Upon a Midnight Clear: Queer Christmas Tales

by Greg Herren | Gay & Lesbian |
ISBN: 1560234679 Global Overview for this book
Registered by wingGoryDetailswing of Nashua, New Hampshire USA on 12/24/2005
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4 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by wingGoryDetailswing from Nashua, New Hampshire USA on Saturday, December 24, 2005
From the cover pic (which makes me think of those stick-on Christmas bows in a whole new light!), I'd rather expected this to be a collection of Christmas-themed erotica, much like Stocking Stuffers, but instead it turned out to be a very good collection of gay-themed short stories depicting many different views of Christmas, from Felice Picano's multi-snapshot look at Christmas in New York to Quentin Harrington's romantic Yuletide fable, "The Snow Queen" [pun very much intended]. It opens with an M. Christian story that takes a different look at "It's a Wonderful Life," with touches of humor and a very melancholy twist. Trebor Healy's "Tidings" manages to bring the Peanuts Christmas Special into a tale of coming out, growing up, and seeking the true meaning of Christmas. Marshall Moore's "In the City of Warm Red Light" presents a Christmas that by rights should have appeared in The Worst Noel - and would have won hands down for "most hellish Christmas" - it's both horrifying and funny (and would film beautifully with the right cast... hmmmm....).

Warren Dunford's "Secret Family Recipe" is a hilarious account of a young man's first Christmas dinner with his boyfriend's family, one that should resonate with anyone who's been terribly nervous about such meetings - and who suspects the prospetive mother-in-law of malicious intent!

Jameson Currier's "Rainbows" describes one man's attempt to give his lover a surprise Christmas gift, and depicts the other man's discomfort as well as a truly unexpected and wonderful surprise...

Kevin Allman's entry isn't a short story so much as an essay about Christmas specials on TV, and is hilarious - especially his description of the seldom-seen "Star Wars Holiday Special" and the insane-but-fascinating "Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special" (describing Grace Jones' rendition of "The Little Drummer Boy": "It's a performance to match the outfit, complete with robot arm movements and sinister pa-rump-a-pump-pums worthy of John Wayne Gacy. It's the singularly most menacing Christmas carol ever sung on national television. Naturally, Pee-wee is thrilled.")

The last story, and one of the best, is Jay Quinn's "Our Family's Things," which opens with a family in mid-breakup; the protagonist, who'd helped raise his lover's three children from infancy to adulthood, is now on his own, and is facing Christmas in a new and startlingly empty house, with only the elderly family dog for company. The story's a leisurely one about breaking up, moving out, moving on - and is both bittersweet and very lovely.

All in all I found this book to be one of the better collections I've read in the last year, themed or otherwise; recommended!

Journal Entry 2 by wingGoryDetailswing at Nashua, New Hampshire USA on Sunday, August 16, 2009

Released 14 yrs ago (8/16/2009 UTC) at Nashua, New Hampshire USA

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

I'm putting this book into Scoobs-buddy's GLBT bookbox. It will be on its way Monday to BCer oldbroad in Washington. Enjoy!

Journal Entry 3 by ealasaidmae from New Orleans, Louisiana USA on Sunday, September 13, 2009
taken from the GBLT box

Journal Entry 4 by ealasaidmae from New Orleans, Louisiana USA on Friday, January 8, 2010
I agree that this is a good collection and we have some of the same favorites, GoryDetails. The editors saved the best for last with "Our Family's Things." It was the perfect way to end this.

*And* - Pee Wee's Christmas Special! Oy gevalt. I remember that. I was a big fan of the regular Playhouse shows and absolutely thrilled and fascinated by the Christmas Special. I don't know what CBS was thinking. I've always wondered if the folks behind the Playhouse are related somehow to the Teletubbies guys? So much cheaper than real acid, and just as effective. By the by, you can buy the Playhouse Christmas Special on DVD now. It's available new on Amazon for $10. I'm just saying.

Journal Entry 5 by ealasaidmae at St. Albans, West Virginia USA on Saturday, July 3, 2010

Released 13 yrs ago (7/3/2010 UTC) at St. Albans, West Virginia USA

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

into the GBLT box

Journal Entry 6 by laevina at Denver, Colorado USA on Friday, September 10, 2010
Part of a book box

Journal Entry 7 by laevina at -- Bookbox, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- USA on Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Released 13 yrs ago (9/14/2010 UTC) at -- Bookbox, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- USA

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

off into the wild . . . via the GBLTQ Bookbox - BCID 040-8085642

Journal Entry 8 by wingjarewing at Los Lunas, New Mexico USA on Saturday, September 25, 2010
Taking from the box. I've been wanting to read this collection, so was happy to find it inside!

Journal Entry 9 by wingjarewing at Tampa, Florida USA on Sunday, December 14, 2014
This was a fun collection of gay themed Christmas stories. The cover is misleading in that it brings to mind a collection of erotic stories, but these are not erotica. It is a typical short story collection in that some stories are far better than others. Overall, I enjoyed everything and am glad to have spent time with the stories.

Journal Entry 10 by wingjarewing at Centro Ybor Parking Garage in Tampa, Florida USA on Sunday, December 28, 2014

Released 9 yrs ago (12/28/2014 UTC) at Centro Ybor Parking Garage in Tampa, Florida USA

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

Left in the stairwell along 15th street. Enjoy!

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