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  <id>27748</id>
  <title><![CDATA[The Christmas Quilt (Elm Creek Quilts, #8)]]></title>
  <isbn><![CDATA[074328657X]]></isbn>
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  <description><![CDATA[When Christmas Eve comes to Elm Creek Manor, the tenor of the holiday is far from certain. Sylvia Bergstrom Compson, the Master Quilter, has her own reasons for preferring a quiet, even subdued, Christmas. Her young friend Sarah McClure, however, takes the opposite view and decides to deck the halls brightly. As she explores the trunks packed with Bergstrom family decorations that haven't been touched in more than fifty years, Sarah discovers a curious Christmas quilt. Begun in seasonal fabrics and patterns, the quilt remains unfinished.<p>Sylvia reveals that the handiwork spans several generations and a quartet of Bergstrom quilters -- her great aunt, her mother, her sister, and herself. As she examines the array of quilt blocks each family member contributed but never completed, memories of Christmases past emerge.<p>At Elm Creek Manor, Christmas began as a celebration of simple virtues -- joy and hope buoyed by the spirit of giving. As each successive generation of Bergstroms lived through its unique trials -- the antebellum era, the Great Depression, World War II -- tradition offered sustenance even during the most difficult times. For Sylvia, who is coping with the modern problem of family dispersed, estranged, or even forgotten, reconciliation with her personal history may prove as elusive as piecing the Christmas Quilt.<p>Elm Creek Manor is full of secrets, from a Christmas tree with unusual properties to the sublime Bergstrom strudel recipe. Sylvia's tales at first seem to inform her family legacy but ultimately illuminate far more, from the importance of women's art to its place in commemorating our shared experience, at Christmastime and in every season.<p></p></p></p></p>]]></description>
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  <original_publication_month type="integer">11</original_publication_month>
  <original_publication_year type="integer">2005</original_publication_year>
  <original_title>The Christmas Quilt: An Elm Creek Quilts Novel (Elm Creek Quilts Novels)</original_title>
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  <authors>
    <author>
    <id>11630</id>
        <name><![CDATA[Jennifer Chiaverini]]></name>
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    <name><![CDATA[Rita]]></name>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Christmas Quilt (Elm Creek Quilts, #8)]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>3.67</average_rating>
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    <![CDATA[When Christmas Eve comes to Elm Creek Manor, the tenor of the holiday is far from certain. Sylvia Bergstrom Compson, the Master Quilter, has her own reasons for preferring a quiet, even subdued, Christmas. Her young friend Sarah McClure, however, takes the opposite view and decides to deck the halls brightly. As she explores the trunks packed with Bergstrom family decorations that haven't been touched in more than fifty years, Sarah discovers a curious Christmas quilt. Begun in seasonal fabrics and patterns, the quilt remains unfinished.<p>Sylvia reveals that the handiwork spans several generations and a quartet of Bergstrom quilters -- her great aunt, her mother, her sister, and herself. As she examines the array of quilt blocks each family member contributed but never completed, memories of Christmases past emerge.<p>At Elm Creek Manor, Christmas began as a celebration of simple virtues -- joy and hope buoyed by the spirit of giving. As each successive generation of Bergstroms lived through its unique trials -- the antebellum era, the Great Depression, World War II -- tradition offered sustenance even during the most difficult times. For Sylvia, who is coping with the modern problem of family dispersed, estranged, or even forgotten, reconciliation with her personal history may prove as elusive as piecing the Christmas Quilt.<p>Elm Creek Manor is full of secrets, from a Christmas tree with unusual properties to the sublime Bergstrom strudel recipe. Sylvia's tales at first seem to inform her family legacy but ultimately illuminate far more, from the importance of women's art to its place in commemorating our shared experience, at Christmastime and in every season.<p></p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2005</published>
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    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>1</votes>
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  <read_at>Thu Apr 10 00:00:00 -0700 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Wed Apr 23 17:49:00 -0700 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Fri Apr 25 21:31:47 -0700 2008</date_updated>
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    <body><![CDATA[I had read the Quilter's Apprentice and after meeting the characters wanted to read more in this heartwarming (but a little sad) series. We had met Sarah McClure who meets and befriends Sylvia, a cranky lady moving back to her childhood home, Elm Creek Manor.  Sarah is given quilting lessons and dur...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/20831453">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
  <id>81531145</id>
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    <name><![CDATA[Lisa]]></name>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Christmas Quilt (Elm Creek Quilts, #8)]]>
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  <average_rating>3.67</average_rating>
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  <description>
    <![CDATA[When Christmas Eve comes to Elm Creek Manor, the tenor of the holiday is far from certain. Sylvia Bergstrom Compson, the Master Quilter, has her own reasons for preferring a quiet, even subdued, Christmas. Her young friend Sarah McClure, however, takes the opposite view and decides to deck the halls brightly. As she explores the trunks packed with Bergstrom family decorations that haven't been touched in more than fifty years, Sarah discovers a curious Christmas quilt. Begun in seasonal fabrics and patterns, the quilt remains unfinished.<p>Sylvia reveals that the handiwork spans several generations and a quartet of Bergstrom quilters -- her great aunt, her mother, her sister, and herself. As she examines the array of quilt blocks each family member contributed but never completed, memories of Christmases past emerge.<p>At Elm Creek Manor, Christmas began as a celebration of simple virtues -- joy and hope buoyed by the spirit of giving. As each successive generation of Bergstroms lived through its unique trials -- the antebellum era, the Great Depression, World War II -- tradition offered sustenance even during the most difficult times. For Sylvia, who is coping with the modern problem of family dispersed, estranged, or even forgotten, reconciliation with her personal history may prove as elusive as piecing the Christmas Quilt.<p>Elm Creek Manor is full of secrets, from a Christmas tree with unusual properties to the sublime Bergstrom strudel recipe. Sylvia's tales at first seem to inform her family legacy but ultimately illuminate far more, from the importance of women's art to its place in commemorating our shared experience, at Christmastime and in every season.<p></p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
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    <rating>4</rating>
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  <read_at>Sat Dec 19 00:00:00 -0800 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Sat Dec 19 20:54:56 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sat Dec 19 21:45:01 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I had never read the Elm Creek Quilt books, so this was a first for me.  I have to admit, i was sucked in by the cover and the title of the book...it seemed like a nice light sweet book to read over the holidays.  (i discovered later, that it is book 8 in the series, but it stands alone fine by itse...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/81531145">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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</review>
      <review>
  <id>66958856</id>
    <user>
    <id>1329275</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Kathryn]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Springville, UT]]></location>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Christmas Quilt (Elm Creek Quilts, #8)]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>3.67</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>578</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[When Christmas Eve comes to Elm Creek Manor, the tenor of the holiday is far from certain. Sylvia Bergstrom Compson, the Master Quilter, has her own reasons for preferring a quiet, even subdued, Christmas. Her young friend Sarah McClure, however, takes the opposite view and decides to deck the halls brightly. As she explores the trunks packed with Bergstrom family decorations that haven't been touched in more than fifty years, Sarah discovers a curious Christmas quilt. Begun in seasonal fabrics and patterns, the quilt remains unfinished.<p>Sylvia reveals that the handiwork spans several generations and a quartet of Bergstrom quilters -- her great aunt, her mother, her sister, and herself. As she examines the array of quilt blocks each family member contributed but never completed, memories of Christmases past emerge.<p>At Elm Creek Manor, Christmas began as a celebration of simple virtues -- joy and hope buoyed by the spirit of giving. As each successive generation of Bergstroms lived through its unique trials -- the antebellum era, the Great Depression, World War II -- tradition offered sustenance even during the most difficult times. For Sylvia, who is coping with the modern problem of family dispersed, estranged, or even forgotten, reconciliation with her personal history may prove as elusive as piecing the Christmas Quilt.<p>Elm Creek Manor is full of secrets, from a Christmas tree with unusual properties to the sublime Bergstrom strudel recipe. Sylvia's tales at first seem to inform her family legacy but ultimately illuminate far more, from the importance of women's art to its place in commemorating our shared experience, at Christmastime and in every season.<p></p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2005</published>
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    <rating>3</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <read_at>Sun Aug 09 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Tue Aug 11 10:00:27 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Aug 11 10:06:49 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[a little slower read, but still good. Memories from christmas' past are aroused as Sarah wants to decorate for christmas at Mrs. Compson's manor. Mrs. Compson has memories of the traditional christmas quilt that her aunt, mother and sister worked on but no one ever has finished. The christmas star t...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/66958856">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/66958856]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/66958856]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>81438634</id>
    <user>
    <id>1174036</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Joanne]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Ansonia, CT]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1174036-joanne]]></link>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Christmas Quilt (Elm Creek Quilts, #8)]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167886677m/27748.jpg</image_url>
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  <average_rating>3.67</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>578</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[When Christmas Eve comes to Elm Creek Manor, the tenor of the holiday is far from certain. Sylvia Bergstrom Compson, the Master Quilter, has her own reasons for preferring a quiet, even subdued, Christmas. Her young friend Sarah McClure, however, takes the opposite view and decides to deck the halls brightly. As she explores the trunks packed with Bergstrom family decorations that haven't been touched in more than fifty years, Sarah discovers a curious Christmas quilt. Begun in seasonal fabrics and patterns, the quilt remains unfinished.<p>Sylvia reveals that the handiwork spans several generations and a quartet of Bergstrom quilters -- her great aunt, her mother, her sister, and herself. As she examines the array of quilt blocks each family member contributed but never completed, memories of Christmases past emerge.<p>At Elm Creek Manor, Christmas began as a celebration of simple virtues -- joy and hope buoyed by the spirit of giving. As each successive generation of Bergstroms lived through its unique trials -- the antebellum era, the Great Depression, World War II -- tradition offered sustenance even during the most difficult times. For Sylvia, who is coping with the modern problem of family dispersed, estranged, or even forgotten, reconciliation with her personal history may prove as elusive as piecing the Christmas Quilt.<p>Elm Creek Manor is full of secrets, from a Christmas tree with unusual properties to the sublime Bergstrom strudel recipe. Sylvia's tales at first seem to inform her family legacy but ultimately illuminate far more, from the importance of women's art to its place in commemorating our shared experience, at Christmastime and in every season.<p></p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2005</published>
</book>

    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <read_at>Mon Dec 21 00:00:00 -0800 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Fri Dec 18 17:27:13 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Dec 22 18:56:20 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[The story takes place in rural Pennsylvania and spans several generations of the Bergstrom family that is famous for its Christmas apple strudel and quilts. Sylvia is the main character and she reflects from her point of view on past Christmas holidays, activities, and traditions at the family homes...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/81438634">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/81438634]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/81438634]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>77719836</id>
    <user>
    <id>432126</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Holly]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[The United States]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/432126-holly]]></link>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Christmas Quilt (Elm Creek Quilts, #8)]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167886677m/27748.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167886677s/27748.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27748.The_Christmas_Quilt</link>
  <average_rating>3.67</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>578</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[When Christmas Eve comes to Elm Creek Manor, the tenor of the holiday is far from certain. Sylvia Bergstrom Compson, the Master Quilter, has her own reasons for preferring a quiet, even subdued, Christmas. Her young friend Sarah McClure, however, takes the opposite view and decides to deck the halls brightly. As she explores the trunks packed with Bergstrom family decorations that haven't been touched in more than fifty years, Sarah discovers a curious Christmas quilt. Begun in seasonal fabrics and patterns, the quilt remains unfinished.<p>Sylvia reveals that the handiwork spans several generations and a quartet of Bergstrom quilters -- her great aunt, her mother, her sister, and herself. As she examines the array of quilt blocks each family member contributed but never completed, memories of Christmases past emerge.<p>At Elm Creek Manor, Christmas began as a celebration of simple virtues -- joy and hope buoyed by the spirit of giving. As each successive generation of Bergstroms lived through its unique trials -- the antebellum era, the Great Depression, World War II -- tradition offered sustenance even during the most difficult times. For Sylvia, who is coping with the modern problem of family dispersed, estranged, or even forgotten, reconciliation with her personal history may prove as elusive as piecing the Christmas Quilt.<p>Elm Creek Manor is full of secrets, from a Christmas tree with unusual properties to the sublime Bergstrom strudel recipe. Sylvia's tales at first seem to inform her family legacy but ultimately illuminate far more, from the importance of women's art to its place in commemorating our shared experience, at Christmastime and in every season.<p></p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2005</published>
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    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <read_at>Sat Dec 01 00:00:00 -0800 2007</read_at>
  <date_added>Fri Nov 13 21:03:41 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Fri Nov 13 21:11:19 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Elm Creek Quilt books by Jennifer Chiaverini are another series of books that I love.  I especially enjoyed The Christmas Quilt--the first one I read--out of order.  These books follow a familyof quilters and explore the history of quilts and quilt design.  I loved this book and enjoyed it so much d...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/77719836">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/77719836]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/77719836]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
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    <user>
    <id>1215082</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Marcie]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[The United States]]></location>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Christmas Quilt (Elm Creek Quilts, #8)]]>
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  <average_rating>3.67</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>578</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[When Christmas Eve comes to Elm Creek Manor, the tenor of the holiday is far from certain. Sylvia Bergstrom Compson, the Master Quilter, has her own reasons for preferring a quiet, even subdued, Christmas. Her young friend Sarah McClure, however, takes the opposite view and decides to deck the halls brightly. As she explores the trunks packed with Bergstrom family decorations that haven't been touched in more than fifty years, Sarah discovers a curious Christmas quilt. Begun in seasonal fabrics and patterns, the quilt remains unfinished.<p>Sylvia reveals that the handiwork spans several generations and a quartet of Bergstrom quilters -- her great aunt, her mother, her sister, and herself. As she examines the array of quilt blocks each family member contributed but never completed, memories of Christmases past emerge.<p>At Elm Creek Manor, Christmas began as a celebration of simple virtues -- joy and hope buoyed by the spirit of giving. As each successive generation of Bergstroms lived through its unique trials -- the antebellum era, the Great Depression, World War II -- tradition offered sustenance even during the most difficult times. For Sylvia, who is coping with the modern problem of family dispersed, estranged, or even forgotten, reconciliation with her personal history may prove as elusive as piecing the Christmas Quilt.<p>Elm Creek Manor is full of secrets, from a Christmas tree with unusual properties to the sublime Bergstrom strudel recipe. Sylvia's tales at first seem to inform her family legacy but ultimately illuminate far more, from the importance of women's art to its place in commemorating our shared experience, at Christmastime and in every season.<p></p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2005</published>
</book>

    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
        <shelf name="read" />
          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at></read_at>
  <date_added>Thu Jun 04 11:58:36 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu Jun 04 12:03:17 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I adored this book. I loved the nostalgia, the beautiful life lessons (that weren't preachy), the lovable characters.... I just enjoyed it. Though the author has written a ton of books with these same characters, you don't have to read them in any particular order to understand what is going on or t...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/58434569">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/58434569]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/58434569]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>40120283</id>
    <user>
    <id>654361</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Melea]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Tulsa, OK]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/654361-melea]]></link>
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    <book>
  <id type="integer">27748</id>
  <isbn>074328657X</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780743286572</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">59</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Christmas Quilt (Elm Creek Quilts, #8)]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167886677m/27748.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167886677s/27748.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27748.The_Christmas_Quilt</link>
  <average_rating>3.67</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>578</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[When Christmas Eve comes to Elm Creek Manor, the tenor of the holiday is far from certain. Sylvia Bergstrom Compson, the Master Quilter, has her own reasons for preferring a quiet, even subdued, Christmas. Her young friend Sarah McClure, however, takes the opposite view and decides to deck the halls brightly. As she explores the trunks packed with Bergstrom family decorations that haven't been touched in more than fifty years, Sarah discovers a curious Christmas quilt. Begun in seasonal fabrics and patterns, the quilt remains unfinished.<p>Sylvia reveals that the handiwork spans several generations and a quartet of Bergstrom quilters -- her great aunt, her mother, her sister, and herself. As she examines the array of quilt blocks each family member contributed but never completed, memories of Christmases past emerge.<p>At Elm Creek Manor, Christmas began as a celebration of simple virtues -- joy and hope buoyed by the spirit of giving. As each successive generation of Bergstroms lived through its unique trials -- the antebellum era, the Great Depression, World War II -- tradition offered sustenance even during the most difficult times. For Sylvia, who is coping with the modern problem of family dispersed, estranged, or even forgotten, reconciliation with her personal history may prove as elusive as piecing the Christmas Quilt.<p>Elm Creek Manor is full of secrets, from a Christmas tree with unusual properties to the sublime Bergstrom strudel recipe. Sylvia's tales at first seem to inform her family legacy but ultimately illuminate far more, from the importance of women's art to its place in commemorating our shared experience, at Christmastime and in every season.<p></p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2005</published>
</book>

    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
        <shelf name="read" />
          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Mon Dec 15 00:00:00 -0800 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Sun Dec 14 20:48:20 -0800 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Dec 16 08:38:56 -0800 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[This ws more like it! I very much enjoyed this little book. A woman coming to grips with her whole past, not just a part of it, and encouraging another to make peace while there was still time. I think that sometimes we forget what a gift we have in our lives, and how quickly it could be taken from ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/40120283">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/40120283]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/40120283]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>76724614</id>
    <user>
    <id>2413207</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Christine]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Elkridge, MD]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2413207-christine-rebbert]]></link>
    <image_url><![CDATA[http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1244862130p3/2413207.jpg]]></image_url>
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    <book>
  <id type="integer">27748</id>
  <isbn>074328657X</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780743286572</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">59</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Christmas Quilt (Elm Creek Quilts, #8)]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167886677m/27748.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167886677s/27748.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27748.The_Christmas_Quilt</link>
  <average_rating>3.67</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>578</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[When Christmas Eve comes to Elm Creek Manor, the tenor of the holiday is far from certain. Sylvia Bergstrom Compson, the Master Quilter, has her own reasons for preferring a quiet, even subdued, Christmas. Her young friend Sarah McClure, however, takes the opposite view and decides to deck the halls brightly. As she explores the trunks packed with Bergstrom family decorations that haven't been touched in more than fifty years, Sarah discovers a curious Christmas quilt. Begun in seasonal fabrics and patterns, the quilt remains unfinished.<p>Sylvia reveals that the handiwork spans several generations and a quartet of Bergstrom quilters -- her great aunt, her mother, her sister, and herself. As she examines the array of quilt blocks each family member contributed but never completed, memories of Christmases past emerge.<p>At Elm Creek Manor, Christmas began as a celebration of simple virtues -- joy and hope buoyed by the spirit of giving. As each successive generation of Bergstroms lived through its unique trials -- the antebellum era, the Great Depression, World War II -- tradition offered sustenance even during the most difficult times. For Sylvia, who is coping with the modern problem of family dispersed, estranged, or even forgotten, reconciliation with her personal history may prove as elusive as piecing the Christmas Quilt.<p>Elm Creek Manor is full of secrets, from a Christmas tree with unusual properties to the sublime Bergstrom strudel recipe. Sylvia's tales at first seem to inform her family legacy but ultimately illuminate far more, from the importance of women's art to its place in commemorating our shared experience, at Christmastime and in every season.<p></p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2005</published>
</book>

    <rating>3</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
        <shelf name="read" />
          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at></read_at>
  <date_added>Wed Nov 04 13:24:25 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Wed Nov 04 13:27:09 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Didn't like this one QUITE as much as some of the others.  Maybe partly because, like Sylvia, I have very mixed emotions about the celebration of the Christmas holiday.  I haven't resolved mine yet; she does.  And it also reminds me that I planned to make a Christmas quilt one year, got all the fabr...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/76724614">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/76724614]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/76724614]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>41165799</id>
    <user>
    <id>1306824</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Kelly]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Chicago, IL]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1306824-kelly]]></link>
    <image_url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/images/nophoto-F-111x148.jpg]]></image_url>
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    <book>
  <id type="integer">27748</id>
  <isbn>074328657X</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780743286572</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">59</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Christmas Quilt (Elm Creek Quilts, #8)]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167886677m/27748.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167886677s/27748.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27748.The_Christmas_Quilt</link>
  <average_rating>3.67</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>578</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[When Christmas Eve comes to Elm Creek Manor, the tenor of the holiday is far from certain. Sylvia Bergstrom Compson, the Master Quilter, has her own reasons for preferring a quiet, even subdued, Christmas. Her young friend Sarah McClure, however, takes the opposite view and decides to deck the halls brightly. As she explores the trunks packed with Bergstrom family decorations that haven't been touched in more than fifty years, Sarah discovers a curious Christmas quilt. Begun in seasonal fabrics and patterns, the quilt remains unfinished.<p>Sylvia reveals that the handiwork spans several generations and a quartet of Bergstrom quilters -- her great aunt, her mother, her sister, and herself. As she examines the array of quilt blocks each family member contributed but never completed, memories of Christmases past emerge.<p>At Elm Creek Manor, Christmas began as a celebration of simple virtues -- joy and hope buoyed by the spirit of giving. As each successive generation of Bergstroms lived through its unique trials -- the antebellum era, the Great Depression, World War II -- tradition offered sustenance even during the most difficult times. For Sylvia, who is coping with the modern problem of family dispersed, estranged, or even forgotten, reconciliation with her personal history may prove as elusive as piecing the Christmas Quilt.<p>Elm Creek Manor is full of secrets, from a Christmas tree with unusual properties to the sublime Bergstrom strudel recipe. Sylvia's tales at first seem to inform her family legacy but ultimately illuminate far more, from the importance of women's art to its place in commemorating our shared experience, at Christmastime and in every season.<p></p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2005</published>
</book>

    <rating>2</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
        <shelf name="read" />
          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Thu Dec 25 00:00:00 -0800 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Mon Dec 29 06:31:36 -0800 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon Dec 29 06:33:18 -0800 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[You know, I almost didn't add this book because it is one of those embarassing books that you kind of hide when you read in public.  A quilting book?  Hello loser!  But I got hooked on this series when I first moved to Chicago and had no job and no friends.  So I hold a special fondness for these bo...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/41165799">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/41165799]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/41165799]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>11244463</id>
    <user>
    <id>584266</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Holly (2 Kids and Tired)]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[The United States]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/584266-holly-2-kids-and-tired]]></link>
    <image_url><![CDATA[http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1234326133p3/584266.jpg]]></image_url>
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    <book>
  <id type="integer">27748</id>
  <isbn>074328657X</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780743286572</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">59</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Christmas Quilt (Elm Creek Quilts, #8)]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167886677m/27748.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167886677s/27748.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27748.The_Christmas_Quilt</link>
  <average_rating>3.67</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>578</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[When Christmas Eve comes to Elm Creek Manor, the tenor of the holiday is far from certain. Sylvia Bergstrom Compson, the Master Quilter, has her own reasons for preferring a quiet, even subdued, Christmas. Her young friend Sarah McClure, however, takes the opposite view and decides to deck the halls brightly. As she explores the trunks packed with Bergstrom family decorations that haven't been touched in more than fifty years, Sarah discovers a curious Christmas quilt. Begun in seasonal fabrics and patterns, the quilt remains unfinished.<p>Sylvia reveals that the handiwork spans several generations and a quartet of Bergstrom quilters -- her great aunt, her mother, her sister, and herself. As she examines the array of quilt blocks each family member contributed but never completed, memories of Christmases past emerge.<p>At Elm Creek Manor, Christmas began as a celebration of simple virtues -- joy and hope buoyed by the spirit of giving. As each successive generation of Bergstroms lived through its unique trials -- the antebellum era, the Great Depression, World War II -- tradition offered sustenance even during the most difficult times. For Sylvia, who is coping with the modern problem of family dispersed, estranged, or even forgotten, reconciliation with her personal history may prove as elusive as piecing the Christmas Quilt.<p>Elm Creek Manor is full of secrets, from a Christmas tree with unusual properties to the sublime Bergstrom strudel recipe. Sylvia's tales at first seem to inform her family legacy but ultimately illuminate far more, from the importance of women's art to its place in commemorating our shared experience, at Christmastime and in every season.<p></p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2005</published>
</book>

    <rating>3</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
        <shelf name="read" />
          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at></read_at>
  <date_added>Sat Dec 29 18:10:39 -0800 2007</date_added>
  <date_updated>Wed Mar 05 09:40:57 -0800 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Sometimes I think you can have too much of a good thing.  I'm afraid that if Chiaverini keeps writing Elm Creek books, she'll weaken the series.<br/><br/>That said, I did enjoy this book.  It's a short read, almost a short story, really.  The setting is the first Christmas that Sylvia is back at E...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/11244463">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/11244463]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/11244463]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>70077203</id>
    <user>
    <id>1023727</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Charity]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Belle Mead, NJ]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1023727-charity]]></link>
    <image_url><![CDATA[http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1207579712p3/1023727.jpg]]></image_url>
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    <book>
  <id type="integer">27748</id>
  <isbn>074328657X</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780743286572</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">59</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Christmas Quilt (Elm Creek Quilts, #8)]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167886677m/27748.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167886677s/27748.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27748.The_Christmas_Quilt</link>
  <average_rating>3.67</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>578</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[When Christmas Eve comes to Elm Creek Manor, the tenor of the holiday is far from certain. Sylvia Bergstrom Compson, the Master Quilter, has her own reasons for preferring a quiet, even subdued, Christmas. Her young friend Sarah McClure, however, takes the opposite view and decides to deck the halls brightly. As she explores the trunks packed with Bergstrom family decorations that haven't been touched in more than fifty years, Sarah discovers a curious Christmas quilt. Begun in seasonal fabrics and patterns, the quilt remains unfinished.<p>Sylvia reveals that the handiwork spans several generations and a quartet of Bergstrom quilters -- her great aunt, her mother, her sister, and herself. As she examines the array of quilt blocks each family member contributed but never completed, memories of Christmases past emerge.<p>At Elm Creek Manor, Christmas began as a celebration of simple virtues -- joy and hope buoyed by the spirit of giving. As each successive generation of Bergstroms lived through its unique trials -- the antebellum era, the Great Depression, World War II -- tradition offered sustenance even during the most difficult times. For Sylvia, who is coping with the modern problem of family dispersed, estranged, or even forgotten, reconciliation with her personal history may prove as elusive as piecing the Christmas Quilt.<p>Elm Creek Manor is full of secrets, from a Christmas tree with unusual properties to the sublime Bergstrom strudel recipe. Sylvia's tales at first seem to inform her family legacy but ultimately illuminate far more, from the importance of women's art to its place in commemorating our shared experience, at Christmastime and in every season.<p></p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2005</published>
</book>

    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
        <shelf name="read" />
          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Fri Sep 04 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Fri Sep 04 14:55:27 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Fri Sep 04 14:57:40 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[This book is a memoir of one of the main characters of the Elm Creek Quilters, Silvia.  I enjoyed learning about her past and at the same time get a better feel for a lot of different quilt blocks.  The book cover has a ton of Christmas blocks in the inside if anyone is interested.  I'm tempted to m...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/70077203">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/70077203]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/70077203]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>46777641</id>
    <user>
    <id>913393</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Barb]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Bellefonte, PA]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/913393-barb]]></link>
    <image_url><![CDATA[http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1204663108p3/913393.jpg]]></image_url>
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    <book>
  <id type="integer">2981615</id>
  <isbn>1428170030</isbn>
  <isbn13>9781428170032</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">2</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Christmas Quilt (Elm Creek Quilts, #8)]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-111x148.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-60x80.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2981615.The_Christmas_Quilt</link>
  <average_rating>3.50</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>2</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[When Christmas Eve comes to Elm Creek Manor, the tenor of the holiday is far from certain. Sylvia Bergstrom Compson, the Master Quilter, has her own reasons for preferring a quiet, even subdued, Christmas. Her young friend Sarah McClure, however, takes the opposite view and decides to deck the halls brightly. As she explores the trunks packed with Bergstrom family decorations that haven't been touched in more than fifty years, Sarah discovers a curious Christmas quilt. Begun in seasonal fabrics and patterns, the quilt remains unfinished.<p>Sylvia reveals that the handiwork spans several generations and a quartet of Bergstrom quilters -- her great aunt, her mother, her sister, and herself. As she examines the array of quilt blocks each family member contributed but never completed, memories of Christmases past emerge.<p>At Elm Creek Manor, Christmas began as a celebration of simple virtues -- joy and hope buoyed by the spirit of giving. As each successive generation of Bergstroms lived through its unique trials -- the antebellum era, the Great Depression, World War II -- tradition offered sustenance even during the most difficult times. For Sylvia, who is coping with the modern problem of family dispersed, estranged, or even forgotten, reconciliation with her personal history may prove as elusive as piecing the Christmas Quilt.<p>Elm Creek Manor is full of secrets, from a Christmas tree with unusual properties to the sublime Bergstrom strudel recipe. Sylvia's tales at first seem to inform her family legacy but ultimately illuminate far more, from the importance of women's art to its place in commemorating our shared experience, at Christmastime and in every season.<p></p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2005</published>
</book>

    <rating>3</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
        <shelf name="read" />
          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Wed Feb 18 13:08:42 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Wed Feb 18 13:10:52 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[This is about a Christmas Quilt that wasn't finished when a lady died and then the family decides to finish it. Their lives revolve around the quilt. I liked it for a quick read but not something I'd like to read all the time. I like more suspense in my books.]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/46777641]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/46777641]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>21154325</id>
    <user>
    <id>162773</id>
    <name><![CDATA[joyce lynn ]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Lexington, MS]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/162773-joyce-lynn]]></link>
    <image_url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/images/nophoto-F-111x148.jpg]]></image_url>
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    <book>
  <id type="integer">27748</id>
  <isbn>074328657X</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780743286572</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">59</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Christmas Quilt (Elm Creek Quilts, #8)]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167886677m/27748.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167886677s/27748.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27748.The_Christmas_Quilt</link>
  <average_rating>3.67</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>578</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[When Christmas Eve comes to Elm Creek Manor, the tenor of the holiday is far from certain. Sylvia Bergstrom Compson, the Master Quilter, has her own reasons for preferring a quiet, even subdued, Christmas. Her young friend Sarah McClure, however, takes the opposite view and decides to deck the halls brightly. As she explores the trunks packed with Bergstrom family decorations that haven't been touched in more than fifty years, Sarah discovers a curious Christmas quilt. Begun in seasonal fabrics and patterns, the quilt remains unfinished.<p>Sylvia reveals that the handiwork spans several generations and a quartet of Bergstrom quilters -- her great aunt, her mother, her sister, and herself. As she examines the array of quilt blocks each family member contributed but never completed, memories of Christmases past emerge.<p>At Elm Creek Manor, Christmas began as a celebration of simple virtues -- joy and hope buoyed by the spirit of giving. As each successive generation of Bergstroms lived through its unique trials -- the antebellum era, the Great Depression, World War II -- tradition offered sustenance even during the most difficult times. For Sylvia, who is coping with the modern problem of family dispersed, estranged, or even forgotten, reconciliation with her personal history may prove as elusive as piecing the Christmas Quilt.<p>Elm Creek Manor is full of secrets, from a Christmas tree with unusual properties to the sublime Bergstrom strudel recipe. Sylvia's tales at first seem to inform her family legacy but ultimately illuminate far more, from the importance of women's art to its place in commemorating our shared experience, at Christmastime and in every season.<p></p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2005</published>
</book>

    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
        <shelf name="read" />
          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Sun Apr 27 00:00:00 -0700 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Mon Apr 28 05:13:46 -0700 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon Apr 28 05:17:16 -0700 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[not quite as happy w/ this book.  i enjoyed getting to know the main characters in the series even better, but, thought there was too much repetition of the 1st book in this one.  of course, if i hadn't have read the 1st book in the series, tho, i know i would have appreciated the repeated details i...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/21154325">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/21154325]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/21154325]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>48197979</id>
    <user>
    <id>2094471</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Jeanna]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Delevan, NY]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2094471-jeanna]]></link>
    <image_url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/images/nophoto-F-111x148.jpg]]></image_url>
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    <book>
  <id type="integer">27748</id>
  <isbn>074328657X</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780743286572</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">59</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Christmas Quilt (Elm Creek Quilts, #8)]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167886677m/27748.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167886677s/27748.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27748.The_Christmas_Quilt</link>
  <average_rating>3.67</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>578</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[When Christmas Eve comes to Elm Creek Manor, the tenor of the holiday is far from certain. Sylvia Bergstrom Compson, the Master Quilter, has her own reasons for preferring a quiet, even subdued, Christmas. Her young friend Sarah McClure, however, takes the opposite view and decides to deck the halls brightly. As she explores the trunks packed with Bergstrom family decorations that haven't been touched in more than fifty years, Sarah discovers a curious Christmas quilt. Begun in seasonal fabrics and patterns, the quilt remains unfinished.<p>Sylvia reveals that the handiwork spans several generations and a quartet of Bergstrom quilters -- her great aunt, her mother, her sister, and herself. As she examines the array of quilt blocks each family member contributed but never completed, memories of Christmases past emerge.<p>At Elm Creek Manor, Christmas began as a celebration of simple virtues -- joy and hope buoyed by the spirit of giving. As each successive generation of Bergstroms lived through its unique trials -- the antebellum era, the Great Depression, World War II -- tradition offered sustenance even during the most difficult times. For Sylvia, who is coping with the modern problem of family dispersed, estranged, or even forgotten, reconciliation with her personal history may prove as elusive as piecing the Christmas Quilt.<p>Elm Creek Manor is full of secrets, from a Christmas tree with unusual properties to the sublime Bergstrom strudel recipe. Sylvia's tales at first seem to inform her family legacy but ultimately illuminate far more, from the importance of women's art to its place in commemorating our shared experience, at Christmastime and in every season.<p></p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2005</published>
</book>

    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
        <shelf name="read" />
          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Fri Aug 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Wed Mar 04 06:28:29 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Wed Mar 04 06:29:55 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I still loved it, but there could defiately have been more ot this book, it seemed more like she rushed to just get a book out. Anyway, the series is awesome and this is part of the story so I would still say a must have!]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/48197979]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/48197979]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>39124307</id>
    <user>
    <id>1742519</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Elaine]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Hooksett, NH]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1742519-elaine]]></link>
    <image_url><![CDATA[http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1228942909p3/1742519.jpg]]></image_url>
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    <book>
  <id type="integer">27748</id>
  <isbn>074328657X</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780743286572</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">59</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Christmas Quilt (Elm Creek Quilts, #8)]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167886677m/27748.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167886677s/27748.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27748.The_Christmas_Quilt</link>
  <average_rating>3.67</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>578</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[When Christmas Eve comes to Elm Creek Manor, the tenor of the holiday is far from certain. Sylvia Bergstrom Compson, the Master Quilter, has her own reasons for preferring a quiet, even subdued, Christmas. Her young friend Sarah McClure, however, takes the opposite view and decides to deck the halls brightly. As she explores the trunks packed with Bergstrom family decorations that haven't been touched in more than fifty years, Sarah discovers a curious Christmas quilt. Begun in seasonal fabrics and patterns, the quilt remains unfinished.<p>Sylvia reveals that the handiwork spans several generations and a quartet of Bergstrom quilters -- her great aunt, her mother, her sister, and herself. As she examines the array of quilt blocks each family member contributed but never completed, memories of Christmases past emerge.<p>At Elm Creek Manor, Christmas began as a celebration of simple virtues -- joy and hope buoyed by the spirit of giving. As each successive generation of Bergstroms lived through its unique trials -- the antebellum era, the Great Depression, World War II -- tradition offered sustenance even during the most difficult times. For Sylvia, who is coping with the modern problem of family dispersed, estranged, or even forgotten, reconciliation with her personal history may prove as elusive as piecing the Christmas Quilt.<p>Elm Creek Manor is full of secrets, from a Christmas tree with unusual properties to the sublime Bergstrom strudel recipe. Sylvia's tales at first seem to inform her family legacy but ultimately illuminate far more, from the importance of women's art to its place in commemorating our shared experience, at Christmastime and in every season.<p></p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2005</published>
</book>

    <rating>3</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
        <shelf name="read" />
            <shelf name="audio" />
        <shelf name="christmas" />
      </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Thu Dec 04 00:00:00 -0800 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Tue Dec 02 11:50:27 -0800 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu Dec 04 17:29:50 -0800 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I downloaded this one from Audible.com<br/><br/>This was about 98% flashback.  How lives of Sylvia's family intertwined throughout the years.  The message seemed to be &quot;Don't hold onto grudges.&quot;  <br/><br/>Did I enjoy it?  Well, it didn't stink.  ]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/39124307]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/39124307]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>58504434</id>
    <user>
    <id>2354279</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Dianne]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[The United States]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2354279-dianne]]></link>
    <image_url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/images/nophoto-F-111x148.jpg]]></image_url>
    <small_image_url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/images/nophoto-F-50x66.jpg]]></small_image_url>
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    <book>
  <id type="integer">27748</id>
  <isbn>074328657X</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780743286572</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">59</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Christmas Quilt (Elm Creek Quilts, #8)]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167886677m/27748.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167886677s/27748.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27748.The_Christmas_Quilt</link>
  <average_rating>3.67</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>578</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[When Christmas Eve comes to Elm Creek Manor, the tenor of the holiday is far from certain. Sylvia Bergstrom Compson, the Master Quilter, has her own reasons for preferring a quiet, even subdued, Christmas. Her young friend Sarah McClure, however, takes the opposite view and decides to deck the halls brightly. As she explores the trunks packed with Bergstrom family decorations that haven't been touched in more than fifty years, Sarah discovers a curious Christmas quilt. Begun in seasonal fabrics and patterns, the quilt remains unfinished.<p>Sylvia reveals that the handiwork spans several generations and a quartet of Bergstrom quilters -- her great aunt, her mother, her sister, and herself. As she examines the array of quilt blocks each family member contributed but never completed, memories of Christmases past emerge.<p>At Elm Creek Manor, Christmas began as a celebration of simple virtues -- joy and hope buoyed by the spirit of giving. As each successive generation of Bergstroms lived through its unique trials -- the antebellum era, the Great Depression, World War II -- tradition offered sustenance even during the most difficult times. For Sylvia, who is coping with the modern problem of family dispersed, estranged, or even forgotten, reconciliation with her personal history may prove as elusive as piecing the Christmas Quilt.<p>Elm Creek Manor is full of secrets, from a Christmas tree with unusual properties to the sublime Bergstrom strudel recipe. Sylvia's tales at first seem to inform her family legacy but ultimately illuminate far more, from the importance of women's art to its place in commemorating our shared experience, at Christmastime and in every season.<p></p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2005</published>
</book>

    <rating>3</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
        <shelf name="read" />
          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Sat Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2006</read_at>
  <date_added>Thu Jun 04 22:27:21 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu Jun 04 22:38:17 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count>1</read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[A Christmas version of the Elm Creek quilts novels (#8 in the series).  It goes back to the beginning of the quilt camp, so it was a little confusing.  It made me want to go back and read the first books again.]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/58504434]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/58504434]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>66626187</id>
    <user>
    <id>2548918</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Lynne]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Warren, MI]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2548918-lynne]]></link>
    <image_url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/images/nophoto-F-111x148.jpg]]></image_url>
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    <book>
  <id type="integer">27748</id>
  <isbn>074328657X</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780743286572</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">59</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Christmas Quilt (Elm Creek Quilts, #8)]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167886677m/27748.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167886677s/27748.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27748.The_Christmas_Quilt</link>
  <average_rating>3.67</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>578</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[When Christmas Eve comes to Elm Creek Manor, the tenor of the holiday is far from certain. Sylvia Bergstrom Compson, the Master Quilter, has her own reasons for preferring a quiet, even subdued, Christmas. Her young friend Sarah McClure, however, takes the opposite view and decides to deck the halls brightly. As she explores the trunks packed with Bergstrom family decorations that haven't been touched in more than fifty years, Sarah discovers a curious Christmas quilt. Begun in seasonal fabrics and patterns, the quilt remains unfinished.<p>Sylvia reveals that the handiwork spans several generations and a quartet of Bergstrom quilters -- her great aunt, her mother, her sister, and herself. As she examines the array of quilt blocks each family member contributed but never completed, memories of Christmases past emerge.<p>At Elm Creek Manor, Christmas began as a celebration of simple virtues -- joy and hope buoyed by the spirit of giving. As each successive generation of Bergstroms lived through its unique trials -- the antebellum era, the Great Depression, World War II -- tradition offered sustenance even during the most difficult times. For Sylvia, who is coping with the modern problem of family dispersed, estranged, or even forgotten, reconciliation with her personal history may prove as elusive as piecing the Christmas Quilt.<p>Elm Creek Manor is full of secrets, from a Christmas tree with unusual properties to the sublime Bergstrom strudel recipe. Sylvia's tales at first seem to inform her family legacy but ultimately illuminate far more, from the importance of women's art to its place in commemorating our shared experience, at Christmastime and in every season.<p></p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2005</published>
</book>

    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
        <shelf name="read" />
          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Mon Aug 17 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Sat Aug 08 04:56:49 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Wed Aug 19 11:40:34 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[The story has drawn me in enough that I wonder what will happen in future books....so I'm planning to work my way through the entire series. I'm surprised that I identify more with Sylvia than I would have expected. I'm enjoying the quilt lore and now look at different designs with a whole new appre...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/66626187">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/66626187]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/66626187]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>77673430</id>
    <user>
    <id>1200264</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Sarah]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[League City, TX]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1200264-sarah]]></link>
    <image_url><![CDATA[http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1230862051p3/1200264.jpg]]></image_url>
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    <book>
  <id type="integer">27748</id>
  <isbn>074328657X</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780743286572</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">59</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Christmas Quilt (Elm Creek Quilts, #8)]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167886677m/27748.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167886677s/27748.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27748.The_Christmas_Quilt</link>
  <average_rating>3.67</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>578</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[When Christmas Eve comes to Elm Creek Manor, the tenor of the holiday is far from certain. Sylvia Bergstrom Compson, the Master Quilter, has her own reasons for preferring a quiet, even subdued, Christmas. Her young friend Sarah McClure, however, takes the opposite view and decides to deck the halls brightly. As she explores the trunks packed with Bergstrom family decorations that haven't been touched in more than fifty years, Sarah discovers a curious Christmas quilt. Begun in seasonal fabrics and patterns, the quilt remains unfinished.<p>Sylvia reveals that the handiwork spans several generations and a quartet of Bergstrom quilters -- her great aunt, her mother, her sister, and herself. As she examines the array of quilt blocks each family member contributed but never completed, memories of Christmases past emerge.<p>At Elm Creek Manor, Christmas began as a celebration of simple virtues -- joy and hope buoyed by the spirit of giving. As each successive generation of Bergstroms lived through its unique trials -- the antebellum era, the Great Depression, World War II -- tradition offered sustenance even during the most difficult times. For Sylvia, who is coping with the modern problem of family dispersed, estranged, or even forgotten, reconciliation with her personal history may prove as elusive as piecing the Christmas Quilt.<p>Elm Creek Manor is full of secrets, from a Christmas tree with unusual properties to the sublime Bergstrom strudel recipe. Sylvia's tales at first seem to inform her family legacy but ultimately illuminate far more, from the importance of women's art to its place in commemorating our shared experience, at Christmastime and in every season.<p></p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2005</published>
</book>

    <rating>3</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
        <shelf name="read" />
            <shelf name="2009" />
      </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Mon Nov 23 00:00:00 -0800 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Fri Nov 13 13:02:18 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Fri Nov 13 13:02:18 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Read along with my grandparents on this one, they were reading it for their book club. Sweet story, simple writing. A lot seemed repeated from the other book I've read in this series, #1. I guess the author figured with the six books in between we would have forgotten, but I skipped all those!]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/77673430]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/77673430]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>75448704</id>
    <user>
    <id>2600090</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Kathryn]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Wenatchee, WA]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2600090-kathryn]]></link>
    <image_url><![CDATA[http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1249963585p3/2600090.jpg]]></image_url>
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    <book>
  <id type="integer">27748</id>
  <isbn>074328657X</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780743286572</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">59</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Christmas Quilt (Elm Creek Quilts, #8)]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167886677m/27748.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167886677s/27748.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27748.The_Christmas_Quilt</link>
  <average_rating>3.67</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>578</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[When Christmas Eve comes to Elm Creek Manor, the tenor of the holiday is far from certain. Sylvia Bergstrom Compson, the Master Quilter, has her own reasons for preferring a quiet, even subdued, Christmas. Her young friend Sarah McClure, however, takes the opposite view and decides to deck the halls brightly. As she explores the trunks packed with Bergstrom family decorations that haven't been touched in more than fifty years, Sarah discovers a curious Christmas quilt. Begun in seasonal fabrics and patterns, the quilt remains unfinished.<p>Sylvia reveals that the handiwork spans several generations and a quartet of Bergstrom quilters -- her great aunt, her mother, her sister, and herself. As she examines the array of quilt blocks each family member contributed but never completed, memories of Christmases past emerge.<p>At Elm Creek Manor, Christmas began as a celebration of simple virtues -- joy and hope buoyed by the spirit of giving. As each successive generation of Bergstroms lived through its unique trials -- the antebellum era, the Great Depression, World War II -- tradition offered sustenance even during the most difficult times. For Sylvia, who is coping with the modern problem of family dispersed, estranged, or even forgotten, reconciliation with her personal history may prove as elusive as piecing the Christmas Quilt.<p>Elm Creek Manor is full of secrets, from a Christmas tree with unusual properties to the sublime Bergstrom strudel recipe. Sylvia's tales at first seem to inform her family legacy but ultimately illuminate far more, from the importance of women's art to its place in commemorating our shared experience, at Christmastime and in every season.<p></p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2005</published>
</book>

    <rating>3</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
        <shelf name="read" />
            <shelf name="christmas" />
        <shelf name="elm-creek" />
      </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Tue Nov 10 00:00:00 -0800 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Thu Oct 22 21:02:26 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Nov 10 12:52:56 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[This started out quite slowly and I didn't have much interest in finishing it.  I am glad I did.  Sylivia remembered her Christmases as a child and the families many traditions one of which is their apple strudel.  I wish there was a recipe!  It explained many things in some of the other books in th...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/75448704">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/75448704]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/75448704]]></link>
</review>
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  <id>44443494</id>
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    <name><![CDATA[GoldenjoyBazyll]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[The United States]]></location>
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  <id type="integer">27748</id>
  <isbn>074328657X</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780743286572</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">59</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Christmas Quilt (Elm Creek Quilts, #8)]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>3.67</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>578</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[When Christmas Eve comes to Elm Creek Manor, the tenor of the holiday is far from certain. Sylvia Bergstrom Compson, the Master Quilter, has her own reasons for preferring a quiet, even subdued, Christmas. Her young friend Sarah McClure, however, takes the opposite view and decides to deck the halls brightly. As she explores the trunks packed with Bergstrom family decorations that haven't been touched in more than fifty years, Sarah discovers a curious Christmas quilt. Begun in seasonal fabrics and patterns, the quilt remains unfinished.<p>Sylvia reveals that the handiwork spans several generations and a quartet of Bergstrom quilters -- her great aunt, her mother, her sister, and herself. As she examines the array of quilt blocks each family member contributed but never completed, memories of Christmases past emerge.<p>At Elm Creek Manor, Christmas began as a celebration of simple virtues -- joy and hope buoyed by the spirit of giving. As each successive generation of Bergstroms lived through its unique trials -- the antebellum era, the Great Depression, World War II -- tradition offered sustenance even during the most difficult times. For Sylvia, who is coping with the modern problem of family dispersed, estranged, or even forgotten, reconciliation with her personal history may prove as elusive as piecing the Christmas Quilt.<p>Elm Creek Manor is full of secrets, from a Christmas tree with unusual properties to the sublime Bergstrom strudel recipe. Sylvia's tales at first seem to inform her family legacy but ultimately illuminate far more, from the importance of women's art to its place in commemorating our shared experience, at Christmastime and in every season.<p></p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2005</published>
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    <rating>4</rating>
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  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Thu Apr 02 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Mon Jan 26 15:45:53 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu Apr 02 19:37:33 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[&quot;At last she understood the true lesson of the Christmas Quilt, that a family was an act of creation, the piecing together of disparate fragments into one cloth-often harmonious, occasionnally clashing and disordant, but sometimes unexpectedly beautiful and strong.  Without contrast there was n...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/44443494">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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