What do you think?
Rate this book
In the Days of the Angels: Stories and Carols for Christmas
"In the perfect center of all my circles and of all the spheres of all the world--is Jesus. Here! Come and see! Can you see the tiny baby born? Can you see the Infant King? Can you recognize in him Immanuel? Now you are seeing Christmas."
And so, in this collection of powerful and evocative stories and essays, does Walter Wangerin open our eyes--and our hearts--to the truth of Christmas. A young boy, intent on self-protection, recognizes in his father's preparations for Christmas "a hope that risks a violent hurt"--and lays bare his heart to love. And so do we. A young girl, encountering death for the first time, finds hope in an empty manger. With her we, too, find hope. A family torn apart by grief finds Christmas once again--and when they do, we weep for both their pain and joy. We weep for ourselves.
The African hornbill gives up flight and freedom for the sake of her chicks--and we can only bow our hearts in wonder and gratitude for the sacrifice of Christ, who forsook the glory of heaven to take upon himself the form of man. So much did he love us!
The original carols woven throughout this beautiful book, three with musical scores included, are meant to be read or sung aloud. From the whimsical "Sing Softly the Cherries," to the joyful "Carol of All the Instruments," to the triumphant "In the Days of the Angels," Wangerin illuminates and celebrates the true meaning of Christmas. Come worship Immanuel with him.
As rare and precious as the gifts the magi brought the Christ child are the jewels presented in these pages by one of America's most beloved Christian storytellers. Full of vivid imagery and unexpected turns, the stories, essays, and original carols are lovingly crafted to reflect not only the Christmas story, but the whole of God's redemptive action in the
I will love you till day is done--
Love you until that night,
Night of dying,
Dies in rising!
Then in the holy dawn
I will bear you, my children, home--
Such is the beauty and power of these compelling pieces, whether you read them silently by the fire or aloud at your Advent celebration, you'll want to return to them year after year, again and again.
And so, in this collection of powerful and evocative stories and essays, does Walter Wangerin open our eyes--and our hearts--to the truth of Christmas. A young boy, intent on self-protection, recognizes in his father's preparations for Christmas "a hope that risks a violent hurt"--and lays bare his heart to love. And so do we. A young girl, encountering death for the first time, finds hope in an empty manger. With her we, too, find hope. A family torn apart by grief finds Christmas once again--and when they do, we weep for both their pain and joy. We weep for ourselves.
The African hornbill gives up flight and freedom for the sake of her chicks--and we can only bow our hearts in wonder and gratitude for the sacrifice of Christ, who forsook the glory of heaven to take upon himself the form of man. So much did he love us!
The original carols woven throughout this beautiful book, three with musical scores included, are meant to be read or sung aloud. From the whimsical "Sing Softly the Cherries," to the joyful "Carol of All the Instruments," to the triumphant "In the Days of the Angels," Wangerin illuminates and celebrates the true meaning of Christmas. Come worship Immanuel with him.
As rare and precious as the gifts the magi brought the Christ child are the jewels presented in these pages by one of America's most beloved Christian storytellers. Full of vivid imagery and unexpected turns, the stories, essays, and original carols are lovingly crafted to reflect not only the Christmas story, but the whole of God's redemptive action in the
I will love you till day is done--
Love you until that night,
Night of dying,
Dies in rising!
Then in the holy dawn
I will bear you, my children, home--
Such is the beauty and power of these compelling pieces, whether you read them silently by the fire or aloud at your Advent celebration, you'll want to return to them year after year, again and again.
- GenresChristmas
176 pages, Hardcover
First published October 17, 2000
2 people are currently reading
50 people want to read
About the author
Walter Wangerin Jr.
95 books230 followersWalter Wangerin Jr. is widely recognized as one of the most gifted writers writing today on the issues of faith and spirituality. Starting with the renowned Book of the Dun Cow, Wangerin's writing career has encompassed most every genre: fiction, essay, short story, children's story, meditation, and biblical exposition. His writing voice is immediately recognizable, and his fans number in the millions. The author of over forty books, Wangerin has won the National Book Award, New York Times Best Children's Book of the Year Award, and several Gold Medallions, including best-fiction awards for both The Book of God and Paul: A Novel. He lives in Valparaiso, Indiana, where he is Senior Research Professor at Valparaiso University.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 31, 2019
I really liked Wangerin when I read a number of his essays in the late 90's and early 2000's. A couple of those essays are in this volume. I was somewhat less engaged this time. I'm not sure if I was not in the right frame of mind, or if Wangerin's work is the sort of thing that doesn't hold up well to re-reading. Or if its approach doesn't age well. Or if the newer work here is just not as good as his earlier work.
In any case, I am glad to have read this, but I don't see it as a volume I will return to.
In any case, I am glad to have read this, but I don't see it as a volume I will return to.
December 20, 2023
While I know that this faith is familiar to many, and perhaps beloved, I cannot abide by the faith that Jesus was born to die and these essays and poems drip with that very idea. A good storyteller, yes. Stories I want to share again, no.
February 28, 2019
It is very good to read and touching my heart. It makes me feel warm.
March 8, 2021
I love some of the stories and poems herein. Deeper than your usual Christmas anthology. Thank you, Walt.
December 31, 2021
A wonderful author we lost this past year! I had the privilege of meeting him in the late 80's, one of my fondest memories!
Read
July 27, 2025a most interesting and unique little book. I admire and agree with his childlike amazement of the wonder of Christmas.
December 15, 2011
"In the Days of Angels" is a collection of short stories and songs related to Christmas. I picked it up because I enjoy reading books like this during Advent. Creative writers like Wangerin help me see nuances in Christmas story that I would otherwise easily miss.
The stories all feel autobiographical - though I'm not sure that's necessarily the case. One gut-wrenching story about his brother, a college football star, seemed to indicate that he had only two siblings. However later in the book another story featured a larger family. So...I was a bit confused and just assumed one or both were supposed to have been considered fiction.
The author is a musician in addition to being a writer. The included songs are beautiful and provide interesting breaks between the stories. I appreciated their placement between the stories because sometimes reading a collection of fiction or memoir-ish essays can feel like watching too many TV shows in a row - they all blend together. The songs, by and large, are simple, but deeply emotional reflections on the advent season. (One song I would describe as whimsical rather than deeply emotional, but it's only one). Music for each song is included in the back of the book.
Walt Wangerin is clearly a gifted writer. He writes like a poet, with sentences that have been carefully crafted, and with imagery and powerful subtleties. Fans of real "literature" (if you'll allow the generalization) will enjoy Wangerin's writing.
I thought this book was moody (for lack of a better word). Unlike other Christmas books I've read it didn't leave me hopeful, or even reverent. I closed the book feeling sort of "down." I found many of the stories to be somewhere on the spectrum between melancholy and heart-breaking. I don't fault Wangerin for writing stories that I consider "moody," it's just not my preferred emotion for holiday reading. I realize, however, that the Christmas season can be a sensitive, painful time for some people. With that in mind I think this collection will be a blessing to many, many readers.
The stories all feel autobiographical - though I'm not sure that's necessarily the case. One gut-wrenching story about his brother, a college football star, seemed to indicate that he had only two siblings. However later in the book another story featured a larger family. So...I was a bit confused and just assumed one or both were supposed to have been considered fiction.
The author is a musician in addition to being a writer. The included songs are beautiful and provide interesting breaks between the stories. I appreciated their placement between the stories because sometimes reading a collection of fiction or memoir-ish essays can feel like watching too many TV shows in a row - they all blend together. The songs, by and large, are simple, but deeply emotional reflections on the advent season. (One song I would describe as whimsical rather than deeply emotional, but it's only one). Music for each song is included in the back of the book.
Walt Wangerin is clearly a gifted writer. He writes like a poet, with sentences that have been carefully crafted, and with imagery and powerful subtleties. Fans of real "literature" (if you'll allow the generalization) will enjoy Wangerin's writing.
I thought this book was moody (for lack of a better word). Unlike other Christmas books I've read it didn't leave me hopeful, or even reverent. I closed the book feeling sort of "down." I found many of the stories to be somewhere on the spectrum between melancholy and heart-breaking. I don't fault Wangerin for writing stories that I consider "moody," it's just not my preferred emotion for holiday reading. I realize, however, that the Christmas season can be a sensitive, painful time for some people. With that in mind I think this collection will be a blessing to many, many readers.
December 29, 2011
I love this book.
I picked it up over ten years ago, and read at least a few stories from it every year it gets un-packed with all my other Christmas stuff.
The first story "The Manger is Empty" is so beautiful.
This collection of Christmas stories is head and shoulders above the usual "Hallmark-y" Christmas collections that publishing companies dole out like so much cheap candy every December.
Truly beautifully written with depth and artistic prose, Christ-centered, and encouraging.
If you read these stories and don't feel at least a little bit of Christmas cheer and a hint of glistening tears:
Check. Your. Pulse.
I picked it up over ten years ago, and read at least a few stories from it every year it gets un-packed with all my other Christmas stuff.
The first story "The Manger is Empty" is so beautiful.
This collection of Christmas stories is head and shoulders above the usual "Hallmark-y" Christmas collections that publishing companies dole out like so much cheap candy every December.
Truly beautifully written with depth and artistic prose, Christ-centered, and encouraging.
If you read these stories and don't feel at least a little bit of Christmas cheer and a hint of glistening tears:
Check. Your. Pulse.
February 26, 2014
This book made me cry. Wangerin takes his reader through the corridors and passageways of time, of battle, heartbreak, victory, unparalleled grief, unparalleled revelation. His characters are so real that we bind ourselves to them and feel their pain. They're stories for Christmas, but I found them to be profound revelations of humanity.
January 3, 2012
a great Christmas read! I love Wangerins' writing skills- , crafted beautifully, poetic, powerful!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews