The Readers met on December 20 to discuss The Boat of Dreams, A Christmas Story, by Richard Preston. The story, which was originally written for the author's friend who was dying of breast cancer, centers on the Foster family in a Maine lobster town. Sarah Ann and her two children, Will and Lila, live in a small trailer and are struggling to make ends meet. They have recently received news that Will Sr, has been lost in the Vietnam conflict and they are on the verge of losing their home. The children come home one day to find a grouchy, smelly old man in their trailer, whom they soon come to realize is actually Santa Claus. Due to a crash with the Hoover Dam, he will now need their help, as well as their father's boat, to deliver dreams for Christmas.
The group gave the book an overall rating of 3.17. While the book was void of the usual sweetness found in Christmas books, it was not overly uplifting either. It was confusing as to whether or not the author wanted us to believe that the stranger was Santa Claus or God. It was hard to picture Santa guzzling beer from a recliner while watching a soap opera. There were some touching moments in the book, like when the local fisherman refused to let the Foster family lose their boat, and when Lila gave up her favorite stuffed animal to another child, but all in all, it was just an ok read with an ending that felt like no more than a footnote.
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