52 Little Lessons from "It's a Wonderful Life"

When it first debuted, critics either loved it or hated It's a Wonderful Life, and it quickly fell from the charts. Since a revival in the 70's, however, it has risen to become one of the most loved Christmas movies of all time.

Author Bob Welch mines this famous movie for simple but valuable life lessons. Each lesson has it's own short chapter (average three pages) and is clearly stated in the chapter title (It's Wise to Seek Counsel, You Matter to the World). Each chapter opens with a quote from the movie, and then the author relates a scene and its lesson, often with interesting tidbits of background or filming trivia worked in.

It's quite straight forward, but nicely put together. If you love the movie, you'll decidedly enjoy this book. If you plan to watch the movie with your kids, this would be a great guide to character-building talking points. Many will also appreciate the informed eye with which the author highlights filming and acting points that create the magic we so often take for granted.