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Christmas Days
- 12 Stories and 12 Feasts for 12 Days
- Narrated by: Jeanette Winterson, Imogen Church
- Length: 9 hrs and 8 mins
- Categories: Literature & Fiction, Genre Fiction
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Seamus Heaney I Collected Poems (published 1966-1975)
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Henri had a passion for Napoleon, and Napoleon had a passion for chicken. From Boulogne to Moscow Henri butchered for his emperor and never killed a single man. Meanwhile, in Venice, the city of chance and disguises, Villanelle was born with the webbed feet of her boatman father - but in the casinos she gambled her heart and lost. As the soldier-chef's love for Napoleon turns to hate, he finds the Venetian beauty, and together they flee to the canals of darkness.
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A good book
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A joy to read or listen to.
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The Ultimate Christmas Cracker
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In 1969, John Julius Norwich, the legendary popular historian, gathered together the favourite things he'd come across in the last 365 days into one short charming pamphlet. Initially just a treat for his friends, it rapidly turned into a huge word-of-mouth success. And soon the arrival of John Julius Norwich's latest 'Christmas Cracker' became as essential a part of the English Christmas experience as holly and mistletoe. Norwich had a brilliant eye for a story and telling detail, and his Crackers are full of jokes, warmth and wit.
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Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit
- By: Jeanette Winterson
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- Unabridged
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Winner of the Whitbread Prize for best first fiction. Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit is a coming-out novel from Winterson, the acclaimed author of The Passion and Sexing the Cherry. The narrator, Jeanette, cuts her teeth on the knowledge that she is one of God’s elect, but as this budding evangelical comes of age and comes to terms with her preference for her own sex, the peculiar balance of her God-fearing household crumbles.
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Weighing up the church and personal beliefs
- By Suswati on 14-08-17
Summary
From the New York Times best-selling author of Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? comes an enchanting collection of stories for the holiday season.
For years Jeanette Winterson has loved writing a new story at Christmastime, and here she brings together 12 of her brilliantly imaginative, funny and bold tales. For the 12 Days of Christmas - a time of celebration, sharing and giving - she offers these 12 plus one: a personal story of her own Christmas memories.
These tales give the listener a portal into the spirit of the season, where time slows down and magic starts to happen. From trees with mysterious powers to a tinsel baby that talks, philosophical fairies to flying dogs, a haunted house and a disappearing train, Winterson's innovative stories encompass the childlike and spooky wonder of Christmas. Perfect for listening to by the fire with loved ones or while traveling home for the holidays. Enjoy the season of peace and goodwill, mystery and a little bit of magic courtesy of one of our most fearless and accomplished writers.
What listeners say about Christmas Days
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Sophie
- 15-01-17
I love this - it's a keeper
I found these short (and often moving) stories, intervened with the authors christmas foody traditions, inspiring and reflective - I am going to make listening to them again one of my Christmas traditions. The readers are superb - clever and funny.
12 people found this helpful
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- Alex Morrison
- 05-12-16
A thoughtful choice for the Christmas season
Overall I enjoyed this miscellany of Christmas stories and the author's observations of the season. But it is when Jeanette Winterson talks about her own life and her own experiences that the book is by far the most interesting. The little stories in between her reminiscences are a bit formulaic and predictable with shades of A Christmas Carol or the Hollywood movie It's A Wonderful Life. But I really enjoyed the author's insights into her own life as the adopted child of Pentecostal parents living in Accrington in the 1960s. The message of the whole book is to carve yourself out some time at Christmas for philosophical reflection and to do this by taking a little 'time out of time' to cook or read or remember or plan. Well worth a shot.
11 people found this helpful
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- Bike fan
- 29-12-16
Fabulous!
Wonderful stories and anecdotes. The most festive and heartwarming book I have read or listened to in years. I'm going to give this as a gift to friends next year. Highly recommended.
8 people found this helpful
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- Lol
- 02-02-17
Bloody fabulous!
I must be inspired, having never considered myself to be a particularly good reviewer, certainly not in the written word. Rarely been a book reader, having the attention span of around 3 sentences.
So.......I'm giving audio books a go. My best pal recommended Jeanette as an author, as she is a Lancashire lass, just as we are.
I adore this format - lots of short stories, bursting with light hearted intrigue, with the odd (!) recipe interspersed - even I managed to focus on each one! love it!
Jeanette mentioned something in the Gravadlax recipe that resonated personally, I literally felt a jolt. This has enticed me to take a leap to a whole big book next, it's sat waiting for my attention, after all Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal........
Great job Jeanette, so happy I was guided toward your stuff! 😁 L
10 people found this helpful
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- Deborah
- 08-01-17
wonderful
I love listening to Jeanette reading this mixture of life stories and her Christmas fiction. I learned things about Christmas that I didn't know and Best of all, there are recipes throughout. This was a wonderful suprise as I love books that contain recipes as part of the narrative. I shall be trying some of them out as they sound delicious.
Thank you Jeanette for a glorious book
2 people found this helpful
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- Samantha Jones
- 05-01-17
Loved every minute of it
loved it. Jeanette and Imogen read beautifully x
The stories are heartfelt and poignant. The coming and going of life highlighted and shared wonderfully. Thank you to the author xx
2 people found this helpful
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- Harriet Ellis
- 03-01-17
I will listen every Christmas (my new tradition)
I loved every minute of this warm and funny and clever book.
I enjoyed the feasts and the stories the whole book enhanced my Christmas and I learnt some interesting facts.
It will definitely be my own personal tradition to listen to this book from now on.
2 people found this helpful
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- Pinkcat74
- 19-12-16
I love this book
I did so enjoy listening to the book, the stories are intriguing, uplifting and entertaining
I don't normally listen to short stories but at this busy time of year I don't always have as much time so listening is much easier when I don't have to concentrate and follow a long complex story. The authors interludes are wonderful, I even purchased the book so I can savour the stories and reread the recipes (I do wish you could have a discount on the paper format if you have the audible version) The narrator was also wonderful, some of the stories i listened to with my daughter we especially loved the Snowmama! Thankyou Jeanette I will revisit this book every Christmas
1 person found this helpful
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- R. De St Gotch
- 23-12-20
Very enjoyable
Loved the 12 different stories and the recipes afterwards. This is definitely a book I will be listening to every Christmas. Narration very good too.
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- Catriona macKenzie
- 22-12-20
Outstanding book
I loved every part of this book. I’d never previously read or listened to this author but will now. I can’t recommend this book highly enough it is so enjoyable, first class stories and perfectly narrated. Perfect for Christmas.