America's Favorite Holidays

Candid Histories

By: Bruce David Forbes

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Paperback | 27 October 2015 | Edition Number 1

At a Glance

Paperback
232 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
20.3 x 15.3 x 1.5

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This book explores how five of America's culturally dominant holidays Christmas, Valentine's Day, Easter, Halloween, and Thanksgiving came to be what they are today, combining seasonal celebrations, religious and national meanings, and the influences of modern popular culture. Forbes weaves the fascinating stories of each holiday to include surprises and interesting tidbits that are both entertaining and thought-provoking. While these five holidays are important for many different reasons, their origins all include religion to some extent, although sometimes in unexpected ways. Christianity is the most prominent religion among these holidays simply because the vast majority of Americans identify themselves as Christian, even with the increasing pluralism of American society. Still, Forbes at least briefly considers Passover, religions of ancient Rome, Celtic practices, the Mexican Day of the Dead, American civil religion, and more. America's Favorite Holidays deftly distills information from a wide range of sources into an appealing and accessible narrative for general readers, answering their curiosity about the origins of each holiday and the many ways that religion and culture mix.

Industry Reviews

"This slender book, which is adorned with whimsical drawings of Cupid and Santa Claus, is deceptively thought-provoking. Bruce David Forbes, a professor of religious studies, writes in a style that is more confessional than that of the typical academic... He excels in providing entertaining tidbits... The book is presented as light and entertaining, and Forbes readily delivers on this promise." -- Jennifer Jensen Wallach TLS "After you read all five chapters of 'America's Favorite Holidays' you will not only be more reflective, you will be poised to win the trivia contest at all of your holiday parties this year and beyond." -- Hilary Levey Friedman Providence Journal "This new book by Forbes discusses the particulars of our now widely accepted cultural practices surrounding Christmas, Valentine's Day, Easter, Halloween, and Thanksgiving. The nature of folk and cultural traditions is such that we often assume that present-day customs have always been the norm. Forbes presents a genial and ably written corrective to that tendency... This accessible work deserves a wide readership." -- Graham Christian Library Journal "This is a delightful book, full of history presented with a gracious and light touch-in other words, a perfect holiday present... Highly recommended." CHOICE connect "America's Favorite Holidays is an immensely readable book that provides a very engaging history of five widely-celebrated holidays in the United States." -- Samira K. Mehta Reading Religion

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