One of six beloved Christmas classics in collectible hardcover editions Written in 1816 by
one of the leaders of German Romanticism for his children nephews and nieces The Nutcracker
captures better than any other story a child's wonder at Christmas. The gift of a handsomely
decorated nutcracker from a mysterious uncle sets the stage for a Christmas Eve like no other
for the little girl Marie. That night Marie's extraordinary present comes to life defends her
from the taunting Mouse King and whisks her off to the Kingdom of Dolls. The inspiration for
the classic ballet E. T. A. Hoffmann's irresistible tale of magic and childhood adventure
continues to captivate readers of all ages. Today many of the most enchanting symbols of
Christmas from nutcrackers to sugar plums to mistletoe are still imbued with the power of
this story. Penguin Christmas Classics Give the gift of literature this Christmas.
Penguin Christmas Classics honor the power of literature to keep on giving through the ages.
The six volumes in the series are not only our most beloved Christmas tales they also have
given us much of what we love about the holiday itself. A Christmas Carol revived in Victorian
England such Christmas hallmarks as the Christmas tree holiday cards and caroling. The
Yuletide yarns of Anthony Trollope popularized throughout the British Empire and around the
world the trappings of Christmas in London. The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus created the
origin story for the presiding spirit of Christmas as we know it. The holiday tales of Louisa
May Alcott shaped the ideal of an American Christmas. The Night Before Christmas brought forth
some of our earliest Christmas traditions as passed down through folk tales. And The Nutcracker
inspired the most famous ballet in history one seen by millions in the twilight of every year.
Beautifully designed hardcovers-with foil-stamped jackets decorative endpapers and nameplates
for personalization-in a small trim size that makes them perfect stocking stuffers Penguin
Christmas Classics embody the spirit of giving that is at the heart of our most time-honored
stories about the holiday. Collect all six Penguin Christmas Classics: A Christmas Carol by
Charles Dickens Christmas at Thompson Hall: And Other Christmas Stories by Anthony Trollope The
Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum A Merry Christmas: And Other Christmas
Stories by Louisa May Alcott The Night Before Christmas by Nikolai Gogol The Nutcracker by E.
T. A. Hoffmann For more than seventy years Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic
literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1 700 titles Penguin Classics
represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and
disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions
and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors as well as up-to-date
translations by award-winning translators.
