-
America's Favorite Holidays
- Candid Stories
- Narrated by: Noah Michael Levine
- Length: 5 hrs and 49 mins
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
America's Favorite Holidays
Buy for $19.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Why Be Jewish?
- A Testament
- By: Edgar Bronfman
- Narrated by: Rick Zieff
- Length: 6 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 38
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 29
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 28
Edgar Bronfman's clarion call to a generation of secular, disaffected, and unaffiliated Jews, Why Be Jewish? addresses the most critical question confronting Judaism worldwide. Completed in December 2013, just weeks before he passed away, Why Be Jewish? expresses Edgar Bronfman's awe, respect, and deep love for his faith and heritage. Bronfman walks listeners through the major tenets and ideas in Jewish life, fleshing out their meanings and offering proof texts from the Jewish tradition.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent Description of Modern Judaism
- By Rick Mars on 06-21-16
By: Edgar Bronfman
-
P.T. Barnum: A Captivating Guide to the American Showman Who Founded What Became the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
- By: Captivating History
- Narrated by: Duke Holm
- Length: 1 hr and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 15
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 15
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 15
He wasn’t always the Great Showman. In fact, Phineas Taylor Barnum grew up in relative poverty with only his wits to help him along. When his father died, the 15-year-old boy entered the working world as a shopkeeper’s assistant. In leaps and bounds, he worked his way from assistant to shop owner, lottery office owner, and, eventually, entertainment promoter. The bulk of his career was focused on his beloved American Museum, where thousands of ticket holders flocked every day to look at the human oddities, stuffed animals, live whale, and American memorabilia.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
greatest. show
- By Amazon Customer nutbutter on 09-23-18
-
Witch Queens, Voodoo Spirits, and Hoodoo Saints
- A Guide to Magical New Orleans
- By: Denise Alvarado
- Narrated by: Karen Chilton
- Length: 6 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 48
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 40
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 40
New Orleans has long been America’s most magical city, inhabited by a fascinating visible and invisible world, full of mysteries, known for its decadence and haunted by its spirits. If Salem, Massachusetts is famous for its persecution of witches, New Orleans is celebrated for its embrace of the magical, mystical, and paranormal. New Orleans is acclaimed for its witches, ghosts, and vampires. Because of its unique history, New Orleans is the historical stronghold of traditional African religions and spirituality in the US.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A Gem
- By Amber on 04-09-22
By: Denise Alvarado
-
Christmas Past
- The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday's Traditions
- By: Brian Earl
- Narrated by: Brian Earl
- Length: 4 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 25
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 22
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 22
Christmas Past: The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday’s Traditions reveals the surprising, quirky, mysterious, and sometimes horrifying stories behind the most wonderful time of the year.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Pop-culture Christmas History
- By Harley Easton on 01-23-23
By: Brian Earl
-
God Is Not One
- The Eight Rival Religions That Run the World - and Why Their Differences Matter
- By: Stephen Prothero
- Narrated by: Paul Boehmer
- Length: 14 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 333
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 221
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 215
At the dawn of the 21st century, dizzying scientific and technological advancements, interconnected globalized economies, and even the so-called New Atheists have done nothing to change one thing: our world remains furiously religious. For good and for evil, religion is the single greatest influence in the world. In God Is Not One, Prothero provides listeners with much-needed content about each of the eight great world religions.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Useful, but doesn't live up to its introduction
- By Nassir on 11-03-10
By: Stephen Prothero
-
The Complete Heretic's Guide to Western Religion, Book 1
- The Mormons
- By: David Fitzgerald
- Narrated by: David Smalley
- Length: 8 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 521
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 471
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 471
In this first book of The Complete Heretic's Guide to World Religion series, historian and award-winning atheist author Dave Fitzgerald takes us behind the Salt Lake curtain for a glimpse at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and answers your questions: Where did this multi-billion dollar tax-exempt corporation come from? Did Joseph Smith really sleep with all those women? Are the Mormons going to take over the whole world, and if so, is there any way to stop them? But that's not all!
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Amusing treatment, but narration problems
- By B. C. French on 08-06-13
By: David Fitzgerald
-
Why Be Jewish?
- A Testament
- By: Edgar Bronfman
- Narrated by: Rick Zieff
- Length: 6 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 38
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 29
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 28
Edgar Bronfman's clarion call to a generation of secular, disaffected, and unaffiliated Jews, Why Be Jewish? addresses the most critical question confronting Judaism worldwide. Completed in December 2013, just weeks before he passed away, Why Be Jewish? expresses Edgar Bronfman's awe, respect, and deep love for his faith and heritage. Bronfman walks listeners through the major tenets and ideas in Jewish life, fleshing out their meanings and offering proof texts from the Jewish tradition.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent Description of Modern Judaism
- By Rick Mars on 06-21-16
By: Edgar Bronfman
-
P.T. Barnum: A Captivating Guide to the American Showman Who Founded What Became the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
- By: Captivating History
- Narrated by: Duke Holm
- Length: 1 hr and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 15
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 15
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 15
He wasn’t always the Great Showman. In fact, Phineas Taylor Barnum grew up in relative poverty with only his wits to help him along. When his father died, the 15-year-old boy entered the working world as a shopkeeper’s assistant. In leaps and bounds, he worked his way from assistant to shop owner, lottery office owner, and, eventually, entertainment promoter. The bulk of his career was focused on his beloved American Museum, where thousands of ticket holders flocked every day to look at the human oddities, stuffed animals, live whale, and American memorabilia.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
greatest. show
- By Amazon Customer nutbutter on 09-23-18
-
Witch Queens, Voodoo Spirits, and Hoodoo Saints
- A Guide to Magical New Orleans
- By: Denise Alvarado
- Narrated by: Karen Chilton
- Length: 6 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 48
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 40
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 40
New Orleans has long been America’s most magical city, inhabited by a fascinating visible and invisible world, full of mysteries, known for its decadence and haunted by its spirits. If Salem, Massachusetts is famous for its persecution of witches, New Orleans is celebrated for its embrace of the magical, mystical, and paranormal. New Orleans is acclaimed for its witches, ghosts, and vampires. Because of its unique history, New Orleans is the historical stronghold of traditional African religions and spirituality in the US.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A Gem
- By Amber on 04-09-22
By: Denise Alvarado
-
Christmas Past
- The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday's Traditions
- By: Brian Earl
- Narrated by: Brian Earl
- Length: 4 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 25
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 22
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 22
Christmas Past: The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday’s Traditions reveals the surprising, quirky, mysterious, and sometimes horrifying stories behind the most wonderful time of the year.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Pop-culture Christmas History
- By Harley Easton on 01-23-23
By: Brian Earl
-
God Is Not One
- The Eight Rival Religions That Run the World - and Why Their Differences Matter
- By: Stephen Prothero
- Narrated by: Paul Boehmer
- Length: 14 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 333
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 221
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 215
At the dawn of the 21st century, dizzying scientific and technological advancements, interconnected globalized economies, and even the so-called New Atheists have done nothing to change one thing: our world remains furiously religious. For good and for evil, religion is the single greatest influence in the world. In God Is Not One, Prothero provides listeners with much-needed content about each of the eight great world religions.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Useful, but doesn't live up to its introduction
- By Nassir on 11-03-10
By: Stephen Prothero
-
The Complete Heretic's Guide to Western Religion, Book 1
- The Mormons
- By: David Fitzgerald
- Narrated by: David Smalley
- Length: 8 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 521
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 471
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 471
In this first book of The Complete Heretic's Guide to World Religion series, historian and award-winning atheist author Dave Fitzgerald takes us behind the Salt Lake curtain for a glimpse at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and answers your questions: Where did this multi-billion dollar tax-exempt corporation come from? Did Joseph Smith really sleep with all those women? Are the Mormons going to take over the whole world, and if so, is there any way to stop them? But that's not all!
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Amusing treatment, but narration problems
- By B. C. French on 08-06-13
By: David Fitzgerald
-
How Christianity Changed the World
- By: Alvin J. Schmidt
- Narrated by: James Adams
- Length: 15 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 106
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 84
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 83
A survey of the various ways--often unrecognized and overlooked--whereby Christianity has impacted the world, making the world a better place and enriching our everyday living.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Too much trumpet
- By TaxSage on 11-10-18
By: Alvin J. Schmidt
-
The Lost Gospel
- Decoding the Ancient Text That Reveals Jesus' Marriage to Mary the Magdalene
- By: Simcha Jacobovici, Barrie Wilson
- Narrated by: Bob Souer
- Length: 12 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 440
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 379
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 378
Waiting to be rediscovered in the British Library is an ancient manuscript of the early Church, copied by an anonymous monk. The manuscript is at least 1,450 years old, possibly dating to the first century, Jesus' lifetime. And now, The Lost Gospel provides the first-ever translation from Syriac into English of this unique document that tells the inside story of Jesus' social, family, and political life. The Lost Gospel takes listeners on an unparalleled historical adventure through a paradigm-shifting manuscript.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Very well-crafted but uses lot of sketchy material
- By Leifen on 01-09-18
By: Simcha Jacobovici, and others
-
Yiddish Civilisation: The Rise and Fall of a Forgotten Nation
- By: Paul Kriwaczek
- Narrated by: Robert Blumenfeld
- Length: 13 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 35
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 32
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 32
Tracing Yiddish civilization from its roots in the Diaspora to the present, Paul Kriwaczek combines intimate family anecdote, travelogue, historical research, and interviews with scholars to give us a rich portrait of a nearly extinguished culture as it survived across the centuries. He begins his chronicle in Jerusalem, with the destruction of the Jewish temple at the hands of the Romans in the year 70. We see the burgeoning exile population disperse, moving outward and northward throughout the following centuries, making their mark in more far flung cities under Roman rule.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Disorganized, inconclusive and disappointing
- By Alex on 12-15-20
By: Paul Kriwaczek
-
The Search for God and Guinness
- A Biography of the Beer That Changed the World
- By: Stephen Mansfield
- Narrated by: David Colacci
- Length: 7 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 340
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 298
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 297
The history of Guinness, one of the world's most famous brands, reveals the noble heights and generosity of a great family and an innovative business. It began in Ireland in the mid-1700s. The water in Ireland, indeed throughout Europe, was famously undrinkable, and the gin and whiskey that took its place devastated civil society. It was a disease-ridden, starvation-plagued, alcoholic age.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Quaint little evangelical pamphlet
- By ethan gage on 10-30-19
-
Odin: The Origins, History and Evolution of the Norse God
- By: Jesse Harasta, Charles River Editors
- Narrated by: Anthony R. Schlotzhauer
- Length: 1 hr and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 84
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 73
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 73
A one-eyed old man, with a gray cloak and a wide-brimmed hat leaning on a staff. A wanderer who appears when least expected, bringing triumph or doom. The god of prophecy, poetry and fate. A shape changer. A sorcerer. The god Odin cuts a dramatic figure in Norse mythology and is still a part of the popular imagination. He is the inspiration for figures like J.R.R. Tolkien's Gandalf the Grey, and he still appears in modern literature as varied as Marvel Comics and Neil Gaiman's novel American Gods.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Not what I expected but enjoyable nontheless
- By Goose on 07-13-15
By: Jesse Harasta, and others
-
The Jesus Dynasty
- A New Historical Investigation of Jesus, His Royal Family, and the Birth of Christianity
- By: James D. Tabor
- Narrated by: James D. Tabor
- Length: 5 hrs and 53 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 197
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 125
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 125
Based on a careful analysis of the earliest Christian documents and recent archaeological discoveries, The Jesus Dynasty offers a bold new interpretation of the life of Jesus and the origins of Christianity. The story is surprising, controversial, and exciting as only a long-lost history can be when it is at last recovered.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Provocative book
- By Dan on 08-27-06
By: James D. Tabor
-
Jesus Before the Gospels
- How the Earliest Christians Remembered, Changed, and Invented Their Stories of the Savior
- By: Bart D. Ehrman
- Narrated by: Joe Barrett
- Length: 10 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 469
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 417
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 411
Throughout much of human history, our most important stories were passed down orally - including the stories about Jesus before they became written down in the Gospels. In this fascinating and deeply researched work, leading Bible scholar Bart D. Erhman investigates the role oral history has played in the New Testament - how the telling of these stories not only spread Jesus' message but helped shape it.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Insightful, but with limited depth
- By Jacobus on 05-28-16
By: Bart D. Ehrman
-
Apostle
- Travels Among the Tombs of the Twelve
- By: Tom Bissell
- Narrated by: Tom Bissell
- Length: 14 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 88
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 82
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 81
A profound and moving journey into the heart of Christianity that explores the mysterious and often paradoxical lives and legacies of the Twelve Apostles—a book both for those of the faith and for others who seek to understand Christianity from the outside in.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A great read stumbled upon by chance.
- By Ken Ableman on 04-05-18
By: Tom Bissell
-
Shinto: The Way Home
- Dimensions of Asian Spirituality
- By: Thomas P. Kasulis
- Narrated by: Dean Sluyter
- Length: 7 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 181
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 159
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 158
Nine out of ten Japanese claim some affiliation with Shinto, but in the West the religion remains the least studied of the major Asian spiritual traditions. It is so interlaced with Japanese cultural values and practices that scholarly studies usually focus on only one of its dimensions: Shinto as a "nature religion", an "imperial state religion", a "primal religion", or a "folk amalgam of practices and beliefs". Thomas Kasulis' fresh approach to Shinto explains with clarity and economy how these different aspects interrelate.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Limited information on actual Shinto practice.
- By John O'Neill on 05-03-17
-
The Exodus
- By: Richard Elliott Friedman
- Narrated by: Richard Elliott Friedman
- Length: 5 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 172
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 153
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 149
Biblical scholars, Egyptologists, archaeologists, historians, literary scholars, anthropologists, and filmmakers are drawn to the mystery of the exodus. Unable to find physical evidence until now, many archaeologists and scholars claim this mass migration is just a story, not history. Others oppose this conclusion, defending the biblical account.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
It started well......
- By kboy2008 on 04-21-20
-
Rebbe
- The Life and Teachings of Menachem M. Schneerson, the Most Influential Rabbi in Modern History
- By: Joseph Telushkin
- Narrated by: Rich Topol
- Length: 18 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 312
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 280
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 280
From his modest headquarters in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, the Rebbe advised some of the world's greatest leaders and shaped matters of state and society. Statesmen and artists as diverse as Ronald Reagan, Robert F. Kennedy, Yitzchak Rabin, Menachem Begin, Elie Wiesel, and Bob Dylan span the spectrum of those who sought his counsel.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Only good things
- By Ben on 06-01-17
By: Joseph Telushkin
-
The Chosen Wars
- By: Steven R. Weisman
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 12 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 56
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 49
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 48
The Chosen Wars tells the dramatic story of how Judaism redefined itself in America in the 18th and 19th centuries - the personalities that fought each other and shaped its evolution and, importantly, the force of the American dynamic that prevailed over an ancient religion. Determined to take their places as equals in the young nation, American Jews rejected identity as a separate nation and embraced a secular America. Judaism became an American religion.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A History of the Reform Movement
- By E. B. Weinberg on 08-24-18
Publisher's summary
America's Favorite Holidays explores how five of America's culturally important holidays - Christmas, Valentine's Day, Easter, Halloween, and Thanksgiving - came to be what they are today, seasonal and religious celebrations heavily influenced by modern popular culture.
Deftly distilling information from a wide range of sources, Bruce David Forbes reveals often-surprising answers to questions about each holiday's traditions. Was Christmas always as commercialized as it is today? Is Thanksgiving a religious or secular holiday? When did we begin trick-or-treating on Halloween?
Appealing and insightful, America's Favorite Holidays satisfies our curiosity about the origins of our holidays and the fascinating ways in which religion and culture mix.
More from the same
Related to this topic
-
Christmas Past
- The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday's Traditions
- By: Brian Earl
- Narrated by: Brian Earl
- Length: 4 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 25
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 22
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 22
Christmas Past: The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday’s Traditions reveals the surprising, quirky, mysterious, and sometimes horrifying stories behind the most wonderful time of the year.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Pop-culture Christmas History
- By Harley Easton on 01-23-23
By: Brian Earl
-
One Nation, Under Gods
- A New American History
- By: Peter Manseau
- Narrated by: Kevin Stillwell
- Length: 17 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 35
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 28
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 28
At the heart of the nation's spiritual history are audacious and often violent scenes. But the Puritans and the shining city on the hill give us just one way to understand the United States. Rather than recite American history from a Christian vantage point, Peter Manseau proves that what really happened is worth a close, fresh look.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Tapestry of different pieces makes for a whole
- By Gary on 03-23-15
By: Peter Manseau
-
My Rebbe
- By: Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz
- Narrated by: Shlomo Zacks
- Length: 7 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 63
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 55
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 56
Part biography, part memoir, part manual for great leadership, My Rebbe explores the evolution of Chabad's global success, its central beliefs and practices, the Rebbe's personal history, and his vision to inspire change. This moving narrative, written by one of today's most influential Jewish thinkers, will motivate listeners to contemplate their own mission in the world and aspire toward meaningful living.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Exceeds Expectations
- By csm on 07-04-15
-
Pagans
- The End of Traditional Religion and the Rise of Christianity
- By: James J. O'Donnell
- Narrated by: David Drummond
- Length: 7 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 98
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 78
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 78
Pagans explores the rise of Christianity from a surprising and unique viewpoint: that of the people who witnessed their ways of life destroyed by what seemed then a powerful religious cult. These "pagans" were actually pious Greeks, Romans, Syrians, and Gauls, who observed the traditions of their ancestors. To these devout polytheists, Christians who worshiped only one deity were immoral atheists who believed that a splash of water on the deathbed could erase a lifetime of sin.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
19th Century Scholarship
- By Marianne on 10-16-18
-
A History of Judaism
- By: Martin Goodman
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 23 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 39
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 32
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 31
Judaism is one of the oldest religions in the world, and it has preserved its distinctive identity despite the extraordinarily diverse forms and beliefs it has embodied over the course of more than three millennia. A History of Judaism provides the first truly comprehensive look in one volume at how this great religion came to be, how it has evolved from one age to the next, and how its various strains, sects, and traditions have related to each other.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Not easy to follow.
- By Eric on 03-12-19
By: Martin Goodman
-
The Eleusinian Mysteries
- The History of Ancient Greece's Most Famous Religious Rites
- By: Charles River Editors
- Narrated by: Kenneth Ray
- Length: 1 hr and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 45
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 36
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 36
Ancient Greece and its mythology has fascinated people for thousands of years, and few elements have intrigued people quite like the Eleusinian Mysteries, which the Greeks believed transformed the initiates and gave them knowledge that eased both the living of life on earth and allayed fears of death, allowing an acceptance of their ultimate fate. The influence of the Eleusinian Mysteries was also far-reaching.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Not worth a credit or the price
- By James I. Ruff on 08-31-21
-
Christmas Past
- The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday's Traditions
- By: Brian Earl
- Narrated by: Brian Earl
- Length: 4 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 25
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 22
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 22
Christmas Past: The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday’s Traditions reveals the surprising, quirky, mysterious, and sometimes horrifying stories behind the most wonderful time of the year.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Pop-culture Christmas History
- By Harley Easton on 01-23-23
By: Brian Earl
-
One Nation, Under Gods
- A New American History
- By: Peter Manseau
- Narrated by: Kevin Stillwell
- Length: 17 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 35
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 28
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 28
At the heart of the nation's spiritual history are audacious and often violent scenes. But the Puritans and the shining city on the hill give us just one way to understand the United States. Rather than recite American history from a Christian vantage point, Peter Manseau proves that what really happened is worth a close, fresh look.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Tapestry of different pieces makes for a whole
- By Gary on 03-23-15
By: Peter Manseau
-
My Rebbe
- By: Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz
- Narrated by: Shlomo Zacks
- Length: 7 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 63
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 55
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 56
Part biography, part memoir, part manual for great leadership, My Rebbe explores the evolution of Chabad's global success, its central beliefs and practices, the Rebbe's personal history, and his vision to inspire change. This moving narrative, written by one of today's most influential Jewish thinkers, will motivate listeners to contemplate their own mission in the world and aspire toward meaningful living.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Exceeds Expectations
- By csm on 07-04-15
-
Pagans
- The End of Traditional Religion and the Rise of Christianity
- By: James J. O'Donnell
- Narrated by: David Drummond
- Length: 7 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 98
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 78
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 78
Pagans explores the rise of Christianity from a surprising and unique viewpoint: that of the people who witnessed their ways of life destroyed by what seemed then a powerful religious cult. These "pagans" were actually pious Greeks, Romans, Syrians, and Gauls, who observed the traditions of their ancestors. To these devout polytheists, Christians who worshiped only one deity were immoral atheists who believed that a splash of water on the deathbed could erase a lifetime of sin.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
19th Century Scholarship
- By Marianne on 10-16-18
-
A History of Judaism
- By: Martin Goodman
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 23 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 39
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 32
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 31
Judaism is one of the oldest religions in the world, and it has preserved its distinctive identity despite the extraordinarily diverse forms and beliefs it has embodied over the course of more than three millennia. A History of Judaism provides the first truly comprehensive look in one volume at how this great religion came to be, how it has evolved from one age to the next, and how its various strains, sects, and traditions have related to each other.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Not easy to follow.
- By Eric on 03-12-19
By: Martin Goodman
-
The Eleusinian Mysteries
- The History of Ancient Greece's Most Famous Religious Rites
- By: Charles River Editors
- Narrated by: Kenneth Ray
- Length: 1 hr and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 45
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 36
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 36
Ancient Greece and its mythology has fascinated people for thousands of years, and few elements have intrigued people quite like the Eleusinian Mysteries, which the Greeks believed transformed the initiates and gave them knowledge that eased both the living of life on earth and allayed fears of death, allowing an acceptance of their ultimate fate. The influence of the Eleusinian Mysteries was also far-reaching.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Not worth a credit or the price
- By James I. Ruff on 08-31-21
-
The World's Greatest Book
- The Story of How the Bible Came to Be
- By: Lawrence H. Schiffman Ph.D., Jerry Pattengale Ph.D.
- Narrated by: George W. Sarris
- Length: 7 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 38
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 33
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 32
From the earliest oral traditions to ink on parchment and ultimately the printing press, this is the story behind the best-selling book of all time. Original texts were captured and passed down from generation to generation by elders and leaders, many inked by hand in extreme conditions. Christians and Jews canonized the Christian, Catholic, and Hebrew Bibles over a period of thousands of years. Devoted people dedicated their lives throughout time to put this unique book into the hands of people worldwide.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Couple of errors.
- By Simandl on 12-13-17
By: Lawrence H. Schiffman Ph.D., and others
-
Biblical Literalism: A Gentile Heresy
- A Journey into a New Christianity Through the Doorway of Matthew's Gospel
- By: John Shelby Spong
- Narrated by: Bob Souer
- Length: 10 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 67
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 61
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 59
A man who has consciously and deliberately walked the path of Christ, John Shelby Spong has lived his entire life inside the Christian Church. In this profound and considered work, he offers a radical new way to look at the gospels today as he shows just how deeply Jewish the Christian Gospels are and how much they reflect the Jewish scriptures, history, and patterns of worship.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
understanding the jewish thoughts in the Gospels
- By John on 08-30-18
-
America's Prophet
- Moses and the American Story
- By: Bruce Feiler
- Narrated by: Bruce Feiler
- Length: 9 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 102
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 52
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 53
The exodus story is America's story. Moses is our real founding father. In this groundbreaking book, New York Times best-selling author Bruce Feiler travels through touchstones in American history and traces the biblical prophet's influence from the Mayflower through today.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Another great book
- By TR on 11-06-09
By: Bruce Feiler
-
Drawing Down the Moon
- Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America
- By: Margot Adler
- Narrated by: Pam Ward
- Length: 20 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 423
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 369
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 363
Almost 40 years since its original publication, Drawing Down the Moon continues to be the only detailed history of the burgeoning but still widely misunderstood Neo-Pagan subculture. Margot Adler attended ritual gatherings and interviewed a diverse, colorful gallery of people across the United States, people who find inspiration in ancient deities, nature, myth, even science fiction. In this revised edition, Adler takes a fascinating and honest look at the religious experiences, beliefs, and lifestyles of modern America's Pagan groups.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Important history lesson but missing elements
- By Waterfall on 09-12-20
By: Margot Adler
-
The Bible's Cutting Room Floor
- The Holy Scriptures Missing from Your Bible
- By: Joel M. Hoffman
- Narrated by: Jonathan Todd Ross
- Length: 10 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 56
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 54
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 54
In The Bible’s Cutting Room Floor, acclaimed author and translator Dr. Joel M. Hoffman gives us the stories and other texts that didn’t make it into the Bible even though they offer penetrating insight into the Bible and its teachings. The Book of Genesis tells us about Adam and Eve’s time in the Garden of Eden, but not their saga after they get kicked out or the lessons they have for us about good and evil.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Good content, rather poor presentation by narrator
- By J_T on 12-28-16
By: Joel M. Hoffman
-
The Santa Muerte
- The Origins, History, and Secrets of the Mexican Folk Saint
- By: Gustavo Vazquez-Lozano, Charles River Editors
- Narrated by: Colin Fluxman
- Length: 1 hr and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 74
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 63
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 61
This is the story of Santa Muerte, the so-called cult of crisis, a red-hot combo of a kermesse (Mexican carnival), Catholicism and New Age; a hedonist practice but involving bodily sacrifice too. It is an expression of economic, psychological and social forces, bigger than perhaps any of her acolytes suspect. This book looks at the folk saint and the manner in which her cult grew. You will learn about Santa Muerte like never before.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
enjoyed.
- By Anonymous User on 02-03-23
By: Gustavo Vazquez-Lozano, and others
-
Truth and Fiction in The Da Vinci Code
- By: Bart D. Ehrman
- Narrated by: Bart D. Ehrman
- Length: 7 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 287
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 95
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 94
Dan Brown's immensely popular New York Times best-selling The Da Vinci Code is one of the most successful books of recent history. It has captivated millions the world over with its enthralling suspense and its provocative questions about the true nature of Jesus' life.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A historian's approach to the Da Vinci code
- By John Mertus on 01-23-05
By: Bart D. Ehrman
-
Heirs to Forgotten Kingdoms
- Journeys into the Disappearing Religions of the Middle East
- By: Gerard Russell
- Narrated by: Michael Page
- Length: 11 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 96
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 86
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 85
In Heirs to Forgotten Kingdoms, former diplomat Gerard Russell ventures to the distant, nearly impassable regions where these mysterious religions still cling to survival. He lives alongside the Mandaeans and Ezidis of Iraq, the Zoroastrians of Iran, the Copts of Egypt, and others. He learns their histories, participates in their rituals, and comes to understand the threats to their communities.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Increase your understanding of the Middle East
- By Shaun on 03-17-15
By: Gerard Russell
-
Yiddish Civilisation: The Rise and Fall of a Forgotten Nation
- By: Paul Kriwaczek
- Narrated by: Robert Blumenfeld
- Length: 13 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 35
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 32
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 32
Tracing Yiddish civilization from its roots in the Diaspora to the present, Paul Kriwaczek combines intimate family anecdote, travelogue, historical research, and interviews with scholars to give us a rich portrait of a nearly extinguished culture as it survived across the centuries. He begins his chronicle in Jerusalem, with the destruction of the Jewish temple at the hands of the Romans in the year 70. We see the burgeoning exile population disperse, moving outward and northward throughout the following centuries, making their mark in more far flung cities under Roman rule.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Disorganized, inconclusive and disappointing
- By Alex on 12-15-20
By: Paul Kriwaczek
-
Nicholas Black Elk
- Medicine Man, Missionary, Mystic
- By: Michael F. Steltenkamp
- Narrated by: Charles Henderson Norman
- Length: 7 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 34
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 31
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 31
Since its publication in 1932, Black Elk Speaks has moved countless readers to appreciate the American Indian world that it described. John Neihardt’s popular narrative addressed the youth and early adulthood of Black Elk, an Oglala Sioux religious elder. Michael F. Steltenkamp now provides the first full interpretive biography of Black Elk, distilling in one volume what is known of this American Indian wisdom keeper whose life has helped guide others. Nicholas Black Elk: Medicine Man, Missionary, Mystic shows that the holy-man was not the dispirited traditionalist commonly depicted in literature....
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great overview of little known subject.
- By cosmitron on 09-06-18
-
The Book of Yokai
- Mysterious Creatures of Japanese Folklore
- By: Michael Dylan Foster
- Narrated by: Tim Campbell
- Length: 8 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 254
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 215
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 215
Drawing on years of research in Japan, Michael Dylan Foster unpacks the history and cultural context of yokai, tracing their roots, interpreting their meanings, and introducing people who have hunted them through the ages. In this delightful and accessible narrative, listeners will explore the roles played by these mysterious beings within Japanese culture and will also learn of their abundance and variety through detailed entries on more than 50 individual creatures.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Pt 2 was delightful (+no cringey pronunciations!!)
- By Julieanne on 06-04-19
-
The Lost Gospel
- Decoding the Ancient Text That Reveals Jesus' Marriage to Mary the Magdalene
- By: Simcha Jacobovici, Barrie Wilson
- Narrated by: Bob Souer
- Length: 12 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 440
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 379
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 378
Waiting to be rediscovered in the British Library is an ancient manuscript of the early Church, copied by an anonymous monk. The manuscript is at least 1,450 years old, possibly dating to the first century, Jesus' lifetime. And now, The Lost Gospel provides the first-ever translation from Syriac into English of this unique document that tells the inside story of Jesus' social, family, and political life. The Lost Gospel takes listeners on an unparalleled historical adventure through a paradigm-shifting manuscript.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Very well-crafted but uses lot of sketchy material
- By Leifen on 01-09-18
By: Simcha Jacobovici, and others
What listeners say about America's Favorite Holidays
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ben
- 12-03-19
Exactly what I was hoping for!
A lot of this basic information can be gleaned by reading Wikipedia's entries for each holiday, but I really liked the way Forbes ties it all together with a A-leads-to-B-leads-to-C kind of logic. This is fascinating stuff that will make you think about how our cultures have adapted, morphed, and melted things together to create the customs we enjoy. It helped me to realize not just how new a lot of our customs really are, but how humans and changing times have changed the narrative on what we believe to be true. More than most books I listen to, this one really flew by quickly. It's well-organized and concise, and I really liked the narration. I rarely give 5 stars across the board, and I even more rarely write reviews on here. I really enjoyed this one.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall1 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 01-10-21
Christianity, not holidays
I picked this but because I thought I'd learned something about holidays. I was an hour into it when I realized that it's technically about Christianity and the holidays that surround it. Now, this is okay for people who don't believe anything existed before Christianity but that doesn't tell us where these holidays came from that Christianity stole. If you can't tell me that then there's nothing there of relevant interest because claiming it's about holidays isn't true.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
3 people found this helpful