Burn, Christmas! Burn!! [Hardcover]

Brian Gage (Author), Jeff Petersen (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 2, 2004

Santa's elves are tired of being third-rate drones in his oppressive sweatshop. The labor is backbreaking and the greedy Santa and his crotchety CFO, Mrs. Claus, have worn their patience thin. They're mad as hell and they're not going to take it anymore. In this hilarious poke at modern Christmas mythology, Santa's not-so-cheery little toy-makers act more like disgruntled postal workers when they plot to overthrow their boss, smash the factory, and turn the reindeer into reindeer stew. There'll be nothing under the tree for one and all, unless little children agree to help crush their portly oppressors with a little merry activism. Subversive and dark, but also fun and cathartic, this illustrated workplace satire will bring the gift of ho-ho-ho to any disaffected office worker.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Brian Gage is also the author of The Saddest Little Robot that was awarded the Booksense 76 Children's Selection in 2004. Jeff Petersen's work regularly appears in SF Weekly and SF Bay Guardian. He has also illustrated for 10,000 Maniacs.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Soft Skull Press (November 2, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1932360557
• ISBN-13: 978-1932360554
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 8.2 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,240,153 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I was born in Youngstown, Ohio and lived there most my life. Moved to San Francisco, CA after graduating from Ohio State, and finally found my way to Los Angeles which coincided with the publication of my first book. In addition to four books, I also have a short story published in Politically Inspired called "The Vampires of Draconian Hill" which I am currently developing into a 3 part vampire epic.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Chrismas Inferno (Burn the Mutha' Down), November 30, 2004

By 

Jessica Ferguson "threelittlebirds" (Woodbury, NJ) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Burn, Christmas! Burn!! (Hardcover)

Dark and angry, and yet hysterically funny, Brian Gage and Jeff Peterson have created a scathing commentary of Christmas that looks like a children's picture book.

Bippy the Elf (whose real name is Eugene Vladimir Von Triton Krinkeltoot), gives us a rhyming tour of Santa's famous "workshop" where the head CEO himself forces the elves to work night and day and where they never get any benefits in return, ("Last year reindeer droppings were the bonus to the staff.") all so that YOU can have a Merry Christmas.

So this year, Bippy and the elves decide to stage an Elven Revolution to get out of Santa's Sweatshop and are planning to come right into YOUR HOME!

Anyone who has overloaded on Christmas marketing and the exploitation of the worldwide labor force will love this little book, even if the symbolism is a bit obvious.

I would recommend one for everyone on your Christmas list...but it is printed in China...

Burn, Christmas, Burn!!!

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brian Gage is Crazy - So is this Book!, November 11, 2004

By 

Mike0689 "Mike" (New Jersey, the whole state) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Burn, Christmas! Burn!! (Hardcover)

Finally! A book that sinks it's teeth into the glitter of Christmas and rips out its heart! It's really funny and really dark. The author is a sick person, and I mean that as a compliment. Christmas has deserved this kind of send up for some time, and the elves in this book are just the ones to do it! I haven't laughed at a book this much since Get Your War On! I highly recommened this twisted Christmas tale.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Burn it Down! Loved it., July 21, 2006

By 

Heather Roade (St. Louis) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Burn, Christmas! Burn!! (Hardcover)

I thought it might be a little strange to order this book during the summer, but hey Christmas in July why not? Although, it's not quite what I expected, I surprisingly got a big kick out of this mean-spirited little book I think due to my own aversion to Christmas festivities.

Particularly well done was the demise of the other reindeer at Rudolph's hands:
"And all the reindeer games at which Rudolph could never play,
He'll be the one who's laughing and name calling Christmas Day."
The illustration that accompanies it is very well done and really sick-minded.

If you like books that are a little out there, and convey a sick sense of humor, then you can't go wrong here. I thought it was really audacious.