The Greatest Gift

A Christmas Tale

By: Philip Van Doren Stern

Narrated by: Edward Herrmann

A beautiful gift edition of the heartwarming story that became the Christmas classic, It’s a Wonderful Life.

For almost seventy years, people the world over have fallen in love with Frank Capra’s classic Christmas movie It’s a Wonderful Life. But few of those fans know that Capra’s 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 It’s a Wonderful Life, or anyone who loves the spirit of Christmas, can own the story that started it all in an elegant, illustrated edition that’s perfect for holiday giving. It includes an Afterword by Stern’s daughter, Marguerite Stern Robinson, that tells the story of how her father’s Christmas card became the movie beloved by generations of people around the world.

Needed this

To feel ready for Christmas as an adult. Beautiful timeless American story telling. Only an hour long.

So WONDERFUL to listen to the original short story

It was so WONDERFUL to listen to the original short story, after watching the movie this Christmas.

It's a Wonderful Life Primer

The story is good, even better is the afterward, when Marguerite Stern Robinson, the author's daughter, tells how the story came about, was finally published, discovered by Frank Capra and made into the movie. In a time in America when a feel-good story was greatly needed, when many people were feeling like George . . . downtrodden, a failure at life, and broken in spirit . . . along came this story. Don't miss it!

Interesting, but the movie is better.

The story is quite short and not very well developed compared to the movie, "It's a Wonderful Life." The afterward presented here may actually be longer than the story. I think the afterward might have been better if it had been less fawning, and more insightful. In particular, I would have liked to know more about Mr. Stern's life. Also, Stern apparently wrote two earlier drafts of the story. I would have liked to know more about those drafts. Also, developing the screenplay for the movie was its own ordeal, with various drafts being written. More could have been said about that here. Overall, a worthwhile listen, and a very good performance, but maybe could have been a little bit better in some ways.

Wonderful Indeed!

it's such a privilege to be able to hear the origins of one of my most beloved Christmas movies, Its a Wonderful Life! I will for sure be gifting this to people this holiday season.

Relevant all these years…

This story is still relevant all these many years later. Still speaks to the worth of all persons on earth regardless of social status or skin color or finance. My family includes the film as an annual part of our Christmas celebration. It never gets old.

Loved it!

Was so wonderful to hear the story that inspired my favorite movie. I just don’t know why it took me my whole life to listen to it!

Great for learning the story behind the movie

Any additional comments?

As a fan of It's A Wonderful Life, it was great to learn the story behind the movie. How the tale evolved and how the short story struggled to find an audience and eventually was made into one of the most popular movies of all-time.

fantastic

loved the movie and cherish this story. I didn't discover this u till I became a adult. but now this is a family tradition

A must-read for any fan of IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE

If you love learning about the story behind the story, this book is well worth the money (or credit). I only wish the story itself and the afterword (by the author's daughter) could have been longer!