4Real Forums: Silent Night, Holy Night

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Topic: Silent Night, Holy Night

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Cay Gibson
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Joined: July 16 2005
Location: Louisiana
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Posts: 5193

Posted: Dec 19 2009 at 4:34pm \| IP Logged

Silent Night, Holy Night by Werner Thuswaldner/Robert Ingpen

I mentioned this picture book in a recent blog post. You can click on the link above and view a little of the inside. As I wrote on my blog, it is a "lovely, historical, artistic picture book which is surprisingly, appallingly, unjustifiably OOP )..."

When you see it, you'll understand why I say this.

On the inside flap:

"Millions of people in the world can finish the lyrics to this beautiful and beloved Christmas carol. But not many can tell you where it came from. Now Werner Thuswaldner and renowned artist Robert Ingpen do just that. From the lives of its poor and downtrodden creators, to how this glorious composition went on to transcend classes and cultures, the history of the song "Silent Night" is one worth celebrating. Complete with the comprehensive song lyrics, this lushly illustrated and beautifully told story is a gift that embodies peace, love, and the spirit of Christmas itself."

Review:
"The history of the internationally known Christmas carol, Silent Night--how it was composed and first sung, and its connections across time and place--is celebrated in this handsome, oversize picture book. The young priest who wrote the poem and the composer who set it to music first performed their carol one Christmas in the early nineteenth century as a gift for their poverty-stricken, war-torn Austrian village. Ingpen (a Hans Christian Andersen Medal winner) evokes the old European masters in moving portraits as well as crowded candlelit interiors. One heartbreaking spread, in shades of gray and brown, reconstructs the famous World War I Christmas truce, when enemies sang the carol together and then went back to killing. In contrast, the outdoor carol-singers, past and present, are painted in radiant color. Occasional overwriting ("visionary inspiration") notwithstanding, the history and the art make this a great holiday title, an elemental Christmas tale of humble beginnings and universal power. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Cay Gibson
"There are 49 states, then there is Louisiana." ~ Chef Emeril
wife to Mark '86
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Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks

Paula in MN
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Joined: Nov 25 2006
Location: Minnesota
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Posted: Dec 19 2009 at 4:50pm \| IP Logged

I added it to my wish list! Thanks, Cay!

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Paula
A Catholic Harvest

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