The Nutcracker

Hoffmann's original is a fascinating read. A little dark, very strange, and yet very full of whimsy. One has to believe that there is something deeper to this little fantasy children's tale, since we see elements of it in so many things that have come after and it has inspired retellings, and then musical suites and ballets based on those retellings, which have taken on a life of their own within Christmas neoclassical rock extravaganzas and Disney films. Perhaps even the children's board game Candy Land has its roots in The Nutcracker's fantasy world of sweets. This has proven to be very influential, indeed, and is still a fun read, although not without some creaks from age.