Rating: 
Summary: A Contemporary "Christmas Carol"
Review: "The Boat of Dreams" is an enchanting mixture of realism and magic. It opens on the Maine coast--not the Maine of summer homes and Ralph Lauren ad fantasies, but the Maine of families living in derelict trailers with a lobster boat on blocks in the yard. Into this gritty and dismal situation wanders a grizzled fat man with a fondness for red suspenders. With his entrance, the Boat of Dreams takes off--into a realm of fantasy, magic, and love."The Boat of Dreams" is a Christmas book in the same way that Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" is a Christmas book-that is, both are by master storytellers who know how to appeal to all ages; both are brief, funny and wildly entertaining novels that are also serious mediations on morality and the human heart.
Rating:
Summary: Destined to be a Christmas classic
Review: Along with the Bible story of Mary and Joseph and the Babe in the manger,and Dickens'A Christmas Carol, this heartwarming tale is destined to become a Christmas classic. The Boat of Dreams is a story that both holds your attention and heals your heart. A wonderful story to read to your children.
Rating:
Summary: A Christmas Story for Everyone
Review: An earthy and poverty-stricken Santa. A poor family living in a trailer parked next to the sea in Maine. A mother with a little daughter and a young son who tells us the story of Santa's surprising visit to their home. Next to the trailer, in a cradle, sits the lobster boat formerly used by the father, who has been lost in the Vietnam War. With these imaginative ingredients, the author weaves a story that is by turns fresh, gripping and delightfully funny -- a tale in which the best there is in living shines through as the airborne lobster boat soars over the earth dropping its intangible treasures of dreams and love to those below.
Rating: 
Summary: Dissenting Point Of View
Review: Contrary to other opinions posted here, which appear to me as flavors of a press release, not a very good book. An attempt to interleave fictional characters with everyday reality to construe an inspirational teaching fails because the foundation is not developed or more often because it is established on arbitrary sentimental perspectives. This book is a conglomeration of possessive infantile clichés that are prevalent throughout mass media in present day society.
Rating:
Summary: Preston Solves My Christmas Shopping Problem
Review: I won't have to do a lot of shopping this Christmas. I'm giving everyone _The Boat of Dreams_. When I first read it, I laughed and felt genuinely moved. Most Christmas stories, especially ones involving Santa, feel cheap to me. The happy emotions aren't earned; they are just ladled out. This book is the exception. Its setting feels real, so its turn to fantasy seems real, too. _The Boat of Dreams_ is a book that I can read to my niece and discuss with my fellow English professors. I think it is going to be a classic. All my friends and every relation to the third degree will find a copy in their stockings. This year I'm sure my cousins are going to enjoy what I give them for Christmas.
Rating:
Summary: Not Just for Christmas
Review: In his other works Richard Preston has taught us about the promise and the threat of biology. In The Boat of Dreams he teaches us the promise of hope, love, and the human spirit. I believe this is Richard's finest effort. It isn't a book, it is a gift to everyone who has ever lost a friend or relative, anyone who has ever lost hope -- in other words, a gift to all of us.
Rating:
Summary: A message to those listening to the clues
Review: My interest in Richard Preston goes back to "The Hot Zone" and recently I was thinking about him and wondering if he had written any new books. I found this book listed in the card catalog and picked the worn out book from the stack and took it home to read. Like many of the lessons from God, this one was apparent only when I opened my heart to it and looked for the hidden message. If you are reading this review, then something has guided you to this book, and it will contain a lesson you are supposed to discover.
Rating:
Summary: Engaging, delightful and funny!
Review: The Boat of Dreams by Richard Preston is a heart-warming tale of hope and love, which was originally written for his friend who was dying of breast cancer. This is a wonderful story to share with the entire family, especially during the holidays. Preston brings Santa to life in a very `realistic" way, much to both the horror and delight of thirteen-year-old Will and his six-year-old sister, Lila. "Santa" teaches Will and Lila to dream their biggest dreams, allowing their love to flow for everyone, as they transverse the world on Christmas Eve in their departed father's beloved lobster boat. Magic and miracles are in the air as Will and Lila have the adventure of their life on this unforgettable night. They learn that things are not what they seem and that love does indeed create miracles. This Christmas tale will fill one with hope and love, with several chuckles along the way and will leave the reader with a warm spot in his or her heart along with a tear or two! I heartily recommend this book!
Rating:
Summary: Engaging, delightful and funny!
Review: The Boat of Dreams by Richard Preston is a heart-warming tale of hope and love, which was originally written for his friend who was dying of breast cancer. This is a wonderful story to share with the entire family, especially during the holidays. Preston brings Santa to life in a very 'realistic" way, much to both the horror and delight of thirteen-year-old Will and his six-year-old sister, Lila. "Santa" teaches Will and Lila to dream their biggest dreams, allowing their love to flow for everyone, as they transverse the world on Christmas Eve in their departed father's beloved lobster boat. Magic and miracles are in the air as Will and Lila have the adventure of their life on this unforgettable night. They learn that things are not what they seem and that love does indeed create miracles. This Christmas tale will fill one with hope and love, with several chuckles along the way and will leave the reader with a warm spot in his or her heart along with a tear or two! I heartily recommend this book!
Rating:
Summary: A Jewel ...
Review: The Boat of Dreams is a departure for Richard Preston, but what range it shows! This is destined to be a family treasure that comes out every holiday to be read and shared by all. It is a tender story of loss, and love, and most importantly hope... a story that will bring tears to your eyes and encourage a few laughs, too. The genesis behind the writing of this jewel is moving as well, and Preston's intentions to share the profits for cancer research are to be commended (and copied!). Enjoy.
| 
