColl also points to movies, songs, and stage presentations centered on Mrs. Claus. Equally fine are the many lovely illustrations taken from books, magazines, and the world of art. It’s a fun-filled holiday entertainment worth keeping and breaking out each December to share with others.
Grafton and Scratch Publishers, 2025, 98 pages
Military History
‘Korea: War Without End’
By Richard Dannatt and Robert Lyman
In honor of the 75th anniversary of the start of the Korean War, this study of what is known as the Forgotten War is both timely and necessary. The authors discuss in clear, often horrific, detail the sacrifice of battle and the cost of being unprepared. Post World War II, America dismissed the threat in Korea, believing a North Korean attack would be so foolish as to be impossible. This is the history of bureaucratic hubris and how it can cost countless lives. A history worth remembering.
Osprey Publishing, 2025, 352 pages
Historical Fiction
‘The Diplomat of Florence: A Novel of Machiavelli and the Borgias’
By Anthony R. Wildman
A fictional biography of Machiavelli, it covers his life from the 1498 end of the Medici rule in Florence until its restoration 15 years later. It presents Machiavelli growth from a minor diplomatic bureaucrat in hometown Florence to one of its most senior and respected diplomats. He meets famous individuals from the period: France’s Louis XII, Cesare Borgia, Leonardo da Vinci, and Thomas Cromwell. An entertaining introduction to Renaissance Italy, it makes Machiavelli a sympathetic protagonist.
Plutus Publishing Australia, 2020, 406 pages
Memoir
‘Aviation Therapy: Stories of Perseverance and Personal Growth From the Cockpit’
By David Dale
A skinny teen with divorced parents, David Dale lacked confidence and self-esteem. Then, in high school, he learned to fly. It changed everything. This memoir tells how flying improved his life and recounts his flying career from 1978 through 2004. As a US Air Force officer, he was a B-52 navigator, a KC-10 tanker, and VIP courier aircraft pilot. He made history, not by leading the charge, but by participating in great events. This tells of a man willing to work hard to achieve his dreams.
Stoney Creek Publishing Group, 2025, 398 pages
Classics
‘The Greatest Gift: A Christmas Tale’
By Philip Van Doren Stern
This morality tale of a man who wishes he’d never been born and then gets his wish came to Stern in a dream, which he turned into a short story. Unable to find a publisher, in 1943 he printed 200 copies and sent them out as his Christmas card. One came to the attention of director Frank Capra, and the result was the classic movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Here’s a great gift for anyone who loves the movie. An “Afterword” by Stern’s daughter describes how this book traveled from Stern to Capra.
Simon & Schuster, 2014, 64 pages
For Kids
‘If You Give a Pig a Pancake’
By Laura Numeroff and Felicia Bond
This classic picture book, the follow-up to “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie,” goes especially well with weekend mornings and a plate of pancakes. Readers will delight in discovering the subsequent consequences of giving a pig a pancake. “She’ll want some syrup to go with it,” for starters. Adorable illustrations and comical hijinks make this a joy.
HarperCollins, 1998, 32 pages
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