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The Greatest Gift
The Greatest Gift: A Christmas Tale | Philip Van Doren Stern
19 posts | 18 read | 13 to read
A beautiful gift edition of the heartwarming story that became the Christmas classic, Its a Wonderful Life. For almost seventy years, people the world over have fallen in love with Frank Capras classic Christmas movie Its a Wonderful Life. But few of those fans know that Capras film was based on a short story by author Philip Van Doren Stern, which came to Stern in a dream one night. Unable at first to find a publisher for his evocative tale about a man named George Pratt who ponders suicide until he receives an opportunity to see what the world would be like without him, Stern ultimately published the story in a small pamphlet and sent it out as his 1943 Christmas card. One of those 200 cards found its way into the hands of Frank Capra, who shared it with Jimmy Stewart, and the film that resulted became the holiday tradition we cherish today. Now fans of Its a Wonderful Life, or anyone who loves the spirit of Christmas, can own the story that started it all in an elegant, illustrated edition thats perfect for holiday giving. It includes an Afterword by Sterns daughter, Marguerite Stern Robinson, that tells the story of how her fathers Christmas card became the movie beloved by generations of people around the world.
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AvidReader25
The Greatest Gift: A Christmas Tale | Philip Van Doren Stern
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Pickpick

I can‘t believe I‘d never read the short story that “It‘s a Wonderful Life” is based on! Obviously, a lot is different in the movie, but the core theme remains the same. I loved that this edition includes the background of the author coming up with the whole idea in a dream, and the director Frank Capra happening to get a hold of one of 200 copies that was sent out as a Christmas card in 1943. We truly never know how many lives we‘ve touched. 💙

Tamra What? I didn‘t know this and now I have to read it! 11mo
BarbaraBB Love your photo 11mo
AvidReader25 @BarbaraBB I loved the illustration they included! 11mo
AvidReader25 @Tamra Right! A perfect December read. 11mo
33 likes1 stack add4 comments
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TheEllieMo
The Greatest Gift: A Christmas Tale | Philip Van Doren Stern
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I am posting one book per day from my extensive to-be-read collection. No description and providing no reason for wanting to read it, I just do. Some will be old, some will be new. Don‘t judge me - I have a lot of books. Join in if you want!

#ABookADay2023

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kspenmoll
Greatest Gift: A Christmas Tale | Philip Van Doren Stern
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#winterreadathon #winterreadathondailychallenge #Dec23 #nationalchristmasmoviemarathonday
My two favorite Christmas movies from childhood, which is an annual Christmas event in my house. #nostalgia #merrymerry
The Greatest Gift is a short story the movie It‘s a Wonderful Life is drawn from. Now i want to read it. 🎄🎥

DieAReader 🥳🥳🥳 2y
Andrew65 Two of the finest films that do not age. Could watch them time and again. Is that a bell I can hear! 👂🏾 2y
AmyG Miracle on 34th Street is my most favorite. ❤️ 2y
55 likes3 comments
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AmyK1
The Greatest Gift: A Christmas Tale | Philip Van Doren Stern
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Pickpick

This is the book It‘s A Wonderful Life is based on.

31pts for #mistletoemaniacs #wintergames2021 @Clwojick

25 likes1 stack add
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EclecticBookLover
The Greatest Gift: A Christmas Tale | Philip Van Doren Stern
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#holidaytradition Baileys and It's a Wonderful Life. #wintergames2020 #ReadNosedReindeer

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JenlovesJT47
The Greatest Gift: A Christmas Tale | Philip Van Doren Stern
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Pickpick

It‘s A Wonderful Life is hands down my favorite Christmas movie. The colorized version is a must see btw! This short story is the basis for the film and is quite enjoyable. So thankful this little story was written and inspired such a great movie with a great message. No man is poor who has friends! 5⭐️

#WinterGames2020
#MerryReaders
#Christmas
#booksintomovies

26 points

Clwojick ⭐ ❤Way to go! 🌲 🎉 4y
kspenmoll I love this movie too & watch it every year.❤️🎄 4y
56 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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AmyK1
The Greatest Gift: A Christmas Tale | Philip Van Doren Stern
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Pickpick

Two more quick books for #wintergames2020 and my updated #bookspinbingo board for December. The Greatest Gift is what It‘s a Wonderful Life is based on and I will always love The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. #merryreaders 51pts

@Clwojick @StayCurious @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 4y
33 likes1 comment
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AmyK1
The Greatest Gift: A Christmas Tale | Philip Van Doren Stern
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Pickpick

I read this short story that inspired the movie It‘s a Wonderful Life this morning. 21pts #holidayread #merryreaders #wintergames @Clwojick @StayCurious

Clwojick 21 pt
5y
10 likes1 comment
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thegirlwiththelibrarybag
Greatest Gift: A Christmas Tale | Philip Van Doren Stern
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Went to see It‘s A Wonderful Life at the marvellous Astor Theatre (in Melbourne) tonight - it was an almost full cinema which was quite delightful - and my friend hadn‘t seen the movie before - and there is just something extra special about seeing a movie on the big screen!

Merry Christmas (or happy Christmas Eve - depending on your timezone)

Zero reading done, no chocolate consumed, I think I failed the #JolabokaflodSwap 😂🤔

dariazeoli I love this movie so much ❤️ 5y
MaleficentBookDragon That is my favorite holiday movie since I was a kid. ♥it! Happy #Jolabokaflod! 5y
thegirlwiththelibrarybag @dariazeoli, it‘s certainly a very special movie! 5y
thegirlwiththelibrarybag @MaleficentBookDragon, I dream about dancing on a floor with a pool underneath 😂 5y
64 likes4 comments
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TheEllieMo
The Greatest Gift: A Christmas Tale | Philip Van Doren Stern
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Unable at first to find a publisher for his short story, Philip Van Doren Stern published it in a small pamphlet and sent it out as his 1943 Christmas card. One of those 200 cards found its way into the hands of Frank Capra, who shared it with Jimmy Stewart, and the film that resulted became the holiday tradition cherished today.

#HolidayMovie #HollyJollyReading

#WinterGames #ReadNosedReindeer

thegirlwiththelibrarybag How lovely! I‘m seeing this tomorrow night ☺️ 5y
OriginalCyn620 I didn‘t know that! 🎄 5y
TheKidUpstairs I had never heard that story, thanks for sharing! 5y
StayCurious Meant to be I guess! +11 5y
24 likes4 comments
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arlenefinnigan
The Greatest Gift: A Christmas Tale | Philip Van Doren Stern
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Pickpick

This is a sweet story, familiar to everyone as the basis of the film It's A Wonderful Life. It's a lot shorter than I was expecting, and much more sparse than the film, but interesting to see where the story originated.

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arlenefinnigan
The Greatest Gift: A Christmas Tale | Philip Van Doren Stern
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Ramping up the festive reading

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Liatrek
The Greatest Gift: A Christmas Tale | Philip Van Doren Stern
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Pickpick

It‘s a Wonderful life is one of my all time favorite Christmas movies that makes me teary eyed every time I watch it 🎄🎄🎄 I loved reading the short story the movie was based on and the afterword by the authors daughter on the stories journey to the big screen and its lasting impact and continually relevant themes today. #wintergames
#teamfozziwig @barkingmadrun @clwojick @staycurious
#holidayread 20 points +5 for book to movie

BarkingMadRead Got it!! 5y
jmtrivera I LOVE that film! 5y
72 likes1 stack add2 comments
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TheEllieMo
The Greatest Gift: A Christmas Tale | Philip Van Doren Stern
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The tagged book is a short story published in 1943 that was the basis of the film It‘s A #WonderfulLife. George Pratt is dissatisfied with life, to the point where he feels it would have been better if he had never been born. He has a few #Surprises when he is shown what would have happened if that had been the case

#SoulSeptember @Eggs
#RedRoseSeptember @arlenefinnigan @Cinfhen

#DoubleDip!

arlenefinnigan I had no idea the film was based on this! #stacked 5y
Cinfhen Well done and nice use of #hashtags 🍦🍦 5y
TheEllieMo @arlenefinnigan Google/Wikipedia is my friend... 5y
Eggs Bravo Ellie!!! 5y
44 likes1 stack add4 comments
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MommyOfTwo
The Greatest Gift: A Christmas Tale | Philip Van Doren Stern
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This is the short story that It‘s a Wonderful life was based on. It‘s a quick read and enjoyable. Of course since it is a short story it is one of those cases where the movie is better 😉 #ShortStory #ReindeerReads

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readinginthedark
The Greatest Gift: A Christmas Tale | Philip Van Doren Stern
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My big brother is in a radio program/play production of It's a Wonderful Life this month in Kansas City, playing George Bailey! He's the best. I drove three and a half hours to see it and cried like a baby! Side note: I listed this under the story that the movie was based on, which I got a copy of last year but haven't read yet. No better time than now!

Alfoster How cool!👏👏👏 8y
merelybookish My kids went to see this last week. They thought it was great. 8y
Lynnsoprano How great is that 👏👏👏💕 8y
See All 11 Comments
Peterdamien I really thought that was Edward Norton at first... 8y
readinginthedark @merelybookish Oh awesome! I'm glad they liked it; he always works so hard. 8y
readinginthedark @Alfoster @Lynnsoprano I know! I'm so proud. 8y
readinginthedark @Peterdamien How funny! I've never thought about it before, but he sometimes resembles Norton. 8y
ReadingEnvy He looks so kind, which is an absolute requirement for Mr Bailey 8y
readinginthedark @ReadingEnvy I agree with you, although I'm a bit biased. 😊 8y
acorter Amazing! Any chance they are going to broadcast this online of in south Florida? I would totally tune in. 8y
readinginthedark @acorter It's actually a performance of the original broadcasting--a play-within-a-play sort of thing. 😕 Sorry! My brother did say the original radio recording with Jimmy Stewart is available for purchase, but I haven't seen it anywhere. 8y
41 likes1 stack add11 comments