shelflife
then&now by Sharon Penny
ALBUMS
BOOKS
DVDs
THEN:
THEN:
THEN:
Pretty Paper – Willie Nelson To fully appreciate Willie’s languid genius, the 1979 classic Pretty Paper is a great place to start. It’s not just his choice of songs – like the gorgeous Roy Orbison title track – but the way every song becomes his own while still evoking everything you love about the originals. There are many great country Christmas albums, but only Willie comes so close to perfection.
Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien Along with regaling the world of Middle Earth, Tolkien amused his children with tales, as told by Father Christmas to the young boys via a hand-addressed letter every December. Spanning from 1920 through 1943, this volume includes reproductions of the letters themselves, along with text of the delightful stories Tolkien wove of life in the North Pole.
The Original Christmas Classics Rankin/Bass equals Christmas. At least it did in my house as a child. From the weird noise that Rudolph’s nose makes when it lights up to aspiring dentist Hermey the Elf and Mickey Rooney’s vibrant Santa Claus, to Frosty’s famous “HAP-PY BIRTH-DAY” exclamation and Jimmy Durante’s narration, these ’60s TV specials never lose their charm.
NOW:
NOW:
On This Winter’s Night – Lady Antebellum Grammy winners Lady Antebellum are getting into the Christmas spirit with On This Winter’s Night, a new collection of traditional Christmas favorites. The style will surprise some Lady A fans, evoking Bing Crosby classics with rich orchestral arrangements. It’s a taste of the old, with a flair for the new.
A Christmas Carol narrated by Tom Baker (audio book) British actor Tom Baker, best known to Doctor Who fans as the Fourth Doctor, further extends his legendary capacity with this eagerly anticipated reading of Charles Dickens’ beloved Christmas classic. Baker’s expressive and sonorous voice will be a familiar delight to many, and a pleasant surprise for many more.
NOW: Arthur Christmas A box office hit in theaters last November, Arthur Christmas finally hit DVD. A new Christmas tale from Aardman Animations, the crew behind the beloved Wallace and Grommit, and featuring the voice work of James McAvoy (X-Men: First Class), Hugh Laurie (TV’s House), Bill Nighy (Pirates of the Caribbean) and Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid of Harry Potter), this is one for the whole family.
FLICKS WITH STYLE – The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey The same creative team from the immensely popular Lord of the Rings series returns to the J.R.R. Tolkien universe bringing the prequel story of The Hobbit to the big screen. Ian McKellen, as Gandalf, leads a pack of Halflings on a new adventure in a planned trilogy. In theaters December 14. —Justin Buettner For Style movie-guru Justin’s thoughts on more December movie releases, visit stylemg. com and click on Flicks with Style! And, for even more, visit facebook.com/flickswithstyle. 18 stylemg.com - December 2012
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