In his concise yet enlightening book, The True Saint Nicholas: Why He Matters to Christmas, William J. Bennett takes us on a journey through time to uncover the elusive medieval figure known as Saint Nicholas — and how he evolved into the Santa Claus of today.
William J. Bennett, the author of this intriguing work, is a name familiar to many — at least if you’re over 50 and/or are interested in the fields of education or ethics. Bennett was the Secretary of Education under President Ronald Reagan when I graduated from high school. He served in that post from 1985 to 1988. He also served briefly as the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (aka “the drug czar”) under President George H.W. Bush. It was in this capacity that he spoke at George Mason University while I was a student there.
Since then, Bennett made a career for himself as a commentator, author, speaker, and radio broadcaster. He is also well known for bringing The Book of Virtues: A Treasury of Great Moral Stories to the public, a compilation that became a cornerstone in character education.
Bennett’s book attempts to bring to life the Saint Nicholas of history. Unfortunately, it’s a task made difficult by the lack of hard evidence. Nicholas is, as Bennett writes, “an elusive figure.” Scholars have deduced that he was likely a fourth-century bishop on the coast of the eastern Mediterranean Sea who was known for his generosity and compassion and who may have attended the Council of Nicaea. Otherwise, “the details of his life and work remain sketchy.”
Bennett confesses: “We are left to piece together his life as best we can, using what we know and a good bit of surmise to arrive at the most likely story. Often we must rely on tradition as well as clues provided by the history of the times in which he lived.”
That is exactly what he does with this book, which delves (as best it can) into the various aspects of Saint Nicholas’s life, from historical facts to his enduring legacy and the transformation of his image over the centuries.
Anyone curious about the tradition behind Santa Claus should give this book a try.
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