A Christmas Story: The Book That Inspired the Hilarious Classic Film Audiobook

" We have watched this movie probably 50x, but have never listened to the book. It is very different from the movie, but both me and my teenage sons enjoyed listening to this book on a recent trip. Would highly recommend, but if you have young children, you should know that the language is pretty bad, (especially GD) which is sad because the book would've been even better without the horrible language. "

" This is a collection of Jean Shepherd short stories, the stories that form the bulk of the all-time best movie about being a kid at Christmas, "A Christmas Story." One thing I like about this book is the differences between the movie and the book. The movie was based on the book but is different enough that the book and the movie can stand on their own. I enjoyed reading this book at Christmastime and know that I will read it multiple times. "

" Drop dead funny. Read it in a day, and couldn't stop laughing. Most of the essays in this were used for the movie, and the transition from page to screen is near-perfect. If you love the movie, this is a must read. "

" I really liked all but one of these short stories. For the most part they were funny, well-written, and inventive. "

" This book overall was okay. The stories didn't all take place during a Christmas vacation. That kind of threw me. I did really like the story about the Bumpusses and their dogs eating the ham. That's another thing that changed too. I overall prefer the movie to the book. At least I can say I read it. "

" Well, that was a lot of fun, as I knew it would be. I listened to the unabridged audiobook, read by Dick Cavett, who did a great job with it. This is not a scene-by-scene adaptation of the 1983 movie, but a selection of short stories that formed the basis of it. You get the Red Ryder air rifle, the fight with the bully, the parental battle over the lamp, and more. The sound effects and music are a nice touch, complementing the narrative without intruding upon it. Only regret: there is no sign of Flick getting his tongue stuck to the frozen flagpole. "

" I highly recommend this collection of short stories by Jean Shepherd, which most were originally published in Play Boy during the 1960's. The stories are all found in A Christmas Story, but of course there's a bit more detail and only one took place during Christmas. I enjoyed reading about the famous leg lamp because I learned about the popularity of puzzles and contests back in the 1930's, which brought to life a small piece of Americana. The last story about the Bumpus's (and their dogs) was very entertaining as well. I highly recommend this for some enjoyable, light reading and for a chance to travel back into the 1930's. "

" Great book ... Nostalgic and funny. Everything that the movie is and more. Some language not suitable for little ones, but a great Christmas read nonetheless! "

" If you love the movie as much as I do, you have to read this book. It's so cool to see how true to the actual essays the movie was and the four in this book are the basis for the entire movie. I read it every Christmas time. "

" I love this story. I read it during a month of December every year. "

" I'll definitely be reading more of Jean Shepherd's work! "

" This movie was a classic in my family growing up and the book brings even more to the table. I especially loved the last section about the Bumpus family. A nice escape book. "

" For some reason, the movie was sooo much funnier than the book. Maybe it's because I love Jean Shepherd's voice so much. Still a fun little read. Some profanity. "

" Ralphie and his flashbacks of the Christmas season when he was 9. Funny!! "

" not as good as the movie, but still a fun Christmas read. "

" I am definitely going to read more from Jean Shepherd! "

" I liked this book, but I don't love it. Most of the salient points in this book are represented in "A Christmas Story". So none of it was new and there's only so many times you can watch the movie and be reading the book at the same time. "

" Gutbustingly funny, nostalgic, and wildly witty. The last story, however, was so bothersome! "

" Added new insight and laughs to one of my favorite Christmas traditions--watching A Christmas Story, and laughing all the way through. "

" Interesting to see how they pulled bits of these short stories to make the movie. It was entertaining! "

" Even if you loved the movie, the book is still better- hilarious! This book has all the source material for the movie & more. A terrific read, but unlike many books, is also actually funnier on audio. "

" I prefer the movie! These were some of the short stories that became themes in the movie. It was a pretty good read, but didn't capture me that much. "

" Not near as amazing as the movie, but a good read for the Holidays. "

" I love this movie and the book is even funnier! Excellent, lighthearted Christmas reading. "

" not as good as the movie, but still a fun Christmas read. "

" This is a 3.5 star book if there ever was one. It's really short- I read it in a couple hours. It was fun to read, perfect for the time of year, pretty funny, kind of cute and probably fairly forgettable except I'm about to watch the movie and the stage production. "

" a charming collection of short stories. The juxtaposition of the child of the stories and the adult narrator makes for an intriguing internal dynamic. I've recommended this collection to everyone this holiday season. "

" Very funny stories, and much grittier than the beloved holiday movie. A quick and easy read; it only lasted a week for me because I'm so exhausted from working at this time of year. "

" well its good right now its good.......:) "