talesuponmyshelf_'s review
5.0
I was so excited to receive this little book. It is everything that I love. There is a carol for each day in December to use as a countdown to Christmas. Each day you get the lyrics to the song, a QR code to watch a performance of the song, and a short "About the Carol." Is the perfect advent to enjoy with your family and I'm fully looking forward to it this Christmas!
cathy_acasefullofbooks's review
5.0
This was a really fun advent of carols. Each day until Christmas you can learn a little bit more about a Christmas carol, and each day also includes a QR code that you can scan to watch a performance of the song. It really makes for a fun tradition.
*Thank you to Shadow Mountain Publishing for the ARC*
*Thank you to Shadow Mountain Publishing for the ARC*
thecleanreadbookclub's review
5.0
There is a good chance you’ll find your favorite in this book-or a new favorite!
About the book: Get in the Christmas spirit with this unique collection of the most beloved Christmas carols, from the warmly nostalgic to the majestically solemn and uplifting. The book features one carol for each day from December first to Christmas Eve, & presents both the lyrics & the fascinating stories & interesting facts behind the creation of the songs. Each entry deepens our understanding of the music & enhances our appreciation of why these songs are culturally important & dearly treasured.
From popular, familiar carols to lesser known but cherished hymns, author Michael D. Young combines his musical expertise with information specific to each song.
"O Little Town of Bethlehem" was written by an American preacher, Philip Brooks, after traveling to Bethlehem in 1868 to find peace after the horrors of the Civil War & assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Brooks's original poem, with one largely unknown final verse, is included along with the lyrics of the beloved carol.
"In the Bleak Midwinter" was voted the best Christmas carol by a BBC survey of experts, but the song was actually created from a poem by Christina Rosetti & did not become a carol until decades after her death when it was paired with music by Gustav Holst. Today, Rosetti is considered one of the most important poets of the nineteenth century, & the carol she unintentionally penned is one of the most haunting & beloved of all time…(full synopsis in the comments).
As someone who LOVES music and history, this little gem is a must-have item!! I have had so much fun learning about familiar carols as well as being introduced to new ones! There are QR codes for each song too-which adds a really fun element overall!
This is a great addition to any music lovers book collection! It’s perfect for gift giving too!
Thanks to the publisher for the copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.
About the book: Get in the Christmas spirit with this unique collection of the most beloved Christmas carols, from the warmly nostalgic to the majestically solemn and uplifting. The book features one carol for each day from December first to Christmas Eve, & presents both the lyrics & the fascinating stories & interesting facts behind the creation of the songs. Each entry deepens our understanding of the music & enhances our appreciation of why these songs are culturally important & dearly treasured.
From popular, familiar carols to lesser known but cherished hymns, author Michael D. Young combines his musical expertise with information specific to each song.
"O Little Town of Bethlehem" was written by an American preacher, Philip Brooks, after traveling to Bethlehem in 1868 to find peace after the horrors of the Civil War & assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Brooks's original poem, with one largely unknown final verse, is included along with the lyrics of the beloved carol.
"In the Bleak Midwinter" was voted the best Christmas carol by a BBC survey of experts, but the song was actually created from a poem by Christina Rosetti & did not become a carol until decades after her death when it was paired with music by Gustav Holst. Today, Rosetti is considered one of the most important poets of the nineteenth century, & the carol she unintentionally penned is one of the most haunting & beloved of all time…(full synopsis in the comments).
As someone who LOVES music and history, this little gem is a must-have item!! I have had so much fun learning about familiar carols as well as being introduced to new ones! There are QR codes for each song too-which adds a really fun element overall!
This is a great addition to any music lovers book collection! It’s perfect for gift giving too!
Thanks to the publisher for the copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.
melissasbookshelf's review
5.0
I’m always on the hunt for new Christmas traditions to share with my family. This delightful book is just what I was looking for! It offers a unique way to enjoy beautiful Christmas carols in a count down to Christmas.
The 24 carols range from beloved favorites like Silent Night and Away in a Manger, to carols I wasn’t as familiar with like In Dulci Jubilo (In Sweet Rejoicing). Each day in the countdown has one carol complete with all the lyrics, a brief well-researched history of the carol, and a QR code you can click on with your phone or tablet that takes you to a video or audio performance of the carol with famous artists including the Tabernacle Choir.
I loved the way I could click on a QR code to immediately take me to the carol. It’s also nice to have all the lyrics so my family and I can sing along while listening. The histories of the carols were so interesting. One of my favorites was the story of I Wonder as I Wander. The carol was first known as Appalachian Carol by John Jacob Niles who published collections of folk songs and poems he’d both written and adapted. He first heard a version of the carol sung by a young preacher’s daughter named Annie Morgan while traveling in the Appalachians in 1933. He took the song and arranged and adapted it into the familiar carol we know today.
I’m looking forward to sharing this book with my family and using it as a fun way to count down the days to Christmas. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own and I was not required to provide a positive review.
The 24 carols range from beloved favorites like Silent Night and Away in a Manger, to carols I wasn’t as familiar with like In Dulci Jubilo (In Sweet Rejoicing). Each day in the countdown has one carol complete with all the lyrics, a brief well-researched history of the carol, and a QR code you can click on with your phone or tablet that takes you to a video or audio performance of the carol with famous artists including the Tabernacle Choir.
I loved the way I could click on a QR code to immediately take me to the carol. It’s also nice to have all the lyrics so my family and I can sing along while listening. The histories of the carols were so interesting. One of my favorites was the story of I Wonder as I Wander. The carol was first known as Appalachian Carol by John Jacob Niles who published collections of folk songs and poems he’d both written and adapted. He first heard a version of the carol sung by a young preacher’s daughter named Annie Morgan while traveling in the Appalachians in 1933. He took the song and arranged and adapted it into the familiar carol we know today.
I’m looking forward to sharing this book with my family and using it as a fun way to count down the days to Christmas. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own and I was not required to provide a positive review.
bender13's review
5.0
Advanced reader copy through Edelweiss+
Fantastic history behind many famous, as well as a few lesser known, Christmas carols. The full lyrics of each carol are listed in the text, and for many of them that were originally in a language other than English it has the full lyrics in their original language. Following the text is a brief, but highly detailed history of the lyrics and the melodies behind each carol and a QR code to be able to hear each carol.
Strongly recommend for anyone who loves Christmas music, the history of Christmas carols, or someone looking for an Advent calendar of a different variety.
Fantastic history behind many famous, as well as a few lesser known, Christmas carols. The full lyrics of each carol are listed in the text, and for many of them that were originally in a language other than English it has the full lyrics in their original language. Following the text is a brief, but highly detailed history of the lyrics and the melodies behind each carol and a QR code to be able to hear each carol.
Strongly recommend for anyone who loves Christmas music, the history of Christmas carols, or someone looking for an Advent calendar of a different variety.
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