The Secret History of Christmas
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The Secret History of Christmas
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Narrated by:
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Bill Bryson
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By:
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Bill Bryson
About this listen
A cornucopia of Christmas delights from the bestselling author of A Short History of Nearly Everything and Notes from a Small Island.
Christmas is the single biggest annual event on the planet, a time for merry-making, over-indulgence, peace, goodwill, and the occasional family row. It’s as comfortable and familiar as a pair of old shoes and yet still glittery and exciting. But what do you really know about it? It’s stuffed full of traditions and rituals that most of us have been observing all our lives without having the slightest idea of where they come from.
Why is it called Boxing Day, for example? Why do we sing about Good King Wenceslas – who wasn’t a king and possibly not even good? What’s the story behind Christmas crackers? Who would have guessed that one of our most popular Christmas carols began as a kind of semi-pornographic Welsh folksong? And how did St Nicholas, a bishop from the dawn of Christianity, turn into the plump and jolly figure of Santa Claus with a flying sleigh and a home at the North Pole?
Christmas, and how it got that way, is full of surprises. Join Bill Bryson to reach into this Christmas stocking and pull them out – along with the inevitable tangerine.
©2022 Bill Bryson (P)2022 Audible, LtdWhat listeners say about The Secret History of Christmas
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mark Govern
- 22-11-2022
Easy and interesting listen
Good historical view of Christmas. Really great. Narration is brilliant. Covers all the main areas.
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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
- Pam
- 26-11-2022
Fantastic
Fun and informative. Created with humour and knowledge. I can’t even begin to imagine the research required. Loved it!
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 21-12-2022
Excellent, fascinating and a great voice
Once again Bill Bryson is hugely entertaining bringing to life in a variety of perspectives on Christmas as well as the facts and fiction behind. A perfect read in the lead up to Christmas and thank you audible for making this available to everyone.
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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
- Rukai
- 24-12-2022
Interesting history of Christmas
An interesting listen on Christmas time about the past and coming of age of Christmas worldwide. Bill's voice is monotonous at times but his writing was quite interesting. worth a listen over your Christmas tipple
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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
- Simon
- 01-12-2023
Classic Bryson
What a thoroughly, enjoyable listen. I highly recommend a listen, every holiday season. Fun, entertaining and educational.. classic Bryson.
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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
- Anonymous User
- 09-12-2023
Insightful
You can really appreciate the amount of research that has gone into writing this book. I thoroughly enjoyed the history of Christmas.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Katrina Steffens
- 20-10-2024
Another gem by the author. Very interesting and great humour.
Bill Bryson books are always fascinating and well researched, and written with wonderful wit and sarcasm.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jeremy Bird
- 25-11-2022
Fantastic.
In a word, fantastic. Bill has done it again with this fascinating book all about Christmas. Thanks Bill.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 01-12-2022
The Secret history of Christmas
I will listen many times to this history of the”best day of the year”!
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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- David Priddy
- 29-12-2022
Light Christmas History
Enjoyable trivia of Christmas Past and present. Bill Bryson’s stories are always better in his own voice.
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