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    The Saint Nicholas Heist

    A Legendary Corpse, a Notorious Theft, and the Stories that Shape the World

    Author M. T. Anderson
    Hardcover
    $20.99 US
    Penguin Young Readers | Dutton Books for Young Readers
    On sale Sep 22, 2026 | 272 Pages | 9780593699546
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    From NBA, Printz, and Newbery winner M. T. Anderson, a tour de force of research and storytelling that follows the life of a humble young man named Nicholas who became one of the world’s most influential figures in religion, government, and commerce—whether you believe in him or not.

    M. T. Anderson still believes in Santa Claus—just not in the way you think.

    Born of the research for Nicked, his acclaimed adult debut, The Saint Nicholas Heist is the story of the man who became Father Christmas—but only after surviving the Great Persecution, the fall of the Roman Empire, and the theft of his magically oozing bones (twice).

    Anderson traces Nicholas of Myra, future patron saint of consumption, from his humble origins as a child born into a fringe Jewish cult in small town on the Mediterranean coast in the the 3rd century AD through his rise to one of the preeminent saints in all of Christianity to his transformation into an icon of capitalism and unwitting rival to Jesus Christ. Along the way, Anderson shows how human history can only be known and understood by both examining the objective facts and by studying the fantastical stories that people choose to make into myths. 

    Anderson's full powers as a storyteller and a scholar are on display in this incredibly readable and hugely informative tale about how the stories we believe in common shape the course of humanity.
    © Erin Thompson
    M. T. Anderson has written a wide variety of titles, including works of fantasy and satire for a range of ages. Anderson grew up outside of Boston, Massachusetts. He was educated in English literature at Harvard University and Cambridge University, and went on to receive his MFA in Creative Writing from Syracuse University.

    M. T. Anderson is the author of a number of celebrated books including the Thrilling Tales series, as well as The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume 1, The Pox Party, which won the National Book Award and a Printz Honor, and The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves, which also won a Printz Honor. Feed was a finalist for the National Book Award and won the L.A. Times Book Award for YA fiction in 2003 and was a finalist for the Boston Globe/Horn Book Award.

    M. T. Anderson currently lives in Boston, Massachusetts. View titles by M. T. Anderson

    About

    From NBA, Printz, and Newbery winner M. T. Anderson, a tour de force of research and storytelling that follows the life of a humble young man named Nicholas who became one of the world’s most influential figures in religion, government, and commerce—whether you believe in him or not.

    M. T. Anderson still believes in Santa Claus—just not in the way you think.

    Born of the research for Nicked, his acclaimed adult debut, The Saint Nicholas Heist is the story of the man who became Father Christmas—but only after surviving the Great Persecution, the fall of the Roman Empire, and the theft of his magically oozing bones (twice).

    Anderson traces Nicholas of Myra, future patron saint of consumption, from his humble origins as a child born into a fringe Jewish cult in small town on the Mediterranean coast in the the 3rd century AD through his rise to one of the preeminent saints in all of Christianity to his transformation into an icon of capitalism and unwitting rival to Jesus Christ. Along the way, Anderson shows how human history can only be known and understood by both examining the objective facts and by studying the fantastical stories that people choose to make into myths. 

    Anderson's full powers as a storyteller and a scholar are on display in this incredibly readable and hugely informative tale about how the stories we believe in common shape the course of humanity.

    Author

    © Erin Thompson
    M. T. Anderson has written a wide variety of titles, including works of fantasy and satire for a range of ages. Anderson grew up outside of Boston, Massachusetts. He was educated in English literature at Harvard University and Cambridge University, and went on to receive his MFA in Creative Writing from Syracuse University.

    M. T. Anderson is the author of a number of celebrated books including the Thrilling Tales series, as well as The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume 1, The Pox Party, which won the National Book Award and a Printz Honor, and The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves, which also won a Printz Honor. Feed was a finalist for the National Book Award and won the L.A. Times Book Award for YA fiction in 2003 and was a finalist for the Boston Globe/Horn Book Award.

    M. T. Anderson currently lives in Boston, Massachusetts. View titles by M. T. Anderson

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