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The Return of the Light
The Return of the Light: Twelve Tales from Around the World for the Winter Solstice | Carolyn McVickar Edwards
19 posts | 5 read | 10 to read
This beautifully packaged collection of 12 stories from around the world honor the Winter Solstice, the shortest day and longest night of the year that is revered worldwide. Illustrations.
Amazon Indiebound Barnes and Noble WorldCat Goodreads LibraryThing
review
GingerAntics
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Bailedbailed

I‘m sorry. I just can‘t bring myself to read another sentence. A lot was promised, none of it was delivered.
#CarolynMcVickarEdwards #TheReturnOfTheLight #unpopularopinion #DNF #bail #couldntdoit

GingerAntics Of the 12 stories, only 6 can be readily found independent of the book in any form. Of those 6, three are either misnamed or given the wrong location, and a fourth is heavily changed, to the point of being a different story. The final story is part of Epiphany celebrations in Italy and nothing new to Catholic school pupils who had creative religion teachers. 3d
GingerAntics The “solstice” songs at the end are Christmas carols she changed some of the words to. The activities are slightly augmented Christmas traditions from around the world. She has sources, but even those don‘t come up for half the stories, so she‘s either changed them beyond recognition or combined multiple stories. 3d
kspenmoll Great review! 3d
19 likes3 comments
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GingerAntics
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Okay, so no part of this paragraph makes any sense. She has velvet in her ears? I tried looking up the original story… IT DOES NOT EXIST! Is she just making this up (poorly) as she goes? That certainly explains a lot.
#CarolycVickarEdwards #TheReturnOfTheLight

Dilara 😂 😂 It's got to be some kind of purple prose spoof! 6d
GingerAntics @Dilara that is a perfect description! I haven‘t read a word of this book since then. I‘m thinking it may be time to just cut this one loose. A lot of people love this book; I‘m just not one of them. 4d
Dilara @GingerAntics Yes, some books are just not worth our time 😃 4d
14 likes3 comments
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GingerAntics
This post contains spoilers
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@TheBookHippie you read this one, didn‘t you? What were your thoughts? I have officially gotten to the end of the intro and I am SO annoyed, I‘m not sure I want to continue… especially considering she‘s doing retellings instead of the original stories.

TheBookHippie You are asking a cynic 😂 the general population loves this- so I recommend it for that 90 percent. I don‘t ever read intros because in general they make me not read the book. So all I can say is I‘ve only met one other person who said this was okay instead of fantastic. It‘s surface level. No brain needed. 😂😵‍💫 2w
GingerAntics @TheBookHippie lol of course 🤣😂🤣 I‘ll see if I can turn my brain off enough to mildly enjoy this one. We‘ll see. 2w
GingerAntics @TheBookHippie so as a cynic… what did you think? I‘m feeling kind of cynical at the moment. 2w
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TheBookHippie @GingerAntics I understood why ppl liked it. It‘s not for me I like DARKNESS 😂😂😂😩😵‍💫. However it‘s helped so many depressed teachers in winter… so I say it‘s worth the read. 2w
GingerAntics @TheBookHippie YES! That was literally the thing that was driving me crazy! Some people and traditions celebrate the dark, the rest, the change of pace, and she does not seem to be aware of that at all. 2w
TheBookHippie @GingerAntics saccharine reading I call it! 2w
GingerAntics @TheBookHippie wow. I have ready many myths and NONE of them would I describe as saccharine. She really did do a retelling. Oh my gods. 2w
GingerAntics @TheBookHippie I read the first story today… it felt very… what‘s the word… cute. It didn‘t feel authentic. It felt like a knock off of the real thing. Is it wrong to say that? 2w
TheBookHippie @GingerAntics that‘s it in a nutshell. 🙃 2w
8 likes10 comments
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GingerAntics
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Wait, these are retellings? So she‘s using other cultures‘ stories from her own perspective? Gods help me. She is losing me FAST! Clearly she can‘t fathom that anyone would be welcoming the dark. Oh no. That‘s not her perspective so it doesn‘t exist here. 🙄
#CarolynMcVickarEdwards #TheReturnOfTheLight #retelling #misappropriation #annoying

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GingerAntics
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Does she know what the word dalliance means, because this sentence suggests that she either does NOT or has no respect for the field of anthropology. Neither looks good. Then again, she‘s starting paragraphs (and by extension sentences with the word “and,” so I may have to skip her horrible introduction all together.
#CarolynMcVickarEdwards #TheReturnOfTheLight #getadictionary #whotaughtyouhowtowrite #badgrammar #notafan

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GingerAntics
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I could never remember the actual holiday on December 25th, but I knew it wasn‘t Saturnalia. Sheldon Cooper is wrong more than he is right, I swear. It makes him even more insufferable when you know just how often he is wrong. If he‘s so smart, shouldn‘t he know he is wrong and, you know, NOT be wrong?
#CarolynMcVicktarEdwards #ReturnOfTheLight #wintersolstice #sheldoncooper #tbbt #romanhistory #prechristianholidays

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GingerAntics
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I actually bought this last year, but the beginning of the end of my job was starting and I was just too tired to read much, so I never read it. It feels like this is a good time to take this for a spin.
#CarolynMcVickarEdwards #TheReturnOfTheLight #WinterSolstice

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jen_the_scribe
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This is the second year I‘ve read this one as part of my holiday reads and I loved it even more the second time around. I finished it last night and today is the Winter Solstice! I plan to spend some time in the sun today and tonight I‘ll journal by candlelight to reflect on the past year and my hopes for the new year. This book is a wonderful reminder to embrace the light with gratitude and everything it represents ❤️🕯️🌞🌙✨

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IndoorDame
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Pickpick

This little book was a reread and I‘m so glad I finally splurged on my own copy this year! It‘s my favorite collection of solstice stories. 12 legends from indigenous cultures around the world about the seasonal return of the sun, or its original birth in the world, and thoughtful introductions to each making insightful connections.

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 🐾🖤🐈‍⬛ 12mo
dabbe Hello there, adorable kitty! 🖤🐾🖤 12mo
58 likes2 comments
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IndoorDame
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ON MARCH 31, 1880, thousands of people gathered in Wabash, Indiana, the first American municipality to be lit by electric lights. Bands played, guns fired salutes, and then the lights sprang to life. A hush fell over the crowd. Some people groaned and fell to their knees. #firstlinefridays @ShyBookOwl

jen_the_scribe I read this one for the first time last year and it‘s become one of my favorite holiday reads 😊 12mo
IndoorDame @jen_the_scribe it‘s a reread for me too, but I haven‘t picked it up in several years so I‘m really looking forward to it 😊 12mo
30 likes2 comments
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IndoorDame
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📖 When I was little my mom used to read me a pop up version of The Nutcracker and tell me about dancing in it, so every year I read a retelling and/or watch the ballet

📖I especially love winter/Christmas ghost stories

📖 I have a soft spot for winter/Christmas historic cozies like Agatha Christie‘s The Sittaford Mystery

📖 I always read something for solstice and highly recommend the tagged book

#midwintersolace #naturalitsy

AllDebooks The tagged book looks great 😍 12mo
41 likes1 stack add1 comment
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AllDebooks
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#Midwintersolace

Good morning! Wishing you a warm and wonderfully cosy winter solstic. I found an amazing post by Monumental Ireland on FB detailing the monuments left by our ancestors.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid024WXXJQAvJLZNvMwhVp3XH6tCfRNJy...

review
jen_the_scribe
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Pickpick

What a cozy little read for the holiday season! I loved every story, and learning a bit about the cultures around the world and their interpretations of the Light and the Winter Solstice. Each folk story gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling and I think this is one I‘ll come back to again and again at this time of year.

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jen_the_scribe

“We persist in hiding from the new. We cover even from ourselves whatever it is we‘re convinced is unacceptable or impossible.”

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jen_the_scribe

“Fascinated by ourselves as children of a living earth, we are hungry for the symbolic riches of peoples who understood and still understand the spiritual disconnection from air, water, soil, plant, animal, moon, and sun, is as unthinkable as a finger without a hand. The spirit is creeping back into our science, and the earth back into our religion.”

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jen_the_scribe
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Next up, in honor of the upcoming Winter Solstice and the holiday season… 😊

RainyDayReading I‘ve got this on my stack to read for this month as well! 2y
13 likes1 stack add1 comment
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DebinHawaii
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Oh @AmyG I LOVE my #wintersolsticeswap box!😍 First off, it was such a treat to come home to after sitting in the emergency vet parking lot most of the day. 😬 I love ALL of the books & the mix of non-fiction, fiction & even a #sundaybuddyread title! The Moonology oracle cards are gorgeous & fascinating, (I know what I‘ll be doing tonight!), the tumbler is fun, the candle smells amazing & I love the self-care tin with the little goodies & the ⬇️

DebinHawaii …Libra crystals. The chocolate is always welcome. The Cadbury & Whitman‘s Sampler remind me of my mom. 💜 The pretty notepad & snowflake cookie cutter are great too. And I just saw the tea & cocoa in the tumbler too. You spoiled me! Thank you so much & thank you @Chrissyreadit & @sprainedbrain for fabulous #WSS hosting & the extra kindness & grace needed today. A blessed solstice & happy holidays to you all! 💙💙💙 3y
DebinHawaii @AmyG And Max is doing much better & will be celebrating solstice on some good drugs. 🐱💙🙀 3y
Soubhiville I‘m glad to hear Max is ok. I‘m sorry he had to go to the vet today. 3y
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DebinHawaii @Soubhiville Thank you. 😘😽❤️It was not a very fun last night or day today for either of us but he‘s doing much better tonight! 🙏🏼 3y
AmyG You are so wecome. Most importantly, Max is feeling better. 3y
catiewithac That mug!!! 😍 3y
LeahBergen I had to come and check how Max was doing. I‘m so glad to hear he‘s home! Oh, and I love a good Fruit and Nut bar. 😄 3y
DebinHawaii @catiewithac Isn‘t it great?!? 🤍🤍🤍 3y
DebinHawaii @LeahBergen Aww… thanks for thinking of him. 😻😽❤️ And yes, sometimes you need a Cadbury Fruit and Nut bar! 😋 3y
erank58 LOVE Moonology ❤️ 3y
Chrissyreadit I‘m so glad your furbaby is ok ❤️. 3y
sprainedbrain So glad Max is ok! Wonderful gifts! ❤️❤️❤️ 3y
Chrissyreadit This is a lovely swap - I hope you‘ll post some images of the moon cards- I‘m curious. 3y
5feet.of.fury Ooh! Love that tumbler! 3y
55 likes14 comments
review
IndoorDame
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Pickpick

5⭐️! This collection of solstice folktales from around the world is really well written and is appropriate for kids and adults alike. In addition to the tales themselves you get a bit of background on the culture each tale is from, and an epilogue with games, traditions, and songs that look fun, meaningful, easy to adopt, and completely nondenominational. #WinterGames2021 #TeamGameSleighers @StayCurious

ju.ca.no That sounds so good!😍 3y
StayCurious really cool! 3y
60 likes4 stack adds2 comments
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IndoorDame
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#FestivePhotoChallenge #BookandChill #WinterGames2021 #TeamGameSleighers @StayCurious

Tea and book in bed, and a chapter titled “The Pull-Together Morning“. Seems like the right way to start a freezing cold day.

Hestapleton This looks SO COZY. 3y
Texreader Perfect!! 3y
wordslinger42 So cozy! That's pretty much my plan for the day, too 😂 3y
StayCurious I hope you enjoyed this cozy time! 3y
69 likes4 comments