Joe Wheeler ist als führender amerikanischer Anthologist anerkannt, bekannt für die Zusammenstellung umfangreicher Geschichtensammlungen. Sein literarischer Fokus liegt auf der klassischen amerikanischen Literatur und ihren Figuren, wobei er Themen von Geschichte bis hin zu utopischen und dystopischen Visionen erforscht. Wheelers breite intellektuelle Neugier und sein tiefes Wissen über verschiedene Bereiche spiegeln seinen Renaissance-Ansatz zur Literatur wider und bieten den Lesern einzigartige und unerforschte Perspektiven auf das Schreiben.
"Joe Wheeler's great discovery is that the best of Christmas is in our hearts, and we embrace life in new ways when we read heartwarming stories about this joyous season. He was so convinced of this that he began to collect all sorts of Christmas stories, old and new, from far and wide. With the trained eye of a seasoned English professor, and the sensitive heart of one who grew up listening to wonderful stories year after year, he knows a good story when he hears it."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved
The third book in Joe L. Wheeler s Favorite Stories collection. Dusk was approaching as Lynn set out. The path lay before him dark and mysterious, but he was a good woodsman, and without hesitation struck out rapidly, making surprising progress through the quiet forest. Snap! The sound of a twig breaking some distance to the right broke the stillness. Again, some moments later, the same sound came from ahead of the lone boy. Every nerve in his body grew tense. .a mountain lion was following him! With a whispered prayer, Lynn asked God to protect him from this danger and to allow him to fulfill his mission and bring help for his stricken comrade. . . The crackling of the brush made by the stealthy march of the prowler told Lynn that the lion was walking around him in a large circle. It was still fully a mile to the ranger s cabin. Could he make it? Round and round him the lion crept, making each circle smaller than the preceding one. It seemed to Lynn that he had gone miles at that furious pace. In vain his eyes searched for the light of the cabin he knew must be near, but he could see only deep blackness on all sides of him. Then he heard the soft padding of the mountain lion s paws. How close the animal was! He knew that the beast might spring at almost any moment now/... I firmly believe that prayers are not meant merely to supply our wants, although God does grant a surprisingly large number of such prayers. Rather, however, they are meant to deepen our friendship and companionship with our Maker. ~ Joe L. Wheeler
