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The Doctor's Christmas Eve

By James Lane Allen

(3.5 stars) • 10 reviews

"The Doctor's Christmas Eve" by James Lane Allen is a novel written in the early 20th century. The story is set in a picturesque Kentucky landscape an...

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2013-06-12
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Overview

"The Doctor's Christmas Eve" by James Lane Allen is a novel written in the early 20th century. The story is set in a picturesque Kentucky landscape and revolves around Dr. Birney, a compassionate neighborhood physician navigating the trials of his profession while preparing for Christmas. The narrative intricately explores themes of familial bonds, childhood innocence, and the juxtaposition of festive celebration against the backdrop of illness and suffering. The opening of the novel introduces us to Dr. Birney's children, Elsie and Herbert, as they embark on an adventure through the snowy fields to join their father's Christmas celebration at a friend’s house. Through their lively banter and spirited imaginations, we observe the children's perspectives on their father and the nature of illness in their community. The vivid descriptions of their surroundings and their interactions convey a sense of joy and festive anticipation, contrasting with the weight of their father's responsibilities and the somber realities he faces. This duality sets the tone for a deeply reflective exploration of both the joy of life and the sadness that often accompanies it. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

About the Author

James Lane Allen was an American novelist and short story writer whose work, including the novel A Kentucky Cardinal, often depicted the culture and dialects of his native Kentucky. His work is characteristic of the late 19th-century local color era, when writers sought to capture the vernacular in their fiction. Allen has been described as "Kentucky's first important novelist".

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