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Only within the last year or two did I realize that the 1983 holiday film, A Christmas Story, was based on a series of short stories penned by radio personality Jean Shepherd. The short pieces contained here and from which the movie was based were originally published in two other Shepherd collections � "In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash" and "Wanda Hickey’s Night of Golden Memories." The movie has become a tradition in many American households, although I personally must admit to seeing this only once when it first appeared at the movie theater. My son received a copy of this film last year and I will soon remedy the fact that I only remember very small bits of this comic movie! Of course what sticks with me the most are the famous words "You’ll shoot your eye out" as well as the legendary leg lamp.

The book itself is a wonderfully nostalgic holiday read. Now, I admit to being around when the movie first came out; however, unlike Ralphie Parker, I was not a child of Depression-era America. But that didn’t stop me from remembering the magical feeling of Christmas as a young child! "Christmas was on its way. Each day was more exciting than the last, because Christmas was one day closer. Lovely, beautiful, glorious Christmas, around which the entire year revolved." Driving downtown to the shops all sparkling and adorned with pretty lights, visiting Santa at his what I believed to be enchanted throne, and anticipating that one special gift that you just had to have this year or else!! In my case it would not have been the Red Ryder BB gun, but perhaps a special doll or maybe a brand new sled. Books were always a welcome possibility of course. I loved going into the local Woolworths and using the small bit of cash I was allotted to spend on my own family members. Searching for the perfect gift for mom, dad, sister and grandma were special memories I will always cherish. Like Ralphie, I did get the whole point of gift giving and receiving at a young age � "The joy of giving can uplift the saddened heart." Living in western New York with the wind and snow blowing across Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, I imagine my childhood winters weren’t much different from Ralphie’s in northern Indiana. In fact, the weather here the past couple of days could really be said to be depicted by the same evocative words as in A Christmas Story: "The wind howling down out of the Canadian wilds a few hundred miles to the north had screamed over frozen Lake Michigan and hit Hohman, laying on the town great drifts of snow and long, story-high icicles, and sub-zero temperatures where the air cracked and sang." Simply switch out the words Michigan and Hohman and you have my hometown!

Not all of the five stories contained here are Christmas stories. They are a great sampling of Midwestern American culture during the Depression and should have a little bit of something for everyone here. Next to the Red Ryder BB gun story, I would say my next favorite is the section titled "My Old Man and the Lascivious Special Award that Heralded the Birth of Pop Art" � definitely a hilarious story that most would recognize from the movie. Once you’ve seen it, the image of that outlandish lamp will stay with you always! "A monstrous, barrel-shaped bulging tube of a shade, a striking Lingerie pink in color, topped by a glittering cut-crystal orb, was lifted reverently up and put onto the table. Never had shade so beautifully matched base. Within an instant the Old Man had screwed it atop the fulsome thigh, and there it stood, a full four feet from coquettishly pointed toe to sparkling crystal."

Just a note â€� these stories are not linked together in a seamless fashion. They are really just a series of what could be stand-alone vignettes which focus on short pieces of Ralphie’s childhood. This did not bother me, but I suppose that I rather expected them to be linked only because of my knowledge of the movie. I recommend this book to those fans of the movie that want to see where the story originated, as well as anyone that relishes a quick, fun holiday read. I wish all my Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ friends a peaceful, holiday season!