Customer Reviews

A Different Kind of Christmas

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When Fletcher Randall returned home to Ashe County, North Carolina from the College of New Jersey (Princeton) and suggested that the family have a "truly different Christmas celebration," his parents, wealthy plantation owners and slaveholders, had no idea how different it would be.

They know of his "stormy relationship with the Yankee students" and his "incompatibility with his Southern classmates." However, Fletcher had not told them that he had become "friends" with "Friends" - better known as "Quakers whom his father deplored for their strong anti- slavery views." That friendship was the beginning of a transformation in the thinking of the heir to the plantation and his father's political position. He learned that the best and most important education does not come from books, lectures, library, nor the family. Instead, it comes from the ability to think for oneself and the courage to follow one's conscience - even if it means risking everything.

Alex Haley skillfully tells a story of a young man and his struggle between doing what his parents, background, and culture instilled in him and what he came to realize was right. It is also the story of the Underground Railroad - its history, how it operated, the dangers faced by escaping slaves and "conductors" alike, and how a simple woodland noise or an innocent question from a stranger could mean the difference between life and death.

This is a simple story, and the reader knows from the beginning the choices Fletcher will make. However, wanting to know how and when they will be made and who will be involved makes you read on and on.

This book joins the list of others, which I will read at Christmas time year after year. It should become a Christmas classic.

I never read Haley until now and I am sorry it has taken so long.The story starts off like an after school special but, suddenly picks up speed and turns into an amazing novel.Haley has a way of just giving enough to spark your imagination. I thought about this book for a long time. I guess what I got out of it was how each of us can over come our percieved ideas and become better people.

"A Different Kind of Christmas" is the tale of a white southern born and bred college student (Fletcher) during the mid 1800's. Fletcher is the only son of a wealthy slave owning senator who believes a northern education is excellent preparation for his son's eventual ownership of the plantation. After being befriended by Quaker classmates, Fletcher's education is broadened to include the abolitionist doctrines upheld by the Quakers. As Fletcher integrates this new knowledge into his worldview, he is moved to join the Underground Rail Road system and is assigned the task of freeing slaves from his hometown in North Carolina.

Fletcher is joined by a slave from his hometown, Harpin' John, who is also a part of the UGRR. Together they plan the escape of twelve slaves. The story takes a turn when the escape plans are discovered. Suddenly, Fletcher and Harpin' John are fleeing from sure execution at the hands of the slave patrol.

This little tale is filled with information on the abolitionist movement while at the same time delivers a fable like story that appeals to children and adults. This is an excellent read for children. As an ongoing bedtime story or independent read the novel portrays an integral part of American history in an easily readable format. This will make a nice addition to children's libraries.

Alex Haley probes the depths of the Southern mindset of the times with regard to the horrific prejudice Whites had against Blacks. Slave owners regarded their slaves as less than human, yet loved them and depended upon them when they kept their place. The social and spiritual awakening of Fletcher Randall, a prominent slave owner's son, is an amazing story. The Quaker influence on this young man's thinking is rightfully and skillfully acknowledged as he commits himself to being an agent for the Underground Railroad with a challenging assignment. My only regret is that the ending felt abrupt to me, leaving me wishing for more details about the outcome over the Christmas holidays. Perhaps Mr. Haley is wise in letting the reader use his/her own imagination about that.

"Alex Haley's Roots is one of the world's most beloved and important books. In A Different Kind of Christmas, the intense drama of a white Southerner and a black slave who work toward a mutual goal, Haley once again gives us a moving story of physical and moral courage, and an unforgettable tale of spiritual regeneration. Rendered with a matchless sense of time and place, a poetic humanness, and a rich, robust humor; A Different Kind of Christmas will delight and inspire reader of all ages and faith for generations to come."

So says the inside of the dust jacket. Here I am reading this for the first time, 20 years after it's first printing, a white, non-Christian. I cried when it was over. Not a lot, but it definitely affected me.

Fletcher Randall, son of the owner of "North Carolina's 4th largest plantation", is a sophomore at Princeton when we meet him. After meeting and spending some time with 3 Quaker brothers, Fletcher becomes disillusioned with what he was brought up considering 'normal'; that people can be your property. Fletcher eventually becomes involved with the Underground Railroad (UGRR). Fletcher spends part of one of his Christmas breaks helping the UGRR in a surprising way. I'm trying not to give away too much. It's a 101 pages, pick it up, read it and I think you'll find that it picks you up in return.

Author, Alex Haley (Roots), does indeed write "A Different Kind of Christmas" book. It deals with a teenage only-son from a N. Carolina plantation (Fletcher Randall) who attends college in New Jersey. There becomes aware of his belief that slavery is wrong, through friendship with Quaker schoolmates.

He offers his assistance to the underground railroad people and is given the assignment to assist getting a group of slaves away from his own home county, indeed, some from his own father's plantation. He will meet a slave co-organizer of the escape. The escape is intended to happen during local events on Christmas Eve, 1855. Plans go awry. Will the slaves escape? Will Fletcher and his assistant, Harpin' John, survive?

It is a different Christmas story and one that will never become outdated. It is a fine bit of historical fiction. Is it fiction? It is written so well, a spell-binder, that one wonders how much is truth. This book is even more significant now, due to the Obama election.

A book for schools across the nation, as well as homeschoolers.

i normally have about three books i'm reading at any given time...but this one,very good,i just couldnt put it down. I t is 8 chapters loaded with exciting tidbits about the Underground Railroad,life in the South, and life at college.All that lead expertly to an exciting conclusion,but more importantly, leaves the reader soul searching in a very positive way. Sort of like an uplifting Sunday morning sermon.