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Welcome to Read This Book, the newsletter where I recommend a book you should add to your TBR, STAT! I stan variety in all things, and my book recommendations will be no exception. These must-read books will span genres and age groups. There will be new releases, oldie but goldies from the backlist, and the classics you may have missed in high school. Oh my! If you’re ready to diversify your books, then LEGGO!!
It’s December 23rd, so you know what that means, right? Happy Festivus! I have never thought twice about this Seinfeld-inspired holiday, but this year I decided to take a closer look into the holiday for the rest of us.
Festivus: The Holiday for the Rest of Us by Allen Salkin
Are you ready to take out Santa and throw away the Elf on the Shelf? Then it’s time to add a little bitterness to your holiday season with Festivus. The holiday became a household name thanks to Seinfeld where Frank Costanza celebrated Festivus with a bare aluminum pole, “feats of strength,” and “airing of grievances. Soon, it transcended the show and inspired a global phenomenon. Join journalist Allen Salkin as he tastes Festivus beer, meets Miss Festivus while sharing all the ways Festivus is and can be celebrated.
If you’re wondering what’s the deal with Festivus, then you are probably not much of a Seinfeld fan. No worries, I was right there with you. It was just one of those Seinfeld plots that became part of the cultural zeitgeist. However, if you believe Festivus began in December 1997, then you are in for a rude awakening. People have been celebrating Festivus for centuries! Although not the Festivus as we know it, the raucous bacchanalian Festivus spirit apparently originated with the Romans.
The celebration as we know it began with Daniel O’Keefe. There was no pole, but there was an “Airing of Grievances” into a tape recorder and wrestling matches between younger Daniel O’Keefe and his siblings. The younger Daniel would go on to become a writer on Seinfeld where he adapted that family holiday tradition into the subplot of the now infamous Seinfeld episode “The Strike.” Although the episode was about Kramer’s strike against a bagel shop, it has become known as The Festivus Episode. In addition to the true origin story of Festivus, Festivus includes more insight and anecdotes about the episode, but the majority of Festivus is about how people around the world celebrate the holiday.
No matter your Festivus affiliation, you are sure to find something enjoyable in Festivus. For me, there was the foreword from Jerry Stiller along with the story about the cat named Festivus and her progeny Microfestivus. After reading this book, I have no doubt the future of Festivus is strong! I also predict many 2020 Festivus celebrations being overrun with the Airing of Grievances.
Until next time bookish friends,
Katisha
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