Rating: 
Summary: It IS A Miracle
Review: It is so amazing to me how one man's work and experiences can touch the lives of so many people. This is a true miracle. Mr. Evans is an exquisite man with the ability to help others see the true purpose in life and cope with tragedy that may come their way. I read the book cover to cover without putting it down. I cried, I laughed, I felt the pain and the joy shared in each story. This book came at the perfect time for this nation. A time to understand destiny, healing, and hope. Thank you, Mr. Evans, for a wonderful book that I will cherish and share with many others.
Rating:
Summary: As inspiring as the book itself
Review: It says something about Richard Paul Evans that he is one of the few authors whom I will buy new and in hardcover. After the disastrous events of 9/11, I felt severely in the need for some kind of inspirational comfort, so I picked up "The Christmas Box Miracle." Unlike his prior books, this is a an autobiography of Evans, and simultaneously a very unique success story -- not just because the book became popular, but how it affected the people who read it.Evans was born into a middle-class Mormon family with several kids, who moved to Utah when he was still quite young. We get both visions of his family: the lighter side, with his rambunctious siblings and childhood antics, and the darker side, how his mother miscarried when he was a toddler, and suffered from severe depression that resulted in a failed suicide attempt. A great influence on Evans was his grandfather, an immensely faith-filled man who predicted once that Evans would "walk with the royalty of this earth and be known as one who loves God." A prediction which has since come true. The book then follows Evans in his careers as a missionary, a member of a newspaper staff, working for a tux rental agency, and so forth. It also follows him into his marriage with Keri, his wife (an interesting detail is who her crotchety father inspired *wink*). But after two of their children were born, it turned out that he was "trading diamonds for stones," working too hard and missing out on his children. Then, after the folding of his agency, Evans wrote a short novel that has now become famous, reaching across political, religious, age and financial barriers. "The Christmas Box" strongly affected everyone who read it, to the point where people were sending orders into bookstores for a novel that had, technically, never been published. His trip into publication was more than a success story, when it became a helping point for those who had lost a child. It may be viewed as a mere coincidence that this book came out around the time of the WTC attack, but I doubt Evans' grandfather would see it so. This book is truly inspiring, especially given the short letters from people whom it has deeply affected, from across the world. (I, personally, have never lost a child but I was deeply traumatized by the loss of a baby brother, and "Christmas Box" helped me through that rough time) We are also given a look inside Evans' head, and the power of God that he's felt in his life. As in his fiction, Evans is very spare and evocative in his descriptions, and very poetic in his speculations. There's an undercurrent of wry wit to this book, such as the passage where he relates how his brother got him to read classic authors by saying, "Chicks dig Shakespeare." He also displays that success has not swelled his head, as he seems to have no problem relating that So-and-so and Such-and-Such did not like him, his problems and insecurities. The book also gives background into the many people who were deeply touched by the Christmas Box (including the person who said that he was too young to have written such a book), and to the Angel Statues. I hadn't previously understood the meaning of these statues, and it's very moving when I did learn what they were for. Maybe this story is even more inspiring than the Christmas Box, because it is REAL. I strongly advise everyone -- especially people who have read his other books -- to read this book.
Rating:
Summary: Miracles really do exist!!
Review: Last night i read The Christmas Box Miracle and i must say that i was deeply moved by it's contents. The stories shared by Mr. Evans are real and can be easily related to the struggles that we all encounter. After the tragedy we have faced as a nation this book comes at just the right time to give us all hope. Reading this book left me with such a good feeling and a desire to use whatever capacity i have to improve the quality of my life as well as the lives of others. Mr. Evans has a gift and i am thankful that he has made the effort to share it with everyone- He is truely a miracle to many!
Rating:
Summary: Tiny Miracles to Bless our Lives
Review: My heart has been deeply touched by the many stories and experiences that have been shared in this book. Under our nation's circumstances, I can't think of a book that is more healing than this one. It helps us remember, that indeed, we are all children of a merciful God, and that because he loves us, he sends us tiny miracles to bless our lives. This book is a small representation of those miracles. IT IS A MUST READ. You will see things in a new, renewed light, and you will recognize that hope, and peace, and good, will always prevail. Mr. Evans, thank you, again, for helping us recognize these tiny miracles that help us see the "big picture".
Rating:
Summary: Couldn't put it down
Review: Richard Paul Evans has done it again. I love his books and this one was another great book. I started it and had a hard time putting it down when I had to attend to everyday tasks, but picked it right back up. I loved this one.
Rating:
Summary: A Book for Every Season!
Review: Several years ago I watched a TV movie called The Christmas Box, which starred Maureen O'Hara and Richard Thomas. I'm not sure exactly what attracted me to this prsentation, most likely the cast, but not only did I enjoy the perfromances but more importantly the message of this made for TV movie. A few weeks after this I came across a book with this title and read the dust jacket. Immediately, I realized the TV movie was based on this book and I just had to read it. Not only did I gulp down this book the time I read it but almost as soon as I finished it I just had to read it again. And since that time I have read The Christmas Box almost every holiday season and all of Richard Paul Evans other titles as well. Today, this small book continues to speak volumes and has affected the lives of many readers, perhaps most of all the author and his family. One would have to say that the success of this book is truly a miracle. And it is this very sucess which Evans addresses in his new book titled The Christmas Box Miracle. Part memoir, part philosophy, in this book Evans offers his readers the story behind the writing of The Christmas Box, which was intended only as a gift for his two small daughters. Evans begins this book by discussing his basic philosophy and the premise that there are forces at work, some known and some unknown, which alter our lives. He then depicts his large Mormon family and the prophecy of hsi grandfathers who said that, "He (Evans) would walk among noble men and royalty." He describes his fathers lucrative job and the material lives his family was afforded and then his fathers loss of his job and their move back to Utah. Moving on to his college years, Evans relates sevevral instances when divine intervention led him to decisions whih altered his life. And in some instances even saved his life. Finally and for me the most intersting part of the book is when Evans explains to readers how a small book which was originally self published and handed out to 20 family members and friends became a number one bestseller and continues to be sold around the world. As I finished The Christmas Box Miracle, I thought about the role of miracles, angels, faith, dtermination and most of all the greatest gift in our lives, the gift of love. Mr. Evans always supplies these basic themes in his books and offers his readers hope during devestating times and even healing from life's cruelest blows. May he continue to reach out to audiences and spread these messages.
Rating:
Summary: A Book for Every Season!
Review: Several years ago I watched a TV movie called The Christmas Box, which starred Maureen O'Hara and Richard Thomas. I'm not sure exactly what attracted me to this prsentation, most likely the cast, but not only did I enjoy the perfromances but more importantly the message of this made for TV movie. A few weeks after this I came across a book with this title and read the dust jacket. Immediately, I realized the TV movie was based on this book and I just had to read it. Not only did I gulp down this book the time I read it but almost as soon as I finished it I just had to read it again. And since that time I have read The Christmas Box almost every holiday season and all of Richard Paul Evans other titles as well. Today, this small book continues to speak volumes and has affected the lives of many readers, perhaps most of all the author and his family. One would have to say that the success of this book is truly a miracle. And it is this very sucess which Evans addresses in his new book titled The Christmas Box Miracle. Part memoir, part philosophy, in this book Evans offers his readers the story behind the writing of The Christmas Box, which was intended only as a gift for his two small daughters. Evans begins this book by discussing his basic philosophy and the premise that there are forces at work, some known and some unknown, which alter our lives. He then depicts his large Mormon family and the prophecy of hsi grandfathers who said that, "He (Evans) would walk among noble men and royalty." He describes his fathers lucrative job and the material lives his family was afforded and then his fathers loss of his job and their move back to Utah. Moving on to his college years, Evans relates sevevral instances when divine intervention led him to decisions whih altered his life. And in some instances even saved his life. Finally and for me the most intersting part of the book is when Evans explains to readers how a small book which was originally self published and handed out to 20 family members and friends became a number one bestseller and continues to be sold around the world. As I finished The Christmas Box Miracle, I thought about the role of miracles, angels, faith, dtermination and most of all the greatest gift in our lives, the gift of love. Mr. Evans always supplies these basic themes in his books and offers his readers hope during devestating times and even healing from life's cruelest blows. May he continue to reach out to audiences and spread these messages.
Rating:
Summary: What a Miracle it is!
Review: The book is full of comfort and amazing faith promoting stories. It really helped me to ponder all the good in my life and the things that lead me to where I am going. The world needs this story right now! Thank you Mr. Evans. Your book is an inspiration to us all.
Rating:
Summary: WE NEED A LITTLE CHRISTMAS
Review: The timing was perfect for the publication of this book. It is the inspired and inspiring story of the history of the bestselling "The Christmas Box" and how the author's belief in what was meant to be a story shared with family and friends resulted in a worldwide publishing phenomenon. Mr. Evans shares with the reader the many miracles in his journey from obscurity to internationally known writer. A wonderfully positive book!
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful reading...
Review: This book is absolutely inspirational. I'm not a religious person by any means, but I do believe that there is a higher power guiding us through life. Mr. Evans was able to follow the many signs given to him throughout his life which ultimately led him to write The Christmas Box. I have to admit that I haven't read it even though I own it. I lent it to my mother and she said that it was very good. Just before Christmas I was walking through the book store and stopped by the table full of Christmas books. I must say that it "called" out to me and I felt compelled to buy it as a Christmas gift to myself. To be honest I wasn't in any mood this year to celebrate Christmas since the 9/11 attacks, but I felt the need to purchase a book. It is undoubtedly one of the best books I have read and now I feel this great need to read The Christmas Box. Now I'm going crazy looking for the book that is hidden somewhere in this house! This book describes his childhood and the many profound events that take place throught the years leading up to the writing of The Christmas box. Once the story was written and copies were made to share with his family everything snowballed. Friends of friends of friends, etc. had read his story and were requesting copies at bookstores of a book that had not been published. That is the miracle of The Christmas Box. The rest of the book goes on to describe how he knew nothing about the publishing world and what it took to get his book onto bookshelves. It was never about the money, it was a story written for his two daughters that happened to take the world by storm. That is the Christmas Box Miracle! I haven't felt the loss of a child or know of anyone who has, but I'm sure that Mr. Evans' other books will touch me as profoundly as this one. This is one book not to be missed!
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