To celebrate the Christmas Season, the National Sporting Library gladly presents as its December Book of the Month: A Horse for Christmas Morning and Other Stories, a compilation of four short sporting stories written by Gordon Grand Sr. in the 1930s and 40s.

Each of the stories included in this volume - A Horse for Christmas Morning; Mr. Nip and Mr. Tuck; Faith, Perfect Faith; and Mr. Henry P. Throckmorton - was written in celebration of the Yuletide. Grand never published these stories, and never intended to. Rather, he printed only 100 copies of each and presented them as Christmas gifts to his family and closest friends. In the compilation's foreword, Gordon Grand Jr. recalls how "[e]ach grandchild always received a copy with the gentle suggestion to the parent that the story be read aloud, which Father did for us when we were growing up."

These stories are some of the true treasures of the National Sporting Library. Grand was not a professional writer, but a lawyer and businessman. Nevertheless, these Christmas gems, along with his five books of stories of Colonel Weatherford and the Millbeck Hounds, have become classics of American sporting literature. Humorous and poignant, they are a true joy to read, filling the reader with the spirit of the season and nostalgia for the sporting days of old.

The NSL is fortunate to own not only this compilation, illustrated by Wallace Nall, but also a copy of each individual story. Part of the John H. and Martha Daniels Collection, they are permanently housed in the Library's rare book room.