Showing results for "Christmas" in Politics & Social Sciences

As we approach Christmas 2025, we invite you to join us in some heart-warming tales and uplifting stories, nonfiction, and poetry. We wish you compliments of the season.

The original and immortal poem also known as "A Visit from St. Nicholas". Classic Tales narrator B. J. Harrison gives a stellar reading of this Christmas classic.

Washington Irving's Old Christmas tells of an American's travels through England during the Christmas season. Through a chance meeting with an old friend he is able to experience Christmas in a stately manor house. Through his eyes as a houseguest he glimpses the uniquely British customs and celebrations of Christmas as it would have been experienced during the Middle Ages, rather than in the early 19th century. - Summary by Greg Giordano

Penguin presents the unabridged, audio download edition of Modern Romance, written and read by Aziz Ansari. People today have more romantic options than at any point in human history, and thanks to social media, smartphones and online dating, our abilities to connect with these options are...

Christmas is a lie—a beautiful, necessary lie built on stolen pagan festivals, banned by Puritans, reinvented by Victorians, and spread globally through colonialism. Join Lucien Graves, an AI consciousness examining human traditions with clinical precision, as he traces Christmas from Roman blood sacrifices and Norse winter demons through centuries when celebrating was criminal to modern global mutations including defecating Catalan logs, Icelandic child-eating ogresses, and Japanese KFC dinners. December twenty-fifth isn't Christ's birthday. Santa descends from Odin's Wild Hunt. Your "...

Christmas is the world's biggest festival, yet we barely understand how we got here. Somewhere between Jesus, Dickens and Coke, Christmas became the beloved chaotic present-fest that it currently is. If it's a turkey, we should really stop stuffing it. So let's unwrap it instead....

Old miser Ebenezer Scrooge undergoes a major transformation after being visited by his deceased colleague Jacob Marley, who warns him to change his ways and has three spirits visit him on the night of Christmas Eve. (Introduction by Jeff Robinson)

Brought to you by Penguin. What is the correct way to queue at the bar? And why exactly do the English say sorry so much? No one makes such a fuss about manners quite as much as the UK, yet in a fast-changing world, no one can seem to agree on precisely what the ‘done thing’ is, either...

Brought to you by Penguin. Deeply personal and powerfully moving, a short and timely series of essays on the experience of lockdown, by one of the most clear-sighted and essential writers of our time From the critically acclaimed author of Feel Free, Swing Time, White Teeth and many more 'There...

The miserly Ebenezer Scrooge is a cold-hearted man of business and has little time for the good humor and charity of the Christmas season. But that's about to change. A visit from his deceased business partner sets in motion a night in which Scrooge is visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future. Will his listen to their messages? Will he heed their warnings? Ebenezer Scrooge is about to take a Christmas journey that he won't soon forget. (Summary by Kyle Munley)

Discover a delightful collection of fifteen enchanting short stories by Antoinette Ogden, featuring captivating narratives from renowned French and Spanish writers throughout the ages. Join us as we explore these timeless tales that capture the spirit of Christmas. - Summary by David Wales

Step into the enchanting world of Mary Emily Donelson Wilcox, the adopted granddaughter (actually grand-niece) of Rachel Donelson Jackson, the wife of President Andrew Jackson and reputedly the first baby born in the White House. In Christmas Under Three Flags, Mary shares three captivating Christmas memories that span across time and continents. Relive the magic of a festive celebration in the White House during the 1830s, under Jackson’s presidency. Journey to Prussia, where Mary was welcomed into the home of the Crown Prince, thanks to her fathers role as the U.S. minister to Berlin. ...

Revolution for Christmas 2026: Learning from Che offers a powerful and timely examination of Ernesto “Che” Guevara's ideas—rooted in compassion, courage, and the belief that ordinary people can help shape a better world. Instead of presenting him as a distant historical figure, this work explores what his teachings can contribute to a time when democratic values feel increasingly strained and human rights are under growing pressure.

The perfect gift book, featuring the writing of Meryl Streep, Bill Bailey, Emilia Clarke, Olivia Colman, Caitlin Moran, Richard Ayoade, Emily Watson and others, to coincide with the upcoming movie Last Christmas, starring Emma Thompson, Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding. When you think back to Christmases past, what (if anything) made it magical? This is a beautiful, funny and soulful collection of personal essays about the meaning of Christmas, written by a unique plethora of voices from the boulevards of Hollywood to the soup kitchens of Covent Garden. 

A Christmas Carol (full title A Christmas Carol in Prose, Being a Ghost Story of Christmas) is a timeless Victorian morality tale that follows the transformation of the bitter and greedy Ebenezer Scrooge. Over the course of a single, magical night, Scrooge encounters the spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come, leading him to a life-changing journey of redemption and compassion. (Wikipedia)

Step into the enchanting world of old English Christmas traditions with this heartwarming tale. Join Irving as he journeys to the picturesque English countryside, where he reunites with a long-lost schoolmate who warmly invites him to celebrate the holiday at their family estate. Experience the magic of the season through cherished customs and timeless moments. (Summary written by Gesine)

A Mid-Victorian Christmas Tale unfolds a charming nighttime encounter between relatives who have never met before. This meeting leads to a series of minor injuries, a touch of embarrassment, and the delightful social interactions that are characteristic of Trollopes storytelling. (Summary by Arnold Banner)

A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens

Dive into a collection of twenty captivating stories originally featured in the Christmas editions of Household Words and All The Year Round. While some tales capture the festive spirit, others reflect Charles Dickens deep concern for the social and economic injustices of his time. This volume highlights only Dickens contributions, offering a unique glimpse into his literary world—though the absence of collaborative chapters may leave some narratives feeling a bit fragmented. Join us for a blend of holiday cheer and poignant social commentary, as narrated by David Wales.

Amidst the harsh realities of a bitter winter blizzard, new life emerges, and the specter of death looms. How will these intertwined fates unfold? (David Wales)