Ben’s Book Club: ‘Christmas Traditions’ by George Goodwin
Wednesday December 9th 2020, 5pm BST/12pm EDT. Register here.
Join us for the December instalment of Ben’s Book Club, a monthly virtual gathering looking at themes relating to Benjamin Franklin, the 18th century, and American history.
This month we will be taking a festive break by talking to George Goodwin, our Author in Residence, about his book Christmas Traditions, an entertaining and enlightening guide to the sacred and secular traditions of Christmas, with many of the latter being 19th-century Anglo-American creations that owe much to Washington Irving and Charles Dickens.
When first experienced in childhood, Christmas seems all of a piece and to have a wondrously timeless quality, as its different aspects blend snugly together. With a collection of charming facts, quotations and anecdotes, George considers the history of the season’s most important festive elements. Beautifully illustrated with images from the British Library’s own vast collections, Christmas Traditions rekindles the memories that are an essential part of the magical nature of Christmastime.
George Goodwin is Honorary Author in Residence at Benjamin Franklin House in London, a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and a Makin Fellow at the British Library’s Eccles Centre for American Studies, who sponsor his Christmas talks. As well as being the author of Christmas Traditions (2019), George has written three highly-acclaimed historical studies which include Benjamin Franklin in London: The British Life of America’s Founding Father.
Christmas Traditions is published by the British Library and most of its illustrations come from the BL’s own magnificent collections. It is available here and here and through all good bookshops.
Join us even if you don’t have a chance to read the book by the event date!
This event is free of charge but please consider making an online donation here to support the work of Benjamin Franklin House.
