An entertaining, often surprising look at the life of the world's most influential fictional character. He is the embodiment of charity and generosity, a creation of mythology, a tool of clever capitalists. The very idea of him is enduring and powerful. Santa Claus was born in early-nineteenth-century America, but his family tree goes back seven hundred years to Saint Nicholas, patron saint of children. Intervening generations were shaggy and strange -- whip-wielding menaces to naughty boys and girls. Yet as the raucous, ...
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An entertaining, often surprising look at the life of the world's most influential fictional character. He is the embodiment of charity and generosity, a creation of mythology, a tool of clever capitalists. The very idea of him is enduring and powerful. Santa Claus was born in early-nineteenth-century America, but his family tree goes back seven hundred years to Saint Nicholas, patron saint of children. Intervening generations were shaggy and strange -- whip-wielding menaces to naughty boys and girls. Yet as the raucous, outdoor, alcohol-fuelled holiday gave way to a more domestic, sentimental model, a new kind of gift-bringer was called for -- a loveable elf, still judgmental but far less threatening. In this engaging social and cultural history, Gerry Bowler examines the place of Santa Claus in history, literature, advertising, and art. He traces his metamorphosis from a beardless youth into a red-suited peddler. He reveals the lesser-known aspects of the gift-bringer's life -- Santa's involvement with social and political causes of all stripes (he enlisted on the Union side in the American Civil War), his starring role in the movies and as adman for gun-makers and insurance companies. And he demolishes the myths surrounding Santa Claus and Coca-Cola. "Santa Claus: A Biography" will stand as the classic work on the long-lived and multifarious Mr. Claus.
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Add this copy of Santa Claus: a Biography to cart. $10.43, very good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Atlanta rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Brownstown, MI, UNITED STATES, published 2005 by McClelland & Stewart.
Add this copy of Santa Claus: a Biography to cart. $10.43, very good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Reno rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Reno, NV, UNITED STATES, published 2005 by McClelland & Stewart.
Add this copy of Santa Claus: a Biography to cart. $10.43, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Reno rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Reno, NV, UNITED STATES, published 2005 by McClelland & Stewart.
Add this copy of Santa Claus: a Biography to cart. $10.43, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Baltimore rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Halethorpe, MD, UNITED STATES, published 2005 by McClelland & Stewart.
Add this copy of Santa Claus: A Biography to cart. $30.00, very good condition, Sold by FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Huntington Beach, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2005 by McClelland & Stewart.
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Seller's Description:
Very good in very good dust jacket. Glued binding. Paper over boards. With dust jacket. 278 p. Contains: Illustrations. Audience: General/trade. Hardcover, previous library book with usual stamps and stickers in good condition. The dust jacket is wrapped in protective mylar. The binding is straight and tight. The text is clean and completely unmarked. The B/W illustrations are bright. A very useable copy.
Add this copy of Santa Claus: a Biography to cart. $64.66, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Newport Coast, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2005 by McClelland & Stewart.