Synopses & Reviews
andldquo;Lucid and lighthearted,and#160;
Americaandrsquo;s Favorite Holidays presents observations about various US holidays in a meaningful way. Both in tone and content, the book is an authoritative companion to our most popular holidays, festivals, and celebrations.andrdquo;andmdash;Amy Frykholm, associate editor of
The Christian Century and author ofand#160;
Rapture Culture: Left Behind in Evangelical America andquot;Think you know what Americaand#39;s major holidays are all about? Think again. Bruce Forbes will make you see the traditions youand#39;ve grown up with in surprising and intriguing new ways. Perfect for book groups,and#160;Americaand#39;s Favorite Holidaysand#160;is sure to become a favorite read around the holidays, orand#160;anyand#160;day.andquot;andmdash;Sarah McFarland Taylor, Professor of Religious Studies and American Studies, Northwestern University
andldquo;Clear, engaging, and accessible. Exploring scholarship and folklore, Bruce Forbes lays out the historical development of five major American holidays in a direct and charming fashion.andrdquo;andmdash;Eugene V. Gallagher, co-general editor ofand#160;Nova Religio and Rosemary Park Professor of Religious Studies at Connecticut College
and#160;
Synopsis
America's Favorite Holidays explores how five of America's culturally important holidays--Christmas, Valentine's Day, Easter, Halloween, and Thanksgiving--came to be what they are today, seasonal and religious celebrations heavily influenced by modern popular culture. Deftly distilling information from a wide range of sources, Bruce David Forbes reveals often-surprising answers to questions about each holiday's traditions. Was Christmas always as commercialized as it is today? Is Thanksgiving a religious or secular holiday? When did we begin trick-or-treating on Halloween? Appealing and insightful, America's Favorite Holidays satisfies our curiosity about the origins of our holidays and the fascinating ways in which religion and culture mix.
Synopsis
This book explores how five of Americaand#8217;s culturally dominant holidaysand#151;Christmas, Valentineand#8217;s Day, Easter, Halloween, and Thanksgivingand#151;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. Americaand#8217;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.
Synopsis
Americaand#8217;s Favorite Holidays explores how five of Americaand#8217;s culturally dominant holidaysand#151;Christmas, Valentineand#8217;s Day, Easter, Halloween, and Thanksgivingand#151;came to be what they are today, combinations of seasonal and religious celebrations heavily influenced by modern popular culture. Deftly distilling information from a wide range of sources, Bruce David Forbes reveals the often surprising history behind the traditions of each holiday. The book offers a comprehensive look at the Christian origins of these holidays and also touches on Passover, the religions of ancient Rome, Celtic practices, Mexicoand#8217;s Day of the Dead, and American civil religion. Americaand#8217;s Favorite Holidays is an appealing and accessible narrative for general readers, answering our curiosity about the origins of our holidays and the many ways in which religion and culture mix.
Synopsis
Americaandrsquo;s Favorite Holidays explores how five of Americaandrsquo;s culturally important holidaysandmdash;Christmas, Valentineandrsquo;s Day, Easter, Halloween, and Thanksgivingandmdash;came to be what they are today, seasonal and religious celebrations heavily influenced by modern popular culture. Deftly distilling information from a wide range of sources, Bruce David Forbes reveals often-surprising answers to questions about each holidayandrsquo;s traditions. Was Christmas always as commercialized as it is today? Is Thanksgiving a religious or secular holiday? When did we begin trick-or-treating on Halloween? Appealing and insightful, Americaandrsquo;s Favorite Holidays satisfies our curiosity about the origins of our holidays and the fascinating ways in which religion and culture mix.
About the Author
Bruce David Forbes is Professor of Religious Studies at Morningside College, author of Christmas: A Candid History, and coeditor of Religion and Popular Culture in America.