# The 12 Gift Cards of Festivus - Game 10: White Christmas



## Geoffrey (Jun 20, 2009)

*The 12 Gift Cards of Festivus - Game 10: White Christmas*





https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsxBCb03JCo

This is an acapella version released a couple days ago I thought was too lovely not to include:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDTXdnsF6KQ

The movie _White Christmas_ is a holiday tradition and full of memories for many of us; and now that I'm part of my family's elder generation, it's a set of memories I want to see passed on. Memoirs of the Great and of everyday people have added to our collective memory over the centuries and are a rich tradition that many enjoy. What are some of your favorite memoirs and what about them drew you in?


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## Geoffrey (Jun 20, 2009)

I'll kick this one off.

A memoir that I really enjoyed is A Beginner's Guide To Acting English by Shappi Khorsandi. She's a British comic of Persian descent who's parents were living in London when the Revolution began in Iran. Her father was a famous dissident so they remained. She grew up partially in an Iranian world and partially as an average British child. It's a very compelling book and focuses primarily on her childhood. It's not a comedy - it's fairly dramatic in places - and it's a very compelling read.

In it's way, it's very similar to memoirs of American immigrant families and it was a great way to better understand our own country's immigrant experience without the emotional baggage of being immersed in the cultures involved.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

I'm not a big memoir reader, but I'm glad I read Craig Ferguson's _American on Purpose: The Improbable Adventures of an Unlikely Patriot_. It's often funny (of course), yet it also deals with some serious stuff (drug/alcohol addiction and eventual recovery). Ultimately it's an uplifting story of how a troubled young Scottish man overcame many barriers and issues to become a successful American entertainer. Oh, and it's often funny.


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## ElaineOK (Jun 5, 2009)

I would love to come up with something more profound, but the stories that have stuck with me over many years were written by James Herriott.  So, I will name All Creatures Great and Small.


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

it's not yet my favorite, but Hubs and I are both going to read this over the Christmas break... AND it's FREE


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## nigel p bird (Feb 4, 2011)

The two that come to mind are This Boy's Life by Tobias Wolff and also a collection of bits and pieces called The Tales Of American Life that was edited and introduced by Paul Auster and is simply voices of people recounting incidents in their lives (a collective memoir if you like).


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## MariaESchneider (Aug 1, 2009)

I did love All Creatures Great and Small and still own that very tattered paperback!  

I don't read a lot of memoir.  I did enjoy Jim Chambers "Recollections" because a lot of the things in the  book made me smile.

I also enjoyed Paul Sullivan's "Waiting for Wrigley"  (FULL DISCLOSURE:  I edited this book).  I don't normally like books about pets because I'm always afraid the pet is going to die!  But this book was about a journey of acceptance--not about the dog, but other things.  And I'll be honest.  I don't think I'd have read or taken on the project if I hadn't known the dog lived!!!  That's not to say there are no sad parts in the book, but it's different when you know the dog makes it.  Well, it is for me anyway!

I also read and enjoyed David Baldwin's memoir about baseball, Snake Jazz.  I liked this because it was about baseball before the players were highly paid.  Baldwin did a great job of capturing the desire to play--the whole "dream" thing, playing in fields of dirt, playing no matter what.  It captured a different time and place for me and that made it very interesting.


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## Perennial Reader (Nov 30, 2009)

My most recent two that I have read and enjoyed are Unbroken and Wild. Ordinary people doing extraordinary things.


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## sandrahd (May 18, 2010)

Mine is Extraordinary Ordinary People by Condaleezza Rice.  Regardless of your politics, it is an awesome read!


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## MariaESchneider (Aug 1, 2009)

sandrahd said:


> Mine is Extraordinary Ordinary People by Condaleezza Rice. Regardless of your politics, it is an awesome read!


This is one I want to read. She is an amazing lady.


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## lmroth12 (Nov 15, 2012)

*The Story of My Life* by Helen Keller. How one woman emerged from a place of silence and shadows to become a beacon of hope for the handicapped.
*The Hiding Place* by Corrie Ten Boom. A glimpse into a world that few of us could ever imagine. How DO you cope when forced to come face to face with absolute evil?


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## CozyMama (Dec 12, 2008)

I liked Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. I follow her on Facebook, and she still inspires me on an almost daily basis. She talks about not giving up even when you feel like doing so and helping other people after you have found a way to get on with your life. She also encourages folks to find happiness in the small, everyday things.


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## KindleGirl (Nov 11, 2008)

I always loved Patrick Swayze and this was very interesting to read about his background and how he got to where he was.


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## Andra (Nov 19, 2008)

As a kid, I remember _The Sound of Music_ being played on television once a year. But it ran past my bedtime and it was years before I got to see how the movied ended. I picked up _The Story of the Trapp Family Singers_ by Maria Augusta Trapp when it was on sale. It was fun to read and I was surprised at some of the changes that were made for the movie.


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## Geoffrey (Jun 20, 2009)

The winner of this game is *NogDog*!! Congratulations! As the winner, you will receive a $25 Amazon gift certificate compliments of Harvey, the Moderator team and all of kBoards.

The next rounds, games 11 and 12 will be posted soon with new winners posted next Friday.

Again, Congratulations,

Geoffrey


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

Geoffrey said:


> The winner of this game is *NogDog*!! Congratulations! As the winner, you will receive a $25 Amazon gift certificate compliments of Harvey, the Moderator team and all of kBoards.
> 
> The next rounds, games 5 and 6 will be posted soon with new winners posted next Friday.
> 
> ...


w00t! Between this and the fun of giving out "Secret Santa" presents, it's the best Xmas ever. Okay, a wee bit of hyperbole, but it's been fun. Thanks to Geoffrey and all his minions.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

NogDog said:


> w00t! Between this and the fun of giving out "Secret Santa" presents, it's the best Xmas ever. Okay, a wee bit of hyperbole, but it's been fun. Thanks to Geoffrey and all his minions.


Gee . . . . even NogDog is breaking out of his curmudgeonly shell.  

Congrats to all the winners!!!


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## MariaESchneider (Aug 1, 2009)

Ann in Arlington said:


> Gee . . . . even NogDog is breaking out of his curmudgeonly shell.
> 
> Congrats to all the winners!!!


He might have even cracked a smile...


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