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The Christmas Pearl | 
 enlarge | Author: Dorothea Benton Frank
Publisher: William Morrow
Category: Book
List Price: $14.95
Buy New: $6.25
You Save: $8.70 (58%)
New (30) Used (17) Collectible (3) from $6.02
Avg. Customer Rating:  21 reviews
Sales Rank: 16204
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 176
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.6
Dimensions (in): 7.6 x 5.3 x 0.9
ISBN: 0061438448
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9780739488553
ASIN: 0061438448
Publication Date: November 1, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Condition: new!!
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Product Description
Theodora is the matriarch of a family that has grown into a bunch of truculent knuckleheads. While she's finally gotten them all together in South Carolina to celebrate, this Christmas looks nothing like the extravagant, homey holidays of her childhood. What happened to the days when Christmas meant tables groaning with home-cooked goodies, over-the-top decorations, and long chats in front of the fire with Pearl, her grandmother's beloved housekeeper and closest confidante? Luckily for Theodora, a special someone who heard her plea for help arrives, with pockets full of enough Gullah magic and common sense to make Theodora's Christmas the love-filled miracle it's meant to be.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 16 more reviews...
 Dorothea Benton Frank is the author of seven bestsellers July 15, 2008
Her first was Sullivan's Island (Lowcountry Tales) and her newest is The Land of Mango Sunsets. In her newest The Christmas Pearl she explores the story of a fractured family --- their rivalries, insecurities, secrets, and lies --- and how, through the desperation of Theodora and the magic of Pearl, they rediscover their deep devotion to each other. Pull up a chair to the perfectly set holiday table while Frank shows the grand old house as it breathes and rattles in protest and her characters do the same. But despite all their problems, the truth is: love never dies. This volume includes the recipes that bring Theodora's family together and vintage photographs of winters gone by. It's a classic holiday story, unique because of its Gullah influences, and a contemplation of mysterious things we may never quite understand. And if you missed TIN0'S masterful novel: FATES I'd highly recommend it. I found it at a bookstore and it was great! Fates
 A little holiday magic! July 15, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
The Christmas Pearl
Ms Theodora is 93. Her children, their children all live in her childhood home, as is the custom. It is going to be Christmas Eve, but these days nothing is like it used to be. The families fight constantly, and Theodora doesn't know what to do. She gets help in an unexpected way, with a little bit of help from Clean Slate Punch and Reconciliation Eggnog thrown in, we have a short book but the message comes across.
Will everyone find it in themselves to try a bit harder to get along? Read and find out!! I really enjoyed this book. It was short, I read it within an hour. I loved every minute of it and who couldn't love ALL the recipes in the back?? That is a bonus!!!
 Fast read June 4, 2008
This is the smallest book you will read all year. While I wanted to love the story, I thought it lacked real imagination and I never fully cared for any of the characters. I have felt that the last few books by Dorothea Frank have been flat. The last book she wrote was just a re-write of Sullivan's Island. This book is fast and has some good recipes and is a quick read. For that reason alone that I gave it three stars.
The Christmas Pearl March 26, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
The Christmas Pearl
If you're GRITS (Girls Raised in the South), you'll really understand the premise of this book. But it's a great, feel-good read for anyone who enjoys nostalgia and appreciates the wisdom that comes with age.
A real holiday gem but thin on character development February 28, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I love Dot Benton Frank's books and think of them as books with wonderfully curious characters, humor, sorrow, and tremendous charm of place. Usually the book focuses a great deal on her protagonist and leaves the other characters thinly developed. I felt this book while filled with tremendous holiday warmth and charm was just too thin on character development even for Dot Benton Frank books which I usually give very high ratings to, accepting them for what they are...great fun and fast paced and filled with charm but not huge literary achievments in writing or character development. I realize that was a long sentence. Still...the characters in this book made me think of my childhood and special people that I wish would come back even just for a day. I think the book really hit the nail on the head emphasizing just how materialistic our holidays have become and how we rush around and forget that what is most important are people and being together with those we love. I loved this book even though I gave it a 3 star rating and I can't wait to read it again next Christmas just for the sheer warmth of feeling and charm. My problem with the book was the characters changed overnight in a way that nothing other than Christmas magic could have accomplished. Lots of charm and warmth here but super thin on plot and character development so for that I gave it a 3.
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