Holiday Gift Guide Review - The Christmas Gift

The Christmas Gift
by R. William Bennett
isbn: 978-0982560631

Description:

An accomplished business leader, speaker, and teacher, R. William Bennett has added author to his list of credentials. His new book, THE CHRISTMAS GIFT (Burgess Adams/October 2010), is a powerful and moving story about compassion and forgiveness that reminds people to embrace these values in their day-to-day lives. A perfect book for families to read together or for individuals to enjoy alone, THE CHRISTMAS GIFT will touch your heart and your mind in unforgettable ways.

Ben and Scott are sixth-grade boys who meet under stressful circumstances – Scott is the new kid in town, and Ben, by all accounts, is the school bully who terrorizes everyone in his path. After one-too-many confrontations, Scott lashes out, yelling at Ben, telling him that everybody hates him.

But Scott was not raised to be mean, and the glimmer of hurt that he saw in Ben’s eyes haunts him for days. After a long talk with his father, Scott realizes that he owes Ben an apology, and he sets out to bravely confront his tormentor – ultimately forging a close friendship with a young man who is not a bully, but someone with a life-threatening heart ailment. Ben ultimately succumbs to his illness, but not without leaving a wonderful Christmas gift to his one true friend.

With THE CHRISTMAS GIFT, Bennett has created a story that spreads the message of personal responsibility. The book can be used by parents, teachers, and other adults to instill core values in children and teenagers. As Bennett explains, “I hope this story will be passed from parent to child; from teacher to students; from generation to generation.” In THE CHRISTMAS GIFT he writes, “And so it has continued, from one person to the next . . . Because a young boy listened to his conscience, because a caring father counseled him, because an apology was offered, because hearts were softened, and because forgiveness was given, a great blessing was bestowed upon two young boys that eventually fanned out for generations . . .”

THE CHRISTMAS GIFT is a poignant tale of compassion that readers will revisit time and time again as a reminder that there can be peace and harmony in the world. It’s up to each individual to take the first step.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

R. William Bennett, who resides with his family in Utah, has lived on both the East and West Coasts. A former executive at IBM and FranklinCovey, Bennett is an accomplished leader, speaker, teacher, and writer. THE CHRISTMAS GIFT is his first book. He is working on several other books, both fiction and non-fiction.

My review: While I haven't read through the entire book just yet, it does provide an easy, heartwarming read. This book would make a good last minute inexpensive gift or stocking stuffer for anyone who would enjoy reading a story about friendship, sadness, forgiveness, and understanding. The story itself does not scream Christmas so could be read any time of year and the book is small in size with each chapter being short enough that reading it out loud would not be an issue if you enjoy doing that.

You can pick up a copy for yourself from Amazon or directly from the Authors website