For almost seventy years, people the world over have fallen in love with Frank Capra's classic Christmas film It's a Wonderful Life. But few of those fans know that Capra's film was inspired by a short story by author Philip Van Doren Stern, which came to Stern in a dream one night.

Unable at first to find a publisher for his heart-warming tale of a man named George Pratt who ponders suicide until he receives an opportunity to see what the world would be like without him, Stern ultimately published the story in a small pamphlet and sent it out as his Christmas card for 1943. One of those 200 copies found its way into the hands of David Hempstead, a producer at RKO films, and the film that has become a cherished holiday tradition for many was born.

Now fans of It's a Wonderful Life, or anyone who loves the spirit of Christmas, can own the story that started it all in an appealing hardcover edition that's perfect for holiday giving to family, friends, co-workers, neighbours, and more.