The Boat of Dreams: A Christmas Story

by Richard Preston and Friederike Barkow

In 1969, William Foster, Sr., a thirty-three-year-old army reserve soldier, is lost in action in Vietnam. He leaves behind his beloved wife, Sarah Ann; a six-year-old daughter, Lila; and a... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 074324592X
• ISBN13: 9780743245920
• Release Date: October 2003
• Publisher: Touchstone Books
• Length: 111 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.7" x 7.8"

Customer Reviews

"A Night Before Christmas" for the 21st Century

Richard Preston has written an entirely contemporary, essentially timeless Christmas story. Who else but this New Yorker writer who's published widely acclaimed books on everything from American steel to African viruses would be brave enough introduce youngsters to a Santa Claus who begins this book as a depressed couch potato and gradually reclaims his rightful status as God's own St. Nicholas. I challenge you to read it aloud. Your children will laugh heartily through much of the tale, but you'll be hard pressed to finish it with dry eyes.

An Inspiring Christmas Tale

What a joy to read. Mr. Preston has done it again! He has woven a wonderful story that reminds us what Christmas is all about! It is NOT about commercialism and shop til you drop, it is about wishing and hoping and caring about each of us on the planet!Imbedded in this marvelous story is a bit about life in Maine and life in the late 1960's and even what it's like to be a Red Sox fan (very relevant for 2003!)It is a great book for children and adults to read together! A must have holiday book! I highly recommend it!

Ideal Christmas gift

"The Boat of Dreams" is my candidate for this year's run-away Christmas gift. It's an appealing story for the whole family and a lovely volume to give to friends and relatives.

A Jewel ...

The Boat of Dreams is a departure for Richard Preston, but what range it shows! This is destined to be a family treasure that comes out every holiday to be read and shared by all. It is a tender story of loss, and love, and most importantly hope... a story that will bring tears to your eyes and encourage a few laughs, too. The genesis behind the writing of this jewel is moving as well, and Preston's intentions to share the profits for cancer research are to be commended (and copied!). Enjoy.

The Boat of Dreams: A Christmas Story

This is a little gem of a book, for all ages. It reminds us of what Christmas should be all about: not shopping, but of love, kindness and faith. There's lots of magic, humor and drama, too, with children flying through the sky in Santa's lobster boat-sleigh, a mean landlord trying to evict the family, a father away at war, and neighbors who at first covet the missing father's particularly beautiful lobster boat and in the end find the true spirit of Christmas in their hearts. The scenes and characters are beautifully evoked and drawn. And it shows the impressive breadth of this author known for his meticulously researched books on bio-terrorism.