Title: The Light of Hope
Author: Vaughn J. Featherstone
Publisher: Covenant
Genre: Christmas/Gift Book/Inspirational
Year Published: 2007
Number of Pages: 198
Binding: Hard
Size: 6.5" x 9.25"
ISBN: 978-1-59811-455-3
Price: $14.95

In one line, "The Light of Hope," which has on its cover the subtitle "Heartfelt Stories That Bring the True Spirit of Christmas," could be described as Vaughn Featherstone meets "Chicken Soup for the Soul." The book is a collection of poems and experiences, most of them by Elder Featherstone, which deal with the spiritual aspects of Christmas.

When it comes to LDS reading I usually prefer doctrinal and scholarly type works that deal with the "deep" things of the kingdom, but this book succeeded in grabbing and holding my attention. I felt that the stories were sweet and personal, without becoming the sappy, syrupy, mush that is often found in this genre of book.

The poems and stories are all short, the longest being about 4 to 5 pages. While some are interconnected within the whole of a larger chapter, most are separate enough that they could easily be pulled out and used as material for lessons, talks, Family Home Evening, family devotionals, home and visiting teaching etc.

By physical classification I would put "The Light of Hope" in the "Gift Book" category that has become popular in the world of LDS publishing in recent years. It is a hard back book with a smooth glossy finish, no dust jacket, and a painting of an idealized Christmas scene by Greg Olsen on the cover. The body text is oversized and there is a generous amount of white space on each page.

This book would be the perfect Christmas or even better pre-Christmas gift (so it can be enjoyed in the days leading up to the holiday) for your sister, mother, grandmother, fans of Elder Featherstone, or anyone who enjoys sweet, sentimental Christmas stories. But by way of warning, you may want to include a box of tissues as a part of the gift.