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From the author’s daughter: “We are more than heirs to his literary property. We are heirs to his ideas and his values… The Greatest Gift is as compelling today as it was nearly 80 years ago because in this story lies a powerful message about the significance of the lives of all of us.”
I adore It’s a Wonderful Life in all its forms. The movie makes me cry every time I watch it. The Lux Radio version is great to cozy up to and listen to near the fire; pretending you're in days of yore, before TV. And The Greatest Gift, the original short story from which the film is based, is a wonderful read. The illustrations are just beautiful. This time around, I listened to the audiobook version. The afterword, told by the author’s daughter, makes me love this story (and movie) even more.
The idea for the story came to the author on Feb 12, 1938 in a dream, completely formed from start to finish. He wrote his first draft in April of that year but wasn’t happy with it and in the Spring of 1943 he finally tried to get it published. No magazine wanted it. He used his own money to make 224 pamphlets and sent them out as Christmas cards.
In March 1944 he received an offer for the movie rights. The movie premiered on Dec 14, 1946. But it’s all the little things that happened from the moment the idea was conceived to the time the film was made that are just remarkable.
Learning how this little story has impacted soldiers that were at war, those who had just come back home, the actors/director of the movie, the author’s daughter, and countless others ever since is just…wow!
If you’re looking for a Christmas themed book and haven’t read this story yet, read it. Then watch the movie. If you love it as much as I do, go the extra mile and listen to the Lux Radio Theatre show. It’s on Spotify and other platforms. Perhaps purchase a few copies and give them away as stocking stuffers. Have a very merry Christmas and a wonderful life!
From the author’s daughter: “We are more than heirs to his literary property. We are heirs to his ideas and his values… The Greatest Gift is as compelling today as it was nearly 80 years ago because in this story lies a powerful message about the significance of the lives of all of us.”
I adore It’s a Wonderful Life in all its forms. The movie makes me cry every time I watch it. The Lux Radio version is great to cozy up to and listen to near the fire; pretending you're in days of yore, before TV. And The Greatest Gift, the original short story from which the film is based, is a wonderful read. The illustrations are just beautiful. This time around, I listened to the audiobook version. The afterword, told by the author’s daughter, makes me love this story (and movie) even more.
The idea for the story came to the author on Feb 12, 1938 in a dream, completely formed from start to finish. He wrote his first draft in April of that year but wasn’t happy with it and in the Spring of 1943 he finally tried to get it published. No magazine wanted it. He used his own money to make 224 pamphlets and sent them out as Christmas cards.
In March 1944 he received an offer for the movie rights. The movie premiered on Dec 14, 1946. But it’s all the little things that happened from the moment the idea was conceived to the time the film was made that are just remarkable.
Learning how this little story has impacted soldiers that were at war, those who had just come back home, the actors/director of the movie, the author’s daughter, and countless others ever since is just…wow!
If you’re looking for a Christmas themed book and haven’t read this story yet, read it. Then watch the movie. If you love it as much as I do, go the extra mile and listen to the Lux Radio Theatre show. It’s on Spotify and other platforms. Perhaps purchase a few copies and give them away as stocking stuffers. Have a very merry Christmas and a wonderful life!