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The Philosophy of Christmas
Series: Philosophies
Brief Description
Take the Roman festival of Saturnalia, the gift-giving Norse god Odin and the Pagan habit of bringing evergreen plants into the house at Midwinter. Add a benevolent fourth-century bishop, some drunken medieval singing and a nineteenth-century American poem. Sprinkle with the Christian tradition of Jesus being...
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Format: Hardback
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The Philosophy of Christmas
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See moreFollowing in the tradition of the British Library Philosophies series, this full-colour book explores the fascinating and diverse influences on our Christmas celebrations. A beautifully designed gift book, this is the perfect stocking filler, written by a popular and best-selling author, Caroline Taggart.
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Description
Take the Roman festival of Saturnalia, the gift-giving Norse god Odin and the Pagan habit of bringing evergreen plants into the house at Midwinter. Add a benevolent fourth-century bishop, some drunken medieval singing and a nineteenth-century American poem. Sprinkle with the Christian tradition of Jesus being born on 25 December and stir well. Allow the mixture to absorb other influences over hundreds of years and serve with a plum pudding that may or may not have plums in it.
Drawing on these multifarious ingredients and more, Caroline Taggart takes a fascinating and quirky look at why we celebrate Christmas the way we do. Illustrated in glorious full colour with images from the British Library Collections, this is a joyful journey through distant lands and ancient customs, finishing with a few thoughts on what our future traditions might be.
Series: Philosophies
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The Philosophy of Beer
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The Philosophy of Gin
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The Philosophy of Puddings
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The Philosophy of Tea
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The Philosophy of Wine
A companion volume to The Philosophy of... Beards and Coffee, this witty history of wineβits cultivation and enjoymentβsheds light on the rich traditions of wine from around the world. An apt gift for oenophiles everywhere, it includes chapters on the development of wine production, from the use of casks to bottles to the switch from feet to presses, as well...Hardback$2999Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
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The Philosophy of Board Games
Throughout history, people have wanted to conquer, plot and travel across the world in two dimensions. From the murky origins of humanity's earliest pastimes, where fortune-telling and play blur, to modern ventures into Monopoly, board games have shaped everything from how we conduct war to the art we create. What is it that makes them so addictive, so constantly inviting...Hardback$2999Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
The Philosophy of Beards
'The absence of Beard is usually a sign of physical and moral weakness.' 'Take two drawings of the head of a lion, one with and the other without the mane. You will see how much of the majesty of the king of the woods, as well as that of the lord of the earth, dwells in this free-flowing appendage.' 'There...Hardback$2999Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
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The true pioneer of civilization is not the newspaper, not religion, not the railroad but Whiskey! - Mark Twain From illicit distillation to worldwide export, whisky has a powerful and multi-faceted history. Writers including Robert Burns, James Joyce, and Haruki Murakami have all mused on it, and there are strong opinions on every aspect, even down to how the word...Hardback$2999Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
The Philosophy of Christmas
Take the Roman festival of Saturnalia, the gift-giving Norse god Odin and the Pagan habit of bringing evergreen plants into the house at Midwinter. Add a benevolent fourth-century bishop, some drunken medieval singing and a nineteenth-century American poem. Sprinkle with the Christian tradition of Jesus being born on 25 December and stir well. Allow the mixture to absorb other influences...Hardback$2999Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
The Philosophy of Cheese
Patrick McGuigan is a British food journalist and cheese writer, who contributes to The Telegraph, Delicious and The Financial Times, among many other titles. He has travelled the world, from the Swiss Alps to the hipster cheese bars of New York, to write about cheese makers, maturers and retailers. A senior judge at the World Cheese Awards, Patrick also teaches...HardbackSold Out
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780712355162
Publisher: British Library Publishing
Format: Hardback
Date Published: 17 October 2024
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: British Library Publishing
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Width: 130.0mm
Height: 200.0mm
Weight: 650g
Pages: 112
About the Author
Caroline Taggart worked in publishing for many years before writing I Used to Know That, which became a Sunday Times Bestseller. Since then she has written over thirty books, including 500 Words You Should Know and Humble Pie and Cold Turkey. She is the author of the British Library publications, The Book Loverβs Bucket List and The Book Loverβs European Bucket List.
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Throughout history, people have wanted to conquer, plot and travel across the world in two dimensions. From the murky origins of humanity's earliest pastimes, where fortune-telling and play blur, to modern ventures into Monopoly, board games have shaped everything from how we conduct war to the art we create. What is it that makes them so addictive, so constantly inviting...Hardback$2999Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
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A Midnight Treasury of Frightening Words
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