The Christmas Plains: A Geeky Review

Before the holidays (yes, that long ago), I had the chance to review The Christmas Plains by Joseph Bottum. I decided to take a mini break to finally post the review that I meant to post a month or so ago. It's literally been on my desktop for a month just waiting to be posted here. In case you are wondering, I submitted the written portion to my qualifying exam yesterday and am working on my presentation version now. I've been dedicating most of my time to my qualifying exams lately and haven't had much of a chance to do much else.

Joseph Bottum’s The Christmas Plains is, in a sense, a journey towards the meaning behind the Christmas season. The crux of this work is not necessarily the destination at the end of this journey, but the many stories that make up the journey. This book will certainly appeal to introspective individuals who, like me, tend to associate Christmas with an assortment of memories going all the way back to early childhood. The manner in which this book is written brings to mind many of the memories the Christmas season tends to invoke. Readers will find themselves remembering the scents associated with Christmas, as well as the memorable celebrations with family, toys that have disappeared into memory, and the many other things that have helped shape our love for this season. Though each one of us holds our own special memories, readers will find themselves relating to Bottum’s nostalgia. The Christmas Plains will certainly awaken memories that have fallen asleep over the years.

 Though I enjoyed the memories Bottum shared and the lessons each memory brought, I found some portions of this book a bit incoherent at times due to the flow of the narrative. The manner in which Bottum transitions from one memory to another is not always smooth, making the memoir seem a bit disjointed at times. Even so, the narrative is rich with symbolism and intimate reflections that will certainly strike a chord with readers of all ages. The Christmas Plains was, overall, a very enjoyable read that is bound to be treasured by those who appreciate the nostalgia of Christmases past and anticipate the Christmas seasons to come. Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to relive the Christmases of their childhood. Bottum’s writing style is rich with detail and certain to invoke the feelings of this holiday.

 The opinions expressed herein are my own. I was offered a free eBook copy of this book for review.

Pax Vobiscum