Philip Van Doren Stern

Scott McKowen

George Pratt, depressed and contemplating suicide, is allowed to see what his community would have been like if he had never been born

The Greatest Gift

George Pratt, depressed and contemplating suicide, is allowed to see what his community would have been like if he had never been born, in a hardcover reissue of the story that inspired the film It's a Wonderful Life. 100,000 first printing.

A Christmas Tale

“You had the greatest gift of all conferred upon you—the gift of life, of being a part of this world and taking a part in it. Yet you denied that gift.”
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My knowledge about Christmas classics are really quite limited, however I have come to the conclusion that most seasonal literature revolves around the same concept: the appreciation of life that comes swiftly after a series of regretful flashbacks, which I have named as the Christmas Carol awakening.
The Greatest Gift, which was later adapted to the screen as It’s A Wonderful Life is no exception to this trend. Here, we have a heartwarming, uplifting story that follows closely in the footsteps of Ebenezer Scrooge, albeit in a much more simplified and shortened manner.
A quick, sweet story to read during Christmas time to get in the mood.

Jacqueline Englund

Megan Oiler 

A short read! 40 pages. 

I wanted to read this book in December since it’s what inspired my favorite Christmas movie, it’s a wonderful life! However, the holds were obnoxiously long, but worth the wait.

Gabriela Roxana 

Sometimes one short story can change the world. This one surely did, and it warmed my heart on this Christmas Eve.

The Greatest Gift

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