A Berkshire Christmas

This illustrated anthology drawn from Berkshire''s rich literary and historical heritage, and from its folklore and traditions over the years, makes an ideal gift for all who know the county. Here are seasonal extracts from A Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame, whose inspiration came largely from the Thames-side villages of Cookham and Pangbourne; a Christmas letter from Jane Austen, who went to school in Reading; thoughts on Christmas customs from the prolific nineteenth-century Berkshire writer Peter H. Ditchfield; yuletide memories from Mary Russell Mitford and Eleanor Hayden, among others; and festive accounts from the stories of Miss Read, one of Berkshire''s best-loved novelists. In addition Santa Claus makes his annual appearance at Didcot Railway Centre, and local carols and the traditional performances of village mummers are also included. Finally, family Christmases at Windsor Castle are recalled by Queen Victoria in her personal diaries, and spine-chilling ghost stories add a touch of suspense to this delightful collection of prose, verse and anecdote. A Berkshire Christmas is the perfect stocking filler for everyone in the county.