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The Hidden History of Holidays
- Narrated by: Hannah Harvey
- Length: 8 hrs and 3 mins
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The Hidden History of Holidays
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Publisher's summary
What are the origins of dressing in costume for Halloween? Why did the barbecue grill become an iconic image for Father’s Day?
From Halloween costumes to patriotic parades to belly-busting meals, every holiday tradition tells a unique story—one encoded in symbols and layered meanings that stretch back over the centuries. In 19 lectures, professional storyteller Dr. Hannah B. Harvey takes listeners through the seasons and investigates the surprising stories behind seemingly odd holiday traditions. Dr. Harvey explores the social, political, and performative history of holidays, ranging from Hanukkah and Mardi Gras to Mother’s Day and Thanksgiving, illustrating the way traditions survive across time and cultures.
In these fascinating lectures, Dr. Harvey turns the spotlight on the histories of American and international holidays, and listeners will discover the answers to such questions as:
- How did Charles Dickens and Queen Victoria save Christmas from disappearing into obscurity in the 19th century?
- Why is "Auld Lang Syne" considered the "official" song of New Year’s celebrations?
- How did the iconic masculine images of fishing rods, barbecue grills, and lying in hammocks become synonymous with Father’s Day?
- Why should we thank ancient Rome’s Romulus and Remus for Valentine’s Day?
- To what cultures do we owe such loveable creatures as Easter bunnies and spring-predicting groundhogs?
- Why did Puritans seek to stamp out Christmas celebrations in America?
- How are the ancient Roman festival of Hilaria and today’s April Fool’s Day alike?
The Hidden History of Holidays is an eye-opening and entertaining look at what makes these festive celebrations so pervasive and powerful. By the end of these lectures, listeners will never think about greeting cards, broomsticks, or barbecues in the same way again.
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Our favorite moments from The Hidden History of the Holidays
- Chapter Three – Lecture Two
- Chapter Fourteen – Lecture Thirteen
- Chapter Nineteen – Lecture Eighteen
- Chapter Three – Lecture Two
- Christmas
- Chapter Fourteen – Lecture Thirteen
- Mother's Day
- Chapter Nineteen – Lecture Eighteen
- Halloween
Publisher's summary
What are the origins of dressing in costume for Halloween? Why did the barbecue grill become an iconic image for Father’s Day?
From Halloween costumes to patriotic parades to belly-busting meals, every holiday tradition tells a unique story—one encoded in symbols and layered meanings that stretch back over the centuries. In 19 lectures, professional storyteller Dr. Hannah B. Harvey takes listeners through the seasons and investigates the surprising stories behind seemingly odd holiday traditions. Dr. Harvey explores the social, political, and performative history of holidays, ranging from Hanukkah and Mardi Gras to Mother’s Day and Thanksgiving, illustrating the way traditions survive across time and cultures.
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- To what cultures do we owe such loveable creatures as Easter bunnies and spring-predicting groundhogs?
- Why did Puritans seek to stamp out Christmas celebrations in America?
- How are the ancient Roman festival of Hilaria and today’s April Fool’s Day alike?
The Hidden History of Holidays is an eye-opening and entertaining look at what makes these festive celebrations so pervasive and powerful. By the end of these lectures, listeners will never think about greeting cards, broomsticks, or barbecues in the same way again.
About the Professor
Dr. Hannah B. Harvey is an award-winning teacher, an internationally recognized performer, and a nationally known professional storyteller. She earned her PhD in Performance Studies/Communication Studies at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. While teaching at Kennesaw State University, she received an Honors Program Distinguished Teacher award and an Alumni Association Commendation for Teaching Impact. As a performance ethnographer, Dr. Harvey develops oral histories into theatrical and solo storytelling works that highlight the true stories of contemporary Appalachian people. Her performance, Out of the Dark: The Oral Histories of Appalachian Coal Miners, earned her a directing award from adjudicators at the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival in 2007 and three year-end awards from professional critics in 2005. Harvey’s written research has been honored by the American Folklore Society and has been featured in Storytelling, Self, and Society, of which she is managing editor.
Dr. Harvey has delivered award-winning performances and has conducted workshops at festivals and universities in the United States and around the world. She has performed as a featured teller at the National Storytelling Festival in Tennessee; received accolades for her performances at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland; and led intercultural workshops at the University Hassan II, Ben M’Sik, in Casablanca, Morocco.
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- By: Miyamoto Musashi, Kenji Tokitsu - editor/translator
- Narrated by: Brian Nishii
- Length: 5 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 4,017
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3,377
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3,351
The Complete Book of Five Rings is an authoritative version of Musashi's classic The Book of Five Rings, translated and annotated by a modern martial arts master, Kenji Tokitsu. Tokitsu has spent most of his life researching the legendary samurai swordsman and his works, and in this book he illuminates this seminal text, along with several other works by Musashi.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Best translation I have encountered.
- By DW on 05-27-16
By: Miyamoto Musashi, and others
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The Art of War
- By: Sun Tzu
- Narrated by: Aidan Gillen
- Length: 1 hr and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 40,458
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 33,457
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 33,038
The 13 chapters of The Art of War, each devoted to one aspect of warfare, were compiled by the high-ranking Chinese military general, strategist, and philosopher Sun-Tzu. In spite of its battlefield specificity, The Art of War has found new life in the modern age, with leaders in fields as wide and far-reaching as world politics, human psychology, and corporate strategy finding valuable insight in its timeworn words.
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5 out of 5 stars
-
The actual book The Art of War, not a commentary
- By Fred271 on 12-31-19
By: Sun Tzu
-
Under the Bridge
- By: Rebecca Godfrey
- Narrated by: Rebecca Godfrey, Erin Moon, Mary Gaitskill - introduction
- Length: 14 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 119
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 106
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 106
One moonlit night, 14-year-old Reena Virk went to join friends at a party and never returned home. In this “tour de force of crime reportage” (Kirkus Reviews), acclaimed author Rebecca Godfrey takes us into the hidden world of the seven teenage girls - and boy - accused of a savage murder. As she follows the investigation and trials, Godfrey reveals the startling truth about the unlikely killers. Laced with lyricism and insight, Under the Bridge is an unforgettable look at a haunting modern tragedy.
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5 out of 5 stars
-
Powerful Account of 8 Young Teens Killing Another
- By Mary Burnight on 08-16-19
By: Rebecca Godfrey
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Fingerprints of the Gods
- The Quest Continues
- By: Graham Hancock
- Narrated by: Graham Hancock
- Length: 18 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 8,560
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 7,574
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 7,533
Fingerprints of the Gods is the revolutionary rewrite of history that has persuaded millions of listeners throughout the world to change their preconceptions about the history behind modern society. An intellectual detective story, this unique history audiobook directs probing questions at orthodox history, presenting disturbing new evidence that historians have tried - but failed - to explain.
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4 out of 5 stars
-
Classic in Historical Mysteries
- By Kelly on 09-05-19
By: Graham Hancock
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The Daily Stoic
- 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living
- By: Ryan Holiday, Stephen Hanselman
- Narrated by: Brian Holsopple
- Length: 10 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 3,109
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,604
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 2,569
Why have history's greatest minds - from George Washington to Frederick the Great to Ralph Waldo Emerson along with today's top performers, from Super Bowl-winning football coaches to CEOs and celebrities - embraced the wisdom of the ancient Stoics? Because they realize that the most valuable wisdom is timeless and that philosophy is for living a better life, not a classroom exercise. The Daily Stoic offers a daily devotional of Stoic insights and exercises, featuring all-new translations.
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2 out of 5 stars
-
Not well made as audio
- By Andreas on 12-27-16
By: Ryan Holiday, and others
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I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn’t)
- Telling the Truth about Perfectionism, Inadequacy, and Power
- By: Brené Brown
- Narrated by: Lauren Fortgang
- Length: 10 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 5,850
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 4,973
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 4,916
Based on seven years of ground-breaking research and hundreds of interviews, I Thought It Was Just Me shines a long-overdue light on an important truth: Our imperfections are what connect us to each other and to our humanity. Our vulnerabilities are not weaknesses; they are powerful reminders to keep our hearts and minds open to the reality that we're all in this together.
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3 out of 5 stars
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I'm sure its great if you are a mother ....
- By Leslie A Hill on 08-09-11
By: Brené Brown
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The Complete Book of Five Rings
- By: Miyamoto Musashi, Kenji Tokitsu - editor/translator
- Narrated by: Brian Nishii
- Length: 5 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 4,017
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3,377
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3,351
The Complete Book of Five Rings is an authoritative version of Musashi's classic The Book of Five Rings, translated and annotated by a modern martial arts master, Kenji Tokitsu. Tokitsu has spent most of his life researching the legendary samurai swordsman and his works, and in this book he illuminates this seminal text, along with several other works by Musashi.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Best translation I have encountered.
- By DW on 05-27-16
By: Miyamoto Musashi, and others
-
Caffeine
- How Caffeine Created the Modern World
- By: Michael Pollan
- Narrated by: Michael Pollan
- Length: 2 hrs and 2 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 42,276
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 36,423
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 36,255
Michael Pollan, known for his best-selling nonfiction audio, including The Omnivores Dilemma and How to Change Your Mind, conceived and wrote Caffeine: How Caffeine Created the Modern World as an Audible Original. In this controversial and exciting listen, Pollan explores caffeine’s power as the most-used drug in the world - and the only one we give to children (in soda pop) as a treat.
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2 out of 5 stars
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Leaves much to be desired
- By Melody H on 02-02-20
By: Michael Pollan
-
The Mastery of Self
- A Toltec Guide to Personal Freedom
- By: Don Miguel Ruiz Jr.
- Narrated by: Charlie Varon
- Length: 3 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 4,325
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 3,575
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 3,555
The ancient Toltecs believed that life, as we perceive it, is a dream. We each live in our own personal dream, and these come together to form the dream of the planet, or the world in which we live. Problems arise when our perception of the dream becomes clouded with negativity, drama, and judgment (of ourselves and others), because it's in these moments of suffering that we have forgotten that we are the architects of our own reality and we have the power to change our dream if we choose.
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5 out of 5 stars
-
listen.. .then listen again
- By Casiano on 12-22-16
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The Prophet
- By: Kahlil Gibran
- Narrated by: Riz Ahmed
- Length: 1 hr and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 985
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 837
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 835
On the face of it, a simple book of 26 poem fables sharing one man’s wisdom. But The Prophet is so much more than that. It has inspired people from John F Kennedy to The Beatles and became the '60s Bible of counterculture – all because of the timeless truths it shared. Each poem takes a different theme – pleasure, beauty, freedom, joy and sorrow – as the fictional Al Mustapha shares his thoughts and experiences as he prepares to travel back to his island home.
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5 out of 5 stars
-
Riz Ahmed's Narraration Is So Moving!
- By Dee Tree on 09-12-21
By: Kahlil Gibran
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The Philosopher's Toolkit: How to Be the Most Rational Person in Any Room
- By: Patrick Grim, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Patrick Grim
- Length: 12 hrs and 2 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,177
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,002
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 991
Taught by award-winning Professor Patrick Grim of the State University of New York at Stony Brook, The Philosopher’s Toolkit: How to Be the Most Rational Person in Any Room arms you against the perils of bad thinking and supplies you with an arsenal of strategies to help you be more creative, logical, inventive, realistic, and rational in all aspects of your daily life.
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1 out of 5 stars
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This should NOT be an audio book
- By Brooks Emerson on 03-21-20
By: Patrick Grim, and others
-
The Autobiography of Malcolm X
- As Told to Alex Haley
- By: Malcolm X, Alex Haley
- Narrated by: Laurence Fishburne
- Length: 16 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 12,076
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 10,738
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 10,678
Experience a bold take on this classic autobiography as it’s performed by Oscar-nominated Laurence Fishburne. In this searing classic autobiography, originally published in 1965, Malcolm X, the Muslim leader, firebrand, and Black empowerment activist, tells the extraordinary story of his life and the growth of the Human Rights movement. His fascinating perspective on the lies and limitations of the American dream and the inherent racism in a society that denies its non-White citizens the opportunity to dream, gives extraordinary insight into the most urgent issues of our own time.
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5 out of 5 stars
-
Audible Masterpiece
- By Phoenician on 09-10-20
By: Malcolm X, and others
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The Debutante
- By: Jon Ronson
- Narrated by: Jon Ronson
- Length: 3 hrs and 11 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,325
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,099
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,096
Thirty years ago, award-winning journalist Jon Ronson stumbled on the mystery of Carol Howe—a charismatic, wealthy former debutante turned white supremacist spokeswoman turned undercover informant. In 1995, Carol was spying on Oklahoma’s neo-Nazis for the government just when Timothy McVeigh blew up a federal building in Oklahoma City, killing 168 people.
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4 out of 5 stars
-
Interesting but not compelling
- By Gail Jester on 04-15-23
By: Jon Ronson
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Marcus Aurelius - Meditations: Adapted for the Contemporary Reader
- By: Marcus Aurelius, James Harris
- Narrated by: Gregory Allen Siders
- Length: 4 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 212
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 166
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 166
Meditations is a series of personal writings by Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor from 161 to 180 AD, recording his private notes to himself and ideas on Stoic philosophy. Marcus Aurelius wrote the 12 books of the Meditations as a source for his own guidance and self-improvement. These books have been carefully adapted into modern English form to allow for easy listening. Enjoy!
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5 out of 5 stars
-
Best translation
- By Anonymous User on 06-13-19
By: Marcus Aurelius, and others
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Buddhism for Beginners
- By: Thubten Chodron, His Holiness the Dalai Lama - foreword
- Narrated by: Gabra Zackman
- Length: 4 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,154
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,834
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,814
This user’s guide to Buddhist basics takes the most commonly asked questions - beginning with “What is the essence of the Buddha’s teachings?” - and provides simple answers in plain English. Thubten Chodron’s responses to the questions that always seem to arise among people approaching Buddhism make this an exceptionally complete and accessible introduction - as well as a manual for living a more peaceful, mindful, and satisfying Life.
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5 out of 5 stars
-
Amazing introduction to Buddhism
- By chad d on 07-02-15
By: Thubten Chodron, and others
-
The Ethical Slut
- A Practical Guide to Polyamory, Open Relationships, & Other Adventures
- By: Janet W. Hardy, Dossie Easton
- Narrated by: Janet W. Hardy, Dossie Easton
- Length: 10 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 4,399
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3,773
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3,745
For anyone who has ever dreamed of love, sex, and companionship beyond the limits of traditional monogamy, this groundbreaking guide navigates the infinite possibilities that open relationships can offer. Experienced ethical sluts Dossie Easton and Janet W. Hardy dispel myths and cover all the skills necessary to maintain a successful and responsible polyamorous lifestyle.
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4 out of 5 stars
-
The information and advice is 100% totally solid!
- By Troy on 07-28-15
By: Janet W. Hardy, and others
-
The Emerald Tablets of Thoth the Atlantean
- By: M. Doreal
- Narrated by: John Marino
- Length: 2 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,327
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,122
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,115
The history of the tablets translated in the following book is strange and beyond the belief of modern scientists. Their antiquity is stupendous, dating back some 36,000 years. The writer is Thoth, an Atlantean Priest-King, who founded a colony in ancient Egypt after the sinking of the mother country. He was the builder of the Great Pyramid of Giza, erroneously attributed to Cheops. In it he incorporated his knowledge of the ancient wisdom and also securely secreted records and instruments of ancient Atlantis.
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5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellence...
- By Light Worker on 04-21-18
By: M. Doreal
-
Eight Dates
- Essential Conversations for a Lifetime of Love
- By: John Gottman PhD, Julie Schwartz Gottman PhD, Doug Abrams, and others
- Narrated by: James Patrick Cronin, Julie McKay
- Length: 5 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,167
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 958
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 948
Navigating the challenges of long-term commitment takes effort - and it just got simpler, with this empowering, step-by-step guide to communicating about the things that matter most to you and your partner. Drawing on 40 years of research from their world-famous Love Lab, Dr. John Gottman and Dr. Julie Schwartz Gottman invite couples on eight fun, easy, and profoundly rewarding dates, each one focused on a make-or-break issue: trust, conflict, sex, money, family, adventure, spirituality, and dreams.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
What the F. Robot-reader???!?!?!
- By Anonymous User on 01-21-20
By: John Gottman PhD, and others
-
Ho Tactics
- How to MindF**k a Man into Spending, Spoiling, and Sponsoring
- By: G. L. Lambert
- Narrated by: Patrick Stevens
- Length: 9 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,959
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1,609
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,593
I have discovered a group of women who refuse to be exploited, are immune to manipulation, and who never settle in the name of love. These ladies know what they want and take what they want by beating men at their own game. Utilizing the secrets exposed in this book, these women gain power, money, and status. Men call them gold diggers, women call them hos, but they call themselves winners. This is the book that society doesn't want you to listen to….
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5 out of 5 stars
-
I spent $24,000 in 4 months
- By B.M. on 10-06-18
By: G. L. Lambert
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Is bourbon the quintessential American liquor? Bourbon is not just alcohol - the amber-colored drink is deeply ingrained in American culture and tangled in American history. From the early days of raw corn liquor to the myriad distilleries that have proliferated around the country today, bourbon is a symbol of the United States. This course traces bourbon's entire history, from the 1700s, with Irish, Scottish, and French settlers setting up stills and making distilled spirits in the New World, through today's booming resurgence.
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Creation stories, found within many ancient cultures, are traditional accounts of the origins of the universe, the earth, and humanity. Often embodied as epic poetry, and told through the acts of divine beings, creation stories illuminate the values, beliefs, and creeds of the earliest civilizations. As such, these stories show us how early cultures made sense of the human condition, in theological, philosophical, and political terms. These 12 dynamic and thought-provoking lectures offer you a penetrating look at the origin stories of the great civilizations of the Mediterranean.
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In these 10 eye-opening lectures by a practicing doctor and medical educator, you’ll walk through a series of medical mystery cases ripped from history and involving well-known historical figures whose identities are nevertheless hidden from you. Every one of these cases requires you to use your detective skills to identify and diagnose the mystery patient just like the doctors that attended them. In the process, you’ll learn fascinating insights into medicine: both the medicine that was practiced thousands of years ago and the medicine doctors practice today.
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 22
In Understanding Cognitive Biases, you will learn how to recognize biases for what they are, counteract them when necessary, and even use them to your advantage in some instances. In 24 fascinating lectures, Dr. Alexander B. Swan uses examples from psychology experiments, history, politics, movies, TV, comics, social media, and more to illustrate dozens of cognitive biases that affect us all.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Practical and Accessible Psychology Audiobook!
- By Andrew T. Doren on 04-17-24
By: Alexander B. Swan, and others
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Six Steps to Manage Your Money
- By: Dr. Miranda Reiter, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Dr. Miranda Reiter
- Length: 3 hrs and 6 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 141
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 120
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 120
What are your beliefs about money management? What are your emotions about it? If someone asked you about your short- and long-term money goals, what would you say? Questions like these are essential for anyone building a money-management plan, but they’re less about the line-by-line details of taxes and investment holdings and more about your approach to saving money and spending it—and preparing for the future.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Good overview
- By Vickie Mc on 01-15-23
By: Dr. Miranda Reiter, and others
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How 1954 Changed History
- By: Michael Flamm, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Michael Flamm
- Length: 5 hrs and 5 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 336
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 290
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 286
Every year has its share of notable events, but some years seem to capture the essence of a decade in a handful of months. The year 1954 is one such year. It began in January with a celebrity marriage heard round the world and then progressed through a series of major political, social, and cultural milestones that would echo through the next several decades. The years following World War II were a time of increased wealth and confidence, years that saw the rise of a solid, increasingly powerful middle class in America.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Fascinating history
- By TPM on 04-19-20
By: Michael Flamm, and others
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American Monsters
- By: Adam Jortner, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Adam Jortner
- Length: 4 hrs and 55 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,548
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,380
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,369
Grab a flashlight and go monster-hunting in the safe company of Adam Jortner, award-winning professor of religion at Auburn University. You’ll encounter chilling tales of living houses, sentient plants, psychotic toys, brain-eating zombies, and otherworldly beings whose mere name is enough to drive people insane. Along the way, you’ll learn how monster stories change how Americans think and what Americans do, how they shape the history of our country, and what secrets about human nature these inhuman monsters can share.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Great entertaining listen
- By lindsayb on 06-22-21
By: Adam Jortner, and others
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Understanding the Mysteries of Human Behavior
- By: Mark Leary, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Mark Leary
- Length: 12 hrs and 11 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 3,339
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,906
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,872
Every day of your life is spent surrounded by mysteries that involve what appear to be rather ordinary human behaviors. What makes you happy? Where did your personality come from? Why do you have trouble controlling certain behaviors? Why do you behave differently as an adult than you did as an adolescent?Since the start of recorded history, and probably even before, people have been interested in answering questions about why we behave the way we do.
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1 out of 5 stars
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I wanted to like this course
- By Diane Tincher on 08-06-18
By: Mark Leary, and others
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Conspiracies & Conspiracy Theories
- What We Should and Shouldn't Believe - and Why
- By: Michael Shermer, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Michael Shermer
- Length: 6 hrs and 30 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,033
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,774
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,761
The stuff of conspiracy theories makes for great, entertaining stories in movies, books, and television. And there is no shortage of subjects: from who really killed JFK to the truth behind 9/11. And then, there are subjects from alien invasions to the Moon landing was simulated - theories that are truly out of this world, which according to some, is flat. Many of these crazy concepts have jumped off the pages or screens to become so pervasive in our culture that thousands - even millions - subscribe to them as reality.
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4 out of 5 stars
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No chapter titles!!???
- By Nomad of the World on 09-21-19
By: Michael Shermer, and others
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Charismatic Leaders Who Remade America
- By: Molly Worthen, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Molly Worthen, The Great Courses
- Length: 5 hrs and 39 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 119
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 109
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 108
What is that mysterious thing we call charisma? Where does this magnetic quality come from? Why are we so drawn to it? Are people born charismatic - or do they become that way over time? Can charisma be just as much a force for evil as it is for good? Answers to questions like these are just as important now, in the 21st century, as they were during the earliest years of the American republic.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Interesting but biased
- By Paul W. Brazis on 06-02-20
By: Molly Worthen, and others
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Decoding Cats: Inside the Feline Mind
- By: Kristyn Vitale, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Kristyn Vitale
- Length: 4 hrs and 27 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 438
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 375
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 374
Whether you’re a cat mom or dad or just want to know more about the way domesticated animals evolved, think, and behave, join Dr. Kristyn Vitale, a researcher in the Human-Animal Interaction Lab at Oregon State University, to get inside the mind of the curious, the cute, and sometimes seemingly crazy cat.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Many studies and some practical information
- By indykatley on 12-26-20
By: Kristyn Vitale, and others
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A Day's Read
- By: The Great Courses, Emily Allen, Grant L. Voth, and others
- Narrated by: Arnold Weinstein, Emily Allen, Grant L. Voth
- Length: 18 hrs and 25 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 230
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 203
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Story4 out of 5 stars 205
Join three literary scholars and award-winning professors as they introduce you to dozens of short masterpieces that you can finish - and engage with - in a day or less. Perfect for people with busy lives who still want to discover-or rediscover-just how transformative an act of reading can be, these 36 lectures range from short stories of fewer than 10 pages to novellas and novels of around 200 pages. Despite their short length, these works are powerful examinations of the same subjects and themes that longer "great books" discuss.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Stories not included, only discussed
- By Julie Jester on 01-15-16
By: The Great Courses, and others
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The Italians before Italy: Conflict and Competition in the Mediterranean
- By: Kenneth R. Bartlett, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Kenneth R. Bartlett
- Length: 12 hrs and 8 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 574
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 501
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 498
Take a riveting tour of the Italian peninsula, from the glittering canals of Venice to the lavish papal apartments and ancient ruins of Rome. In these 24 lectures, Professor Bartlett traces the development of the Italian city-states of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, showing how the modern nation of Italy was forged out of the rivalries, allegiances, and traditions of a vibrant and diverse people.
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4 out of 5 stars
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A useful survey, just what I wanted
- By Adeliese Baumann on 11-07-16
By: Kenneth R. Bartlett, and others
What listeners say about The Hidden History of Holidays
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- William Charpentier
- 01-23-20
Very interesting information!
I enjoyed both the speaker's voice and the information provided. You will learn a lot about US holidays.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Willie
- 12-23-19
Unnecessary information
Lots of unnecessary information for example she explained how our eyes see light, I wanted to know the history of the holidays
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kimberly E
- 12-08-21
Fascinating facts about our celebrations!
Detailed and delightful course providing the origins of holidays celebrated in the U.S. You may appreciate May Day more, and you’ll never look at broomsticks the same way again!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Michelejb
- 10-04-21
Awesome Audiobook!
This was a very insightful audiobook. I would recommend this book. II truly enjoyed it. 😉 Learned a great deal!
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- YH Chen
- 05-22-22
A tad juvenile
The lectures are a bit more about customs than history , and the performance sounds more like for children. Not bad overall, but not as substantive as I’d thought it would be.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Hillary
- 02-01-23
Interesting
Interesting and enlightening point of view on our American traditions and holidays and where they come from
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Jerry
- 12-23-22
Pretty Boring
For one thing the author is pretty much full of herself! Too much filler and not enough facts. I stopped when it got to Kwanza!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Lawrence T. Pickard
- 12-14-23
A Wonderful Introduction to Holiday History
The best of history interspersed with personal recollection and experiences of the holidays. This book will give you an understanding of the history and relevance of the holidays we celebrate. It would be a wonderful gift for anyone curious as to how and why we celebrate them.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Steven
- 03-09-20
Excellent & knowledgeable look at origins of major holidays
Hannah does an amazing performance of material. This is lecture series is very detailed yet the delivery of material is entertaining. This will be one I repeatedly listen to in the future especially at the particular holidays referenced.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- MrGetFitz
- 09-28-20
Wonderful Storytelling
Great selection of holidays and associated information. A top notch story teller that keeps you engaged from the first to last word.
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