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The Christmas Shoes (Christmas Hope #1)

by Donna VanLiere

4.21 · Rating Details · 27,356 Ratings · 730 Reviews

Sometimes, the things that can change your life will cross your path in one instant-and then, in a fleeting moment, they're gone. But if you open your eyes, and watch carefully, you will believe....

Robert is a successful attorney who has everything in life-and nothing at all. Focused on professional achievement and material rewards, Robert is on the brink of losing his mar ...more

Hardcover, 132 pages

Published November 9th 2001 by St. Martin's Press (first published 2001)

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Community Reviews

(showing 1-30)

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Dec 21, 2009 Julianna rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: Anyone Looking for a Good Holiday Story or a Real Tear-Jerker

Shelves: desert-island-keepers, holiday-stories, read-2009, inspirational-fiction, general-fiction

Reviewed for THC Reviews
I had recently been lamenting the fact that I hadn't read a true tear-jerker yet this year. I have been know to get a bit misty-eyed at certain scenes, but it is a rare book that makes me actually shed tears. The Christmas Shoes did exactly that and more. It made me cry buckets both while reading it and afterwards while merely thinking about it, and again while trying to write this review. There is a profound and beautiful message packed into this simple short story. It m ...more

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Dec 12, 2015 Lizzie rated it it was amazing

LOVED this book! So heartwarming and such great messages! Most people have heard the song, but the book is even better! Completely recommend!

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Apr 16, 2016 Camilla rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: winter-reads, my-unfinished-series

3.5 stars.

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Jan 06, 2016 Karly *The Vampire Ninja & Luminescent Monster* rated it liked it

Shelves: willow-says-bored-now

2.5 Stars

I’ve never been much of a seasonal reader. I believe 2014 was the first year I read any books set at Christmas time during the holidays (other than children’s books), but when I saw that my 2015 PopSugar challenge had such an entry, I knew 2014 wouldn’t be the last year I did it.

I don’t know how familiar you guys are with the song “The Christmas Shoes”, I know I’ve heard it and the general message is one that I know pretty well but it’s not a favourite or anything. So imagine my surprise when I was scouring my shelves looking for a Christmas book to complete this entry and saw this slim volume tucked in there… I actually have no idea where it came from, oh well.

The Christmas Shoes follows two different families, one which is falling apart due to illness and another due to a lack of effort. The two families cross paths on several occasions (some pleasant and some not so much) but never converge. It’s a fairly accurate reality for most people who live in the same community. And truthfully some of the most impactful moments in my life will probably never be understood by the seemingly random people who were present.

For me this book is pretty religious, which I actually don’t mind seeing as how it is set at Christmas, and it does a lovely job of tightroping that line and never becoming actually preachy. I appreciate that; preachy prose is one of my least favourite things in literature.

Probably my biggest disappointment in this book was the text itself; it gives a whole new meaning to the term “bland”. With all the heart-string pulling ammunition available in this story (and a fabulous message to boot) you would think it would invoke some feelings in me. It didn’t. It was sweet and a bit sad but overall it just sort of felt like regurgita of the same message that is in pretty much every holiday book; people are more precious than gifts.

And THAT is a message I completely agree with. However, this book bored me overall.

Category: A Book set at Christmas.
...more

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Feb 10, 2009 Nathan rated it did not like it

Recommends it for: People who own tables that have one leg shorter than the others.

Recommended to Nathan by: Dagny

This was given to me as a gag gift, and (spoiler alert!) it sucks. I suppose you could say that it is somewhat capably written, much in the same way that a high school essay takes a few scattered facts and stretches them out into a full research page paper. That's where the positives end. The book is filled with enough sugary schmaltz and false sentimentality to send cookie monster into a diabetic coma. The character development (if you could call it that) of secondary characters serves little p ...more

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Jun 26, 2013 Elizabeth rated it did not like it

Shelves: christmas, christian

This novel follows two different characters during a difficult Christmas season: A boy, Nathan, learns that his mother is dying of cancer, while a hard-working lawyer, Robert, realizes that he has become distanced from his wife and children. When a chance encounter brings the boy and the lawyer to the same department store check-out line, Robert learns something beautiful about the true meaning of Christmas.

I was not expecting this book to be the Great American Novel. I was expecting it to be sa This novel follows two different characters during a difficult Christmas season: A boy, Nathan, learns that his mother is dying of cancer, while a hard-working lawyer, Robert, realizes that he has become distanced from his wife and children. When a chance encounter brings the boy and the lawyer to the same department store check-out line, Robert learns something beautiful about the true meaning of Christmas.

I was not expecting this book to be the Great American Novel. I was expecting it to be sappy, saccharine even, and it was, and I don't have a problem with that. Sometimes I'm in the mood for something schmaltzy, and that's fine. If I hadn't wanted to read something sappy, I'd have quit after the first few pages. I was not expecting it to be Christian fiction, although that doesn't really surprise me. What did surprise me was this book's knack for making me angry.

First of all, the mom has been very sick for some time. She's tired and getting weaker. She's on hospice. She knew from the very beginning that she probably wouldn't make it. She's already done the chemotherapy, and she's got a hospital bed for her living room. She's come home to die. So I want to know why in the heck she and her husband wait until the day she dies to tell their eight-year-old son that the mother won't get better. Up until that day, he thought she wasn't seriously sick. I understand the parents wanting to protect the child, but they can't save the mother, so he's going to have to face this tragedy anyway. The least they could do was be honest with him. Moreover, during the mother's last hours of consciousness, the father and grandmother sit with her, read to her, talk to her. When she's safely dead, they decide it's okay for their son to come in and say goodbye. He's eight. He's not a baby. He's certainly old enough to understand what's going on, and they have robbed him of something he'll never regain. But Nathan is relieved, because apparently his father almost waited until the next day to tell the son. So hey, it could have been even worse.

Most of the cancer plot is done well enough. It's sappy and a little predictable, but that's okay for this style of book. There were even some things that I liked. For instance, I always thought shoes were a sort of strange gift to give to someone who could no longer walk, so I was wondering how VanLiere would introduce the idea. It turns out that Nathan heard his teacher saying that her favorite Christmas was the one on which she received, as a present, a new pair of shoes. So Nathan, who only just learned of his mother's impending death, dashes off to buy the only thing he knows of TO buy. It makes sense, and its both sweet and sad. That said, the teacher character isn't all that well-written: in 29 years of teaching, she's never had a student whose parent had died. Really? 29 years' worth of students all came from happy, two-parent homes? VanLiere did not have to make Nathan's surroundings artificially cheery in order to make his situation, which is intrinsically tragic, seem sad.

What really steamed me about this book is the other plot, the lawyer who has a chance encounter with the boy. He had a nice job. He bought a nice house. This, apparently, makes him a bad guy. His wife thinks that he works too many hours, and she wants a divorce, She doesn't suggest trying to reconnect, nor does she want counseling. No, the first indication that he has that she is in any way dissatisfied is when she says that she wants a divorce, which she then tries to justify with the flimsiest rationalization I can imagine: "Let's face it, you left this family a long time ago." Are we even supposed to like the wife? It's not that she's mean. In fact, outside this one scene (a page and a half), she doesn't really have any personality. What did he do that was so wrong? He embezzled! No, wait, that's not it. Maybe he had an affair? No? Did he just get drunk and make a pass at his mother-in-law? No? Really? You mean he only worked hard and lived honestly? Heck, I'd divorce him too.

But like I said, there isn't enough of the wife in the book to like or dislike her. She's just kind of there. Robert's mother, however, has a personality. Not a great one. She's nosy, arrogant, judgmental, mean-spirited, and she's one of the story's heroes because it was she (and not the wife) pointed out to Robert the error of his ways. She cornered him, and even though he did not want to discuss it with her, he listened to her ~~sermon~~ ~~lecture~~ conversation. But did it have to be so much like a catechism? What is the problem in your marriage? I'll tell you. You are the problem in your marriage. Why are you the problem in your marriage? And on. And on. The mother seems to have been endowed with the ability to know exactly what's troubling her daughter-in-law without ever having discussed anything with her, but is she psychic? No! Turns out she can speak for all women. Joy!

Meanwhile, the rich lawyer is contrasted with Nathan's family, where money is "tight," and they "can barely make ends meet." They bought a ranch house, put in a new roof, new floors, new carpeting, and new plumbing. And I don't mean they fixed a leak; they ripped out the pipes and put in new ones, and they made repairs to the foundation as well. They made it "the nicest" home on the block. Then, the wife went nuts buying all kinds of new plants for the garden. Meanwhile, her husband had a steady job, and she worked part-time. But, oh, by the way, they're so poor. The husband is kept awake nights feeling guilty for not being a better provider, and the wife consoles him by saying that there is a difference between wants and needs, and at least they have their needs. Heck, if a sprawling ranch house, remodel, and plants are needs, I'd hate to see their wants. Of course, by the end of the story, the lawyer learns how misguided he has has been. He says, "We all have questions in this life. It's taken me a long time to figure out what the really important question are. NotHow am I going to make enough money?[. . .]No, more like What are flowers thinking beneath the snow?" That about says it all, I think. Years from now, I can tell my own kids, "Aw, gee, Sport. I'm sorry you're having the seizures/chest pains/asthma attacks/allergies/near-sightedness/any-kind-of-ailment, but son, that's just not important. You should focus instead on the emotions of last summer's dead plants. That really matters." (I assume VanLiere meant "seeds" or "bulbs," not flowers, but it's a moot point anyway since neither dead flowers nor live bulbs possess an amygdala.)

That's most of what bothered me with this book. It was too shallow, the characters were unlikeable (except for the unlikable lawyer--him I understood). It tries too hard. It presents a moving scene, but then it spells out why it's moving, and then it has the characters narrate their own process of discovering the beauty/sorrow/love of the season. It's the kind of Christian book that gives Christian fiction a bad reputation, and I'm not even sure how Christian it is. I didn't appreciate VanLiere insulting Easter, the holiest of our festivals, just to make Christmas look better by comparison, nor did I enjoy her interpretation of the star that guided the magi as being the light at the end of the tunnel. Look at the light! Go into the star! It's a death star! Oh, please.

Life is too short to read bad books. Save yourself from this one. ...more

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Dec 15, 2008 Antof9 rated it liked it

Shelves: 2008-read, made-me-cry

I'm not sure why I'd start reading a book like this on the anniversary of the day my dad died, but I started it yesterday. After sobbing through the first half, I put it down to finish it this evening. It's one of those short, heartwarming stories where a hardened workaholic learns the true meaning of Christmas, someone dies (actually multiple people die), and you really wish it was snowing outside. In short, it was lovely, and I cried all the way through it.

The perspective change throughout was ...more

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Dec 14, 2015 Sandra Bašić rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Sadness and pain mixed with warmth and gratitude. Right book at the right time - Christmas time! Christmas is not only decorations and gifts underneath the tree, Christmas is love, family and faith. Books like this one are here to remind us that, over and over again. Don't celebrate holidays for material causes, stay still for a moment and be grateful - for life and for persons beside you.

All of us have something to believe in, so have faith and BELIEVE!

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Dec 29, 2008 Becky rated it it was amazing

Shelves: books-i-own, christmas-stories, tear-jerker

This book was a huge tear jerker. I think I cried through almost the entire book. Thank goodness it was only 140 pages. ;) But the story was great and it was a real heart felt book. Made you think about what's really important in life and the true meaning of Christmas.

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Dec 25, 2014 Lina rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: drama, realistic-fiction, family, christian-lit

3.5 stars actually. Some parts of the translation bother me. The strange thing, there isn't any translator name in the book.

Indah asked me if there is any emotion I felt after read this book, either sad or happy?
Well some parts of the book really tear me up (after all I always weak when it comes with family drama, sacrifice or struggle and poverty) but the book not memorable, the story quite cliche & predictable. About workaholic man who put his works first after his family and about a nic 3.5 stars actually. Some parts of the translation bother me. The strange thing, there isn't any translator name in the book.

Indah asked me if there is any emotion I felt after read this book, either sad or happy?
Well some parts of the book really tear me up (after all I always weak when it comes with family drama, sacrifice or struggle and poverty) but the book not memorable, the story quite cliche & predictable. About workaholic man who put his works first after his family and about a nice family whose struggle because one of their family member dying of cancer.

The characters are one dimensional event the main guy far from lovable. But this is perfect Christmas book because it have anything about Christmas value such as family, love, giving and bible verse. Anyway this song is really describe the story and I believe, the lyrics itself already make you sad.

It was almost Christmas time
And there I stood in another line
Trying to buy that last gift or two
Not really in the Christmas mood
And standin right in front of me was a
Little boy waiting anxiously
Pacin around like little boys do
And in his hands he held
A pair of shoes

And His clothes were worn and old
He was dirty from head to toe
And when it came his time to pay
I couldn't beleive what I heard him say

Sir I wanna buy these shoes
For my mama. please
It's Christmas eve and these shoes are just her size
Could you hurry sir
Daddy says there's not much time
You see,
She's been sick for quite a while And I
know these shoes will make her smile And I
Want her to look beautiful
If mama meets Jesus tonight

They counted penny's for what seemed like years then the
Cashier said, "Son, there's not enough here."
He searched his pockets frantically
Then he turned and he looked at me and he said
"Mama made Christmas good at our house though
Most years she just did without, Tell me sir,
What am I gonna do?
Some how I gotta buy her these Christmas shoes."

So I laid the money down
I just had to help him out
And I'll never forget the look on his face when he said,
"Mama's gonna look so great."

Sir I wanna buy these shoes
For my mama. please
It's Christmas eve and these shoes are just her size
Could you hurry sir
Daddy says there's not much time
You see,
She's been sick for quite a while And I
know these shoes will make her smile And I
Want her to look beautiful
If mama meets Jesus tonight

I knew I'd caught a glimpse of heaven's love as he thanked me and ran out
I knew that God had sent me that little boy to remind me what Christmas is all about

Sir I wanna buy these shoes
For my mama. please
It's Christmas eve and these shoes are just her size
Could you hurry sir
Daddy says there's not much time
You see,
She's been sick for quite a while And I
know these shoes will make her smile And I
Want her to look beautiful
If mama meets Jesus tonight

I Want her to look beautiful
If mama meets Jesus tonight

...more

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Nov 17, 2011 Jeannette rated it liked it

Shelves: christmas

I love happy little Christmas stories. Ones that let me escape reality and enjoy all the best parts of the holiday season. The "Christmas Shoes" is not one of those books.

Not that I didn't like "The Christmas Shoes". I liked it for the sappy, "drop me into the well of reality" book that it is. Someone dies, someone else learns a lesson. The lesson is more poignant because there are Christmas trees and gifts involved.

Teach me a lesson at Christmastime if you want. Teach me about hope, or joy, or ...more

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May 14, 2013 Heather McKeon rated it it was ok

So I'm hosting book club in December this year, and so I am reading some Christmas books to find a good one to pick. I know it's only September, but I wanted to have plenty of time to read a few books before I make my decision. I asked the librarian for some suggestions of unusual Christmas books. Because I really didn't want to read any of those trite, dripping with obvious message type books. So naturally she recommended The Christmas Shoes. Really? I am not totally mad at her because she did ...more

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Dec 18, 2008 Kristy rated it it was amazing

This beautiful story is about a family who believes. Not only through Christmas but through life and tragedy. I cried many times. The family bond in this story reminded me of home and of holidays with my family as a little girl. There are many powerful quotes in this book, but the one that impacted me the most was one from a mother to her young son a few days before Christmas:
"It's spectacular that God would want to leave the beauty of heaven to come to live here as a man. And you'd think that s ...more

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Dec 19, 2015 Dana rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-in-2015, new-author-to-me-2015, christmas, christmasreadchallenge2015

It's been awhile since I have read a tear jerker this book is simply heart wrenching yet absolutely wonderful. Love the message of it just beautiful and highly recommend
It to anyone who wants a good book with a good message that is an easy to read wonderful Christmas book! And PS make sure A. You aren't sitting in the dentist office while reading as they might think you are crying from tooth pain and B. Have a box of tissues handy

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Jan 02, 2016 Dana rated it really liked it

The song that was written based on this book is one of my all-time favorite Christmas songs. I wait with anticipation every Christmas season. The Christmas Shoes is bound to become a Christmas classic. It is heart-warming, intelligent and very touching. It is the perfect book to read during the holidays, or if you need to find something to cheer your soul up a little. It is the perfect book to put you into the Christmas mood.

The book contains two stories. The first is of Nathan, a young boy who' ...more

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Dec 21, 2015 Jennifer rated it it was amazing

Shelves: library-books, 2015-reads

This book was beautiful! I read it so quickly, and I couldn't stop thinking about it. I want to read the sequel but it may have to wait till next year. I am going to watch the movie.. I might cry like I cried whilst reading the book.

Please read the book, it's a beautiful story with a beautiful message.

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Jan 13, 2012 Jasmine Marie {#thebookishmama} rated it it was amazing

Shelves: christian-fiction, christmas-reads

I was in the mood for a Christmas read, so I finally picked up The Christmas Shoes after seeing it for years at Costco and other bookstores. The cover art and small-size of the book drew me into picking up the book and I'm glad I finally figured out what the fuss was all about with the "Christmas" books.

I loved this story. It was a very quick read and just what I wanted in a Christmas book - full of love, family and redemption. However, I think the deeper parts of the story were a bit unexpected ...more

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Jan 01, 2013 Jintana rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: romance-audio-collection

ใครจะไปคิดวารองเทาเพียงคูเดียวจะเปลียนชีวิตของครอบครัวหนึงไปอยางสินเชิง

Robert กำลังจะเสียภรรยาและลูกสาว 2 คนไปหลังเทศกาลคริสตมาสเสรจสิน Kate ตองการหยาขาดจากสามีทีทำแตงานไมเคยมีเวลาใหครอบครัว

ในขณะทีทุกคนกำลังมีความสุขกับเทศกาลคริสตมาส Nathan กำลังโศกเศราเพราะใกลจะสูญเสียแมทีปวยเปนโรคมะเรง

Robert และ Nathan มาทีหางในชัวโมงสุดทายกอนหางปิดดวยจุดประสงคทีตางกัน Robert มาหาของขวัญในนาทีสุดทายใหภรรยาและลูกเพือกลบเกลือนความรูสึกผิด ในขณะที Nathan มาหาของขวัญเพือใหแมนำติดตัวไปเฝาพระผูเปนเจา เขาหยิบรองเทาค ใครจะไปคิดว่ารองเท้าเพียงคู่เดียวจะเปลี่ยนชีวิตของครอบครัวหนึ่งไปอย่างสิ้นเชิง

Robert กำลังจะเสียภรรยาและลูกสาว 2 คนไปหลังเทศกาลคริสต์มาสเสร็จสิ้น Kate ต้องการหย่าขาดจากสามีที่ทำแต่งานไม่เคยมีเวลาให้ครอบครัว

ในขณะที่ทุกคนกำลังมีความสุขกับเทศกาลคริสต์มาส Nathan กำลังโศกเศร้าเพราะใกล้จะสูญเสียแม่ที่ป่วยเป็นโรคมะเร็ง

Robert และ Nathan มาที่ห้างในชั่วโมงสุดท้ายก่อนห้างปิดด้วยจุดประสงค์ที่ต่างกัน Robert มาหาของขวัญในนาทีสุดท้ายให้ภรรยาและลูกเพื่อกลบเกลื่อนความรู้สึกผิด ในขณะที่ Nathan มาหาของขวัญเพื่อให้แม่นำติดตัวไปเฝ้าพระผู้เป็นเจ้า เขาหยิบรองเท้าคู่ที่คิดว่าแม่ใส่แล้วจะสวยที่สุดมาที่เคาน์เตอร์แต่เงินที่มีมาไม่พอจ่าย เขาจึงขอ Robert ที่เข้าแถวอยู่ด้านหลัง ในตอนแรก Robert จะไม่ให้แต่เมื่อได้ฟังเหตุผลแล้วจึงยอมควักจ่ายให้ และเขาก็ทิ้งของขวัญที่เลือกมาไว้ที่เคาน์เตอร์และรีบเร่งกลับบ้านเพื่อที่จะไปขอให้ภรรยาให้โอกาสเขาอีกสักครั้ง

ชอบมาก ๆ ตอนที่แม่ของ Nathan บอกว่า "God does not take me from you, He receives me." "It doesn't matter how long I live, it's how I live that matters. I've lived the best part of my life being your mother." เป็นมุมมองชีวิตด้านบวกที่เด็กน้อยอย่าง Nathan ยังไม่สามารถเข้าใจได้ในตอนนั้น แต่ด้วยความที่เป็นเด็กอ่อนน้อม เขาจึงเชื่อฟังแม่และพยายามอย่างยิ่งที่จะทำใจให้เข้มแข็ง

เป็นเรื่องที่ฟังไปร้องไห้ไปตลอด ...more

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Aug 27, 2011 Alisha Marie rated it did not like it

Shelves: christmas

Okay, I'm a Christmas freak. There really is no other way to put it. I just love everything about Christmas: the ambience, the decorations, the nice, cold winters, the food, the music (that I start to listen to in September), the movies (that I tend to watch all year round), and so much more. Except for the Christmas books. For some reason, I have yet to find a Christmas book that I truly love (in the interest of full disclosure I will say that I have yet to read A Christmas Carol. I know...). U ...more

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Apr 18, 2009 Nancy (Hrdcovers) rated it liked it

During the past Christmas season, I had decided to read all those books on my shelves relating to the holidays. I had seen "The Christmas Shoes" as a TV movie starring Rob Lowe and thought that would be a good place to start. After reading the book, I can now report that the TV movie was much better than the book. I think had I read the book before seeing the movie, I might have felt differently. There were things that were added to the movie that weren't in the book and I kept waiting for these During the past Christmas season, I had decided to read all those books on my shelves relating to the holidays. I had seen "The Christmas Shoes" as a TV movie starring Rob Lowe and thought that would be a good place to start. After reading the book, I can now report that the TV movie was much better than the book. I think had I read the book before seeing the movie, I might have felt differently. There were things that were added to the movie that weren't in the book and I kept waiting for these things to happen and, when they didn't, I found myself disappointed.

I know I shouldn't expect too much when reading these seasonal books and I make sure, when reviewing them, not to compare them to great literature. I try to compare them to similar books in that genre. With that said, this book really did not move me and, as a result, I ended up putting all of the other holiday books back on the shelves. Perhaps next December, I'll start with a better one like "A Christmas Carol".

One of my main problems with this book was the change from one point of view to another. It was not done seamlessly and sometimes I found myself having to reread paragraphs because I thought I was reading one person's thoughts only to find out it was someone else's. I'm actually writing this review a few months after finishing the book and that is not the best thing to do as there were numerous other things the author did that didn't flow well for me, which some good editing might have helped.

With all that said, I think the story, of a young boy losing his mother around the holidays and a very busy attorney almost losing his family because he doesn't have the time to give them his attention, is one that has been told before in many different ways. There's no question that the innocence of a boy, wanting to buy shoes for his mother so she will look pretty when meeting Jesus, will tug at your heart. The part of the story that affected me more was the kindness of the teacher who knew he needed a few extra hugs and much more of her time than any of her other students. It's usually the goodness of someone not attached to the family that gets to me moreso than the natural goodness that would be forthcoming from a relative. And then the defining moment, when the boy meets the attorney while Christmas shopping and the attorney offers to help pay for the shoes so that the untimate gift can be given to the boy's mother, is surely a magical one.

I think if you're looking for a read that is quick and easy and defines what the meaning of Christmas is all about, then you might enjoy this book. I'm sure I'm being a bit more critical than I should be but I sometimes can't let poor editing go unnoticed. ...more

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Dec 18, 2014 Rachel rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: own-kindle, romance, adult, holiday

I enjoyed The Christmas Shoes. It was a quick read, and while there are very heavy themes of death in the book, I still consider it a light and sweet read that helped me to get into the holiday spirit. I plan to continue with The Christmas Blessing next, and I would love to finish the entire series before Christmas!

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Nov 26, 2015 Jennifer Pitman rated it it was amazing

A beautiful book that reflects the true meaning of Christmas from the Bible story of "Luke." The song from Newsong is based from this sweet book that focuses on life, love & death. It reminds you of what an impact you have on strangers even....you never know how you can affect people until a simple gesture becomes a wake up call like it did in this book for a workaholic husband/father. Can't wait to read more from this Christian author!

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Feb 05, 2011 Christine rated it really liked it

As I was listening to an interview with the author on the Christmas Surprise CD the other night I learned that the author for this book got the idea through a conversation with the songwriter who wrote the song "Christmas Shoes." The songwriter had the idea and was talking to her about her opinions about it being a successful song. She said she thought it would make a good book. They challenged eachother to get writing. We know the song was a hit, now it will be interesting to see how the book c ...more

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Nov 11, 2015 Carolina rated it really liked it

What an amazing story! It really shows how even the smallest things like a pair of shoes can really change someone's heart for the better. I think it captures the meaning of giving perfectly.

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Oct 13, 2013 Margaret rated it liked it

Shelves: christian-fiction

I enjoyed this book and I think the intention was a sweet simple story though I did wish for more en depth character study but I think the author knew what she was doing and from reading The Good Dream, I know this author is a good one. I hate comparing books to one another and I refuse to do so. I am a visual artist and each of my paintings are different, one might be better than the other but I value each one for different reasons. Same as with this story, I valued the simplicity of the story ...more

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Dec 20, 2015 Amy rated it really liked it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. "If we're open to it, God can use even the smallest thing to change our lives...to change us. It might be a laughing child, car breaks that need fixing, a sale on pot roast, a cloudless sky, a trip to the woods to cut down a Christmas tree, a schoolteacher, a dunhill billiard pipe...or even a pair of shoes. Some people will never believe. They may feel that such things are too trivial, too simple or too insignificant to forever change a life. But I believe and I always will."
"Some people go thei "If we're open to it, God can use even the smallest thing to change our lives...to change us. It might be a laughing child, car breaks that need fixing, a sale on pot roast, a cloudless sky, a trip to the woods to cut down a Christmas tree, a schoolteacher, a dunhill billiard pipe...or even a pair of shoes. Some people will never believe. They may feel that such things are too trivial, too simple or too insignificant to forever change a life. But I believe and I always will."
"Some people go their entire lives missing the small miracles that happen throughout the day--those small blessings God sends from heaven to make us smile, laugh, or to break our hearts, and gently nudge us closer to his side. I used to miss those tiny miracles: my children's giggles, their first awkward steps--their little hands wrapped gingerly around my fingers for support."
"Doris had learned that it wasn't the size or cost of a home that created kind, well-adjusted children, but the love and attention that filled that home."
"These were the last smells of Christmas, the last smiles of her little boy, the last squeals of her baby girl, that she would ever experience. She didn't want to commit them to memory, but, rather, she wanted to be fully present in the here and now and love with all her soul."
"Whoever said 'life's a breeze' should be smacked! That person didn't have a clue. Life isn't easy. Just when you get close to having it figured out, they haul you away in a hearse."
"It's too easy to want to fix someone else but the hard part is fixing yourself. Instead of demanding more from her, you need to give more of yourself."
"No man ever really lives until he gives himself away to others...that's why Jesus was born in a manger . He humbled Himself to give His life away for mankind. That's the meaning of Christmas."
"God didn't make me sick, He helped me through this sickness. He gave me strength to play with you and Rachel and held me on my really horrible days."
"Every happening, great or small, is a parable whereby God speaks to us, and the art of life is to get the message." - Malcolm muggeridge
"Life must be lived forwards, but it can be understood only backwards." -Soren Kierkegaard
"The more I think it over, the more I feel that there is nothing more truly artistic than to love people" - Vincent Van Gogh
"God gave us the greatest proof of love that the world has ever seen." - Andrew Murray
We are not necessarily that God will do the best for us; we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be." -c.s. Lewis ...more

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Mar 17, 2014 Astri Nardi (Asuka Mai) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: young-adult, recommended

Buku yang sangat bagus.... Begitu kesan ku setelah sampai ke halaman terakhir.
Buku ini tentang drama keluarga yang mengajarkan kita untuk lebih menghargai hidup, lebih mementingkan keluarga daripada apapun. Bahkan uang pun tidak akan bisa membeli kebahagiaan.
Disini di ceritakan tentang 2 keluarga yang bertolak belakang sekali kehidupannya. Robert yang workaholic dan mempunyai seglanya tapi tidak dengan kebahagiaan dan kehangatan keluarga. Dan Nathan, anak kecil berusia 8 tahun yang hidupnya sang ...more

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Dec 15, 2012 Betsy rated it really liked it

Shelves: z-2012-nov, z-2012-christmas-read

Although I knew what to expect from The Christmas Shoes, Donna VanLiere is a wonderful storyteller. Of course, it is a bittersweet story which brought tears to my eyes. I am planning to read one book is the Christmas Hope series each year. Next year is The Christmas Blessing. 4 stars

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Apr 24, 2015 Lindsay (Lindsay's Library) rated it really liked it

Warning: if you decided to read Donna VanLiere's "The Christmas Shoes," be sure you've got a box of tissues handy. This book is the very definition of a tearjerker. Normally I don't care for novels with super-emotional passages but the sentimentality of the book made it a good Christmas read.

"The Christmas Shoes" features the typical holiday themes of forgiveness, second chances, kindness, hope, love and faith. VanLiere introduces us to two strangers -- a workaholic lawyer whose homelife is fall ...more

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Dec 07, 2009 Traci rated it it was amazing

I really loved this book. It was a great book to get you into the spirit of Christmas. It was a very quick read. This book helps remind us all what is important in life, not just at Christmas time. It is so important to keep love, family, friends and goodwill in your hearts all year long. This book was a tear jerker so have your tissues ready, or maybe I am just a sappy mom.

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Christian Fiction...: November Book of the Month - The Christmas Shoes by Donna VanLiere	10	35	Nov 30, 2014 02:22PM
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About Donna VanLiere

Donna VanLiere is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author and gifted conference speaker. She has published ten titles including The Christmas Shoes and The Christmas Blessing, both of which were adapted into movies (starring Rob Lowe, Kimberly Williams-Perry and Neil Patrick Harris) and garnered big ratings for CBS television. LifetimeTelevision adapted The Christmas Hope (starring Made ...more

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Christmas Hope (8 books)

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The Christmas Blessing (Christmas Hope, #2)

The Christmas Secret (Christmas Hope, #5)

The Christmas Promise (Christmas Hope, #4)

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