Book Info: In The Dark Street Shineth: A 1941 Christmas Story by David McCullough. Published by Shadow Mountain in 2010
Though only an excerpt from the 2009 Christmas Concert given by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, this short book caught my attention quickly. As a history buff, I couldn't pass up the chance to learn not only about two favorite Christmas carols, but also a quick look to the painful Christmas of 1941. I wasn't disappointed. The book is full of small pearls of history. The pictures of that Christmas 60 years ago are littered among the 40-odd pages to create a heartwarming nostalgia akin to a Norman Rockwell paining. (At least for me) The chance to read the actual transcripts of the addresses given in 1941 by Winston Churchill and President Franklin D. Roosevelt had my inner history/fan girl giddy. The uplifting words to a fearful nation meant to lighten the hearts of a world embroiled in war. These words of yesteryear still have the power to touch the heart.
The book also includes a 10-minute DVD which has the actual performance of the Choir as narrated by David McCullough. Mostly this is just a reiteration of the text in the book with the choir and orchestra accompanying. Yet, the last is not included in the book and holds a special set of meaning for any history lover. As a public history student myself, I can't help but share his words:
"History isn't just dry dates and statistics. History is human. History can be a great source of strength and affirmation. An aid to navigation, especially in dark and dangerous times. And the words and the music we love, that have stood the test of time, mean still more when we know their story."
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