The Christmas Sweater

[Dr. Shane]

I bought this book in Wal-Mart tonight. It is written by radical, fanatical, right-wing, conservative (and of course, evil) Gelnn Beck. It is a novel based on a true story of Beck's childhood although it is not intended to be factually accurate as it is principally a novel..

I read the first chapter to my kids before putting them to bed and choked up a few times as he really strikes a chord. Having grown up in striking poverty myself, I was able to identify with characters in the story. Fifteen more chapters to go. It is a great read so far.

[nuff sed]

Glenn Beck is right here in Orlando tonight signing books at Barnes and Noble. I was thinking of going over there but didn't. I listen to Glenn Beck when I get tired of Neal Boortz. He makes a lot of sense.

[olger]

When Glen teams up with Ben Stein they make quite a pair ! :)

[Dr. Shane]

I am going to give a summery of the book which in no way gives away the ending or will ruin it for anyone wanting to read it.

The main character is Edward. He lives alone with his mother after his father has died. All he wants for Christmas is a new bicycle that he keeps showing his mother all year long. Early in the story he opens his Christmas gifts and discovers that instead of a bicycle he gets a sweater that is handmade by his mother. He pretends to be happy but heartbroken goes to his room. Drowning in self-pity he drops it on the floor, unaware of what he even did with it. When his mother comes in to check on him she is hurt to see the sweater that she spent so many hours making just tossed on the floor. The real thrust of the story is how Edward in his disappointment and the events that followed that Christmas day.

The story is wonderful. I laughed out loud many times which caused my wife to look across the room at me and promise to read the book herself (although she struggles with English). Other times I had to wipe the tears from my eyes. In the end of the book the author explains that the sweater is symbolic of Christ's gift of redemption and how he, now a recovering alcoholic, had discarded Christ's gift just like he had discarded the sweater. The symbolism doesn't end there. He goes into how he was absorbed into self-pity and blamed others for not being happy - just like the character did in the book. He goes on to discuss how finding redemption through Christ changed his life and he was able to accept forgiveness and freedom from past mistakes that had haunted him.

[Taylor]

Sounds moving! Will have to get it!

[Dr. Shane]

Politically I consider Glenn Beck to a far right-winger like Ann Coulter. I disagree with him a lot politically. However he also talks a lot about family values, being a father and husband. He talks a lot about being active in the community, church and charities. In those non-political issues I appreciate most of what he has to say. He has hit a home run with this book. The only thing that could hold it back is people not buying it because of his politics. This could easily become a Hallmark movie although I don't think any movie could capture everything the book does.

[nancy19526]

A friend loaned me the book so I read it. I wasn't impressed. Once in a while I watch his show but usually he is yelling too much. The book has some good concepts but the writing is predictable.