Upstream Reviews Presents…!

Jingle bells are starting to ring….

Artwork by Caroline Furlong

It’s December! Okay, so far, we have survived Halloween and Thanksgiving. Now we just need to get through December into the New Year in one piece and with as much sleep as possible.

Which means we need to make sure we have as many gifts lined up for Christmas as we can. Or St. Nicholas’ Feast Day, if you celebrate that (and why not? It’s fun!). But you may want more than a book for a Christmas gift, right? A CD, a piece of art, earrings, something like that?

No worries – we here at Upstream have you covered. Check out the items below and see if there’s something on the list which might appeal to someone you love this Christmas!

Music

Okay, the stores have been playing Christmas music too early, too often, and by now everyone is sick of hearing it. However, there ARE alternatives to this constant barrage. If you want something calming or chipper that will settle your mind and put you in a proper mood for the season, consider the options below and see if there is one that will hit the spot.

Advent At Ephesus by the Benedictines of Mary Queen of Apostles

Como Pastores by Siervas

Christmas Extraordinaire by Mannheim Steamroller

Children’s Books

Need a gift pronto for the tyke or young child in your care? Not sure what to get your niece or nephew? These books might just be what you are seeking!

THE BOOK OF SAINTS AND HEROES - VOYAGE CLASSICS

Immerse yourself in a collection of legendary stories where saints fought dragons, talked to centaurs and healed troubled beasts.

Medieval Christians were expert storytellers, illustrating profound spiritual truths through exciting legends that captured the imagination. They greatly admired the saints and heroes who walked among them and preserved their memory in tales that are difficult to forget.

In this book you will encounter not only St. George and the Dragon, but also St. Columba and the Loch Ness Monster, St. Francis and the Wolf and St. Jerome with his friendly lion.

You will also marvel at the holiness and extraordinary charity of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, St. Margaret of Scotland and St. Vincent de Paul.

Gather the whole family to read these remarkable legends and be inspired by saints who were not afraid to lead heroic lives.

Includes original illustrations and new typesetting!

The Spider Who Saved Christmas by Raymond Arroyo

Radiating the wondrous spirit of the season, The Spider Who Saved Christmas rekindles an ancient legend, casting new light on the story we thought we knew. Created by New York Times Bestselling Author Raymond Arroyo (with illustrations by Randy Gallegos), The Spider Who Saved Christmas spins the enchanting faith-filled tale of Nephila, a cave-dwelling spider who plays a pivotal role central to the Christmas story. This instant classic reveals the origin of Christmas tinsel and reminds us that hope can always be found even in dark places where we least expect it.

Adventure Stories for Young Readers by Misha Burnett & 9 others

These tales of family, discovery, and virtue bring the thrills back to reading. Derring-do, hope, and excitement all come together in each author's take on what it means to have an adventure. From science fiction to fantasy, explore worlds with stories!

The Thief Who Stole Heaven by Raymond Arroyo

Just in time for the Lent/Easter season, comes The Thief Who Stole Heaven, the follow up story to New York Times, USA Today and Amazon Bestseller: The Spider Who Saved Christmas.

Once again, bestselling author and broadcaster, Raymond Arroyo provides readers with a cinematic, adventurous holiday story based on ancient legends filled with deeper themes. The Thief Who Stole Heaven introduces audiences to the largely hidden character of The Good Thief.

Bridging the gap between Christmas and Easter, this unique story brings to life a compelling redemption story that is destined to be treasured and revisited year after year.

Anthologies & Collections

Want something for the holiday that is a little more adult? Do you have a veteran in your family for whom you wish to purchase an important gift? Give these two anthologies – each reviewed here at Upstream – a look and see if they are what you need to put under the tree this year.

Can't Go Home Again (Hope and Healing) by Cedar Sanderson & 8 others (reviewed here)

Men and women who lay their life on the line never escape unscathed, and when the time comes to return home, they find a wall between them, and loved ones. These tales follow those who gather the hope to begin healing, and tearing down the walls that have sprung up between them, and their loved ones. No one ever said it would be easy...

Slay Bells Ring - Operation Klaus (A Bayonet Books Anthology Book 6) by J.R. Handley & 17 others (reviewed here)

Ho ho... oh hell!

Is that sleigh bells ringing in your ears or a few rounds from an M60?

You wanted the jolly fat man to bring Yuletide joy, but the season has gifted you with a heart breaker and a life taker — Badass Santa.

Grab your eggnog and camouflage candy canes, strap on your bulletproof holiday stockings, and prepare for thrills and kills.

From blood-stained rebellion at the north pole to a black ops raid on a distant planet, these eighteen action-packed tales will show you Saint Nick as you've never seen him before.

It's all you'll want for Christmas.

Classics

Ah, the classics. Some are Christmas related, but others are not. Give them a look and see what you think!

TREASURE CHEST VOLUME ONE (1946)

Step back in time to enjoy one of the first Catholic comic book magazines ever created!

Treasure Chest of Fun & Fact was launched by George A. Pflaum on March 12, 1946 in an effort to counteract “objectionable” comics that were popular at the time.

Yet, he did not simply want to “preach” the Gospel, but provide an entertaining alternative that anyone could pick-up and enjoy.

Here’s how Pflaum first introduced his Treasure Chest of Fun & Fact!

More than four years ago the publishers of the MESSENGERS had laid plans to issue a worthwhile comic magazine as a counteractive to the objectionable type.

TREASURE CHEST is not just another substitute for the objectionable comic publication. It stands on its own merits as a quality magazine which children–and adults–will enjoy and profit by.

The art work and illustrations are superior. The content has great variety and lasting interest. Activity projects, such as “things-to-make-and-do,” are included.

The issues in this volume have been meticulously restored and recolored, allowing you to enjoy Treasure Chest like never before!

(You can back the sequel HERE.)

The Joyous Season, A Play by Philip Barry (reviewed here)

A play in three acts. Farley House has been built by the sweat and blood of the Farley patriarch to be a home in which to raise his young family, and for better or for worse, the Farley family is dedicated to staying together-except for one, Christina, who leaves to answer her calling in a convent. Years later, Sister Christina sets the stage for this dispiriting narrative when she comes to spend a Christmas with her family in their childhood home, expecting to find the happy and unified family she had left behind. What she finds instead are the wearied, disillusioned hearts of a family kept together only by the walls of their mansion, but broken in spirit.

The Song of Roland (Hackett Classics) by John DuVal and David Staines

Swift yet resonant, this masterful new verse translation conveys the immediacy, intimacy, and power of this greatest of Old French epic poems. John DuVal approaches the unadorned syntax of The Song of Roland in straightforward modern English, attuned to the nuance and detail of the narrative and the poetry of the original text.

In his concise but thorough general Introduction, David Staines traces the origins of the poem and its reception in medieval society, discusses its content and its themes, and in clear, accessible prose illuminates the epic poem’s chivalric spirit.

Footnotes provide glosses on events, characters, and medieval terms. Endnotes discuss editorial and translational issues. This edition also includes a selected bibliography, a map, and a glossary and index. An appendix provides the entire text of the Old French original.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight by Jessie L. Weston

One of the best-known Arthurian stories—adapted many times into verse, prose, games, and film—this unabridged republication of the 1909 edition is beautifully bound and finished with a decorated hardcover. It recounts an adventure undertaken by King Arthur’s famous nephew, Sir Gawain, who is brave and the model of knightly grace. When a mysterious knight in green armor issues a challenge to the Round Table, the gallant Gawain volunteers to do battle for his king, beginning an adventure that explores chivalric tradition, loyalty, and the virtue of forgiveness.

Art and Artwork

Looking for something small, sweet, and pretty for that person who doesn’t want big items for Christmas? Peruse these items and see if anything in particular will appeal!

THE WORLD IS THY SHIP CARD PRINT

A beautiful print featuring the inspiring quote by St. Thérèse of Lisieux, "The World is Thy Ship, Not Thy Home."

Original artwork inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings series.

Size: 5 x 7

C. Chancy’s Ebay and Etsy Stores – Pick Up Earrings and Signed Books at Both Locations!

Find them here at https://www.ebay.com/usr/violet_grower!

And there are more options here at Etsy as well https://www.etsy.com/shop/GulfLightBeadsBooks!

MEDAL KNIGHT CHARACTER ARTWORK POSTER

A beautifully printed 11" x 17" poster, featuring Medal Knight!

Artwork by Sergio Cariello!