HOME FOR CHRISTMAS: Stories for Young and Old

This is undoubtedly the most literary collection of Christmas stories to be published this season. The editors at Plough have taken a conservative approach, eschewing sentimental claptrap in favor of classic, elegant writing. There are some standard-bearers here, including Henry van Dyke's enduring yarn "The Other Wise Man" and Pearl S. Buck's gentle and touching story "Christmas Day in the Morning." Some contributions are deeply theological (Madeleine L'Engle's "Transfiguration") while others offer the dark, discerning cadences of a timeless fable (Selma Lagerlöf's "The Christmas Rose"). The collection has an international flavor, with stories set in Cuba, Germany, Siberia, Palestine, Denmark and Spain, as well as in Vermont and New York City. Readers who crave literary excellence as well as a heartwarming Christmas message will relish this carefully selected and intelligent anthology. (Sept.)