The Christmas Letters
Subtitle: a novella
By: by Lee Smith.
Edition: 1st ed.
Publisher: Algonquin Books
Published: 1996
Place of publication: Chapel Hill, N.C
Language: eng
Number of pages: 126
Description: This heartwarming story of three generations of Christmas letter writers is about family tradition, family love, family strength - the perfect story to give at Christmas, and to read yourself. Birdie Pickett, her daughter Mary, and her granddaughter Melanie are all storytellers at heart. Their letters - folded inside their Christmas cards - tend to be long ones because they write to explain their lives as much to themselves as to far-flung family and friends.

In these vivid, familiar, gossipy letters, Lee Smith's skill at capturing women's voices renders the "clash of generations" - heard here at very close range - as the music of our ever-evolving American family life. It's the perfect music to listen to at Christmastime.