"Philip Harris’ A Maine Christmas
Carol, a modern retelling of the Dickensian fable of Christmas’ past, present, and future in a middle class New England
setting is a holiday treat for readers of all ages. The spirit of the original
story is cleverly unraveled in a more up to date but equally grim narration of the experiences of a blighted contemporary
Scrooge named Thomas as he “sees” Christmas with his spirit guides.
The classic unfolding of the life of a beleaguered
and very ill-spirited young man faced with the consequences of his own self-serving actions is cleverly layered with messages
aimed at the socially irresponsible of our own life and times. A Maine Christmas Carol is a powerful parable of the ills of
progressive society left to exist unchecked and held unaccountable. Through the eyes of the spirit guides, Thomas sees that
while he is not responsible for the happiness of others, his actions do deeply impact all those who come in contact with him.
From the local shop owners to his eight-year-old sister, his exploits leave a deep and lasting impression. Even more critical
to note is the tsunami-like wave affect his acts, deeds, and lack of achievement has on those he will never meet. What he
does not do with his life is just as significant as what he has done so far in his 16 years.
In Harris’ A Maine Christmas Carol,
a new family tradition is born. The easy conversational writing style, the logical flow of the story, and the twist to the
original story makes this book a new classic that will go on the shelves right next to Dickens’ original morality tale. Harris does a marvelous job of weaving Thomas’ profound experience of redemption
with the underlying themes of social justice and poverty. A Maine Christmas Carol is explicit in demonstrating the relationship
of the privileged class in our country who has failed to address the social issues facing our society. Philip Harris has clearly
and unequivocally produced a rich allegory that redefines the importance of Christmas to a new generation of readers."
SHANNON EVANS, CHIEF EDITOR
WWW.MYWTITINGMENTOR.COM
11-27-07
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