Podcast appearances and mentions of Judith Flanders

This week, Lauren Elkin on a Nobel Prize-winner's obsession with images; and Judith Flanders assesses bold claims about the origins of contemporary English.'The Use of Photography', by Annie Ernaux and Marc Marie, translated by Alison L. Strayer'La Langue Anglaise N'existe Pas: C'est du français mal prononcé', by Bernard CerquigliniProduced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we discuss the following books: A Memory Called Empire and A Desolation Called Peace both by Arkady Martine; Mangle Street Murders and Curse of the House of Foskett both by M.R.C. Kasasian; Index, a History of The: A bookish adventure from medieval manuscripts to the digital age by Dennis Duncan; Eragon by Christopher Paolini; Fabelhaven by Brandon Mull; Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein; The Victorian House, The Invention of Murder, The Victorian City: Everyday Life in Dickens' London, Consuming Passions: Leisure and pleasure in Victorian England, The Making of Home, A Murder of Magpies, A Bed of Scorpions, A Cast of Vultures, and A Cast of Vultures all by Judith Flanders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death was an everyday part of life in 19th-century Britain – and the Victorians were fascinated by it, developing a wealth of customs and rules about how people should bury their dead and how they should grieve. Many of these – from hair jewellery to deathbed photography – seem strange to modern eyes, but they sprang from a deep desire to pay respect to the deceased. Speaking to Rebecca Franks, Judith Flanders takes us on a moving journey from the sickbed to the cemetery. (Ad) Judith Flanders is the author of Rites of Passage: Death and Mourning in Victorian Britain (Picador, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rites-Passage-Mourning-Victorian-Britain/dp/1509816976/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Days grow shorter, rain turns to sleet, and nature's creatures are forced into hibernation. Winter is here; when the world wages war on us, through darkness, danger, and impending depression. But from the clouds of winter's despair, therein shines a light: gatherings among families and friends, spirits of fellowship and forgiveness, and scenes of feasts and festivities. It is Christmas, who shepherds us together – when we would otherwise be apart – and spares us from the cold, and into loving arms. As we shall see, the festival of Christmas has snowballed with the passing of many winters – from the early celebrations of the Romans and Vikings to the Christian nativity and commercialisation – but what has held this snowball together? Let us burn candles, logs, and line our homes with dancing lights; let us bring in trees and celebrate the hope of new life; and let us give generously and extend goodwill to our neighbours here, and around the world. Contents Part I. The Nativity Part II. The Nativity Continued Part III. Further Analysis and Discussion Links Pope Benedict XVI, Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives (book) Raymond E. Brown, The Birth of the Messiah: A Commentary on the Infancy Narratives in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke (book) Judith Flanders, Christmas: A History (book) Bruce Forbes, Christmas: A Candid History (book) Brent Landau, Revelation of the Magi: The Lost Tale of the Wise Men's Journey to Bethlehem (book) Robert J. Miller, Born Divine: The Births of Jesus and Other Sons of God (book) Richard C. Trexler, The Journey of the Magi: Meanings in History of a Christian Story (book) Attributions The following sounds were used with the permission of the copyright holder. Medieval City, OGsoundFX; Night Farmfields, klankbeeld; Baby Breath, m3fuss; all other sounds were produced by Epidemic Sound and The Panpsycast.

Days grow shorter, rain turns to sleet, and nature's creatures are forced into hibernation. Winter is here; when the world wages war on us, through darkness, danger, and impending depression. But from the clouds of winter's despair, therein shines a light: gatherings among families and friends, spirits of fellowship and forgiveness, and scenes of feasts and festivities. It is Christmas, who shepherds us together – when we would otherwise be apart – and spares us from the cold, and into loving arms. As we shall see, the festival of Christmas has snowballed with the passing of many winters – from the early celebrations of the Romans and Vikings to the Christian nativity and commercialisation – but what has held this snowball together? Let us burn candles, logs, and line our homes with dancing lights; let us bring in trees and celebrate the hope of new life; and let us give generously and extend goodwill to our neighbours here, and around the world. Contents Part I. The Nativity Part II. The Nativity Continued Part III. Further Analysis and Discussion Links Pope Benedict XVI, Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives (book) Raymond E. Brown, The Birth of the Messiah: A Commentary on the Infancy Narratives in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke (book) Judith Flanders, Christmas: A History (book) Bruce Forbes, Christmas: A Candid History (book) Brent Landau, Revelation of the Magi: The Lost Tale of the Wise Men's Journey to Bethlehem (book) Robert J. Miller, Born Divine: The Births of Jesus and Other Sons of God (book) Richard C. Trexler, The Journey of the Magi: Meanings in History of a Christian Story (book) Attributions The following sounds were used with the permission of the copyright holder. Medieval City, OGsoundFX; Night Farmfields, klankbeeld; Baby Breath, m3fuss; all other sounds were produced by Epidemic Sound and The Panpsycast.

Days grow shorter, rain turns to sleet, and nature's creatures are forced into hibernation. Winter is here; when the world wages war on us, through darkness, danger, and impending depression. But from the clouds of winter's despair, therein shines a light: gatherings among families and friends, spirits of fellowship and forgiveness, and scenes of feasts and festivities. It is Christmas, who shepherds us together – when we would otherwise be apart – and spares us from the cold, and into loving arms. As we shall see, the festival of Christmas has snowballed with the passing of many winters – from the early celebrations of the Romans and Vikings to the Christian nativity and commercialisation – but what has held this snowball together? Let us burn candles, logs, and line our homes with dancing lights; let us bring in trees and celebrate the hope of new life; and let us give generously and extend goodwill to our neighbours here, and around the world. Contents Part I. The Nativity Part II. The Nativity Continued Part III. Further Analysis and Discussion Links Pope Benedict XVI, Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives (book) Raymond E. Brown, The Birth of the Messiah: A Commentary on the Infancy Narratives in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke (book) Judith Flanders, Christmas: A History (book) Bruce Forbes, Christmas: A Candid History (book) Brent Landau, Revelation of the Magi: The Lost Tale of the Wise Men's Journey to Bethlehem (book) Robert J. Miller, Born Divine: The Births of Jesus and Other Sons of God (book) Richard C. Trexler, The Journey of the Magi: Meanings in History of a Christian Story (book) Attributions The following sounds were used with the permission of the copyright holder. Medieval City, OGsoundFX; Night Farmfields, klankbeeld; Baby Breath, m3fuss; all other sounds were produced by Epidemic Sound and The Panpsycast.

This week, Sarah and Amelia meet at different ends of the sleepiness spectrum to discuss the fantastic worldbuilding and historical resource that is The Victorian City by Judith Flanders. We talk about sewage seepage, watercress sellers, the infernal din of the city, and a couple of kinky Victorians who left detailed diaries behind. Amelia picks a fight with Victorian street sellers and accurately remembers all the members of the British royal family. Sarah has traumatic flashbacks to reading Bleak House and immediately forgets basic facts from her history degree. We both are very tasteful and respectful and not at all ghoulish about Queen Elizabeth's death. Media discussed: The Victorian City: Everyday Life in Dickens' London by Judith Flanders "Stuff vs Theory" by Judith Flanders "Class and Gender in Victorian England: The Diaries of Arthur J. Munby and Hannah Cullwick" by Leonore Davidoff, originally published in Feminist Studies: Spring, 1979, Vol. 5, Issue 1. 

Murder at the theatre! Expect drama by the bucket load as we tell the tale of William 'Breezy Bill' Terriss and his rival Richard 'Mad Archer' Prince...Why would anyone want William Terriss dead? What is the ultimate price of fame? And who knew that Nick once saw a ghost in a theatre?The secret ingredient is...DRAMA.Join us on Patreon to get extra episodes every week, and come and follow us on Instagram Twitter and FacebookSources this week include The Invention of Murder by Judith Flanders. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

We take alphabetization for granted, but it's a relatively new way to classify the things we hold dear. Judith Flanders, social historian and senior research fellow at the University of Buckingham, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how alphabetization came to be, why it took so long to take hold, and what makes it a symbol of Western knowledge. Her book, now out in paperback, is “A Place for Everything: The Curious History of Alphabetical Order.”

In time for the winter solstice, we revisit our episode on the history of Christmas trees with historian Judith Flanders, author of Christmas: A Biography (2017) as well as numerous books on the Victorian period, including The Invention of Murder: How the Victorians Reveled in Death and Detection and Created Modern Crime and The Victorian City: Everyday Life in Dickens' London.Flanders helps us to parse history from myth, as we discuss the origins of Christmas and the practice of bringing evergreen trees into our homes to decorate them for the holidays. Guitar rendition of “O Tannenbaum” by Dave Larzelere.

Christmas has always been about riotous feasting and getting drunk – never about renewing your faith. Presents are not really part of a proper Christmas party. Social historian Judith Flanders debunks Christmas myths and traditions and explores how everything you think you know about Christmas is wrong. She even questions whether Christmas ever really existed at all.   

In much of the western world, alphabetical order is simply a default we take for granted. It's often the one we try first -- or the one we use as a last resort when all the other ordering methods fail. It's boring, but it works, and it's so ingrained that it's hard to imagine not using it. But despite its endurance for most of its history, the alphabet wasn't initially used to order much of anything. Judith Flanders, author of A Place For Everything, a history of alphabetical order, says that in societies like ancient Rome and early medieval Europe, writing implements were still rare. So what mattered most was organizing knowledge in a way that helped you to memorize it. And that was usually much easier to do in the order you naturally came across the information, like: chronologically, or by size, or geography, or region, or hierarchically.Alphabetical Order

In much of the western world, alphabetical order is simply a default we take for granted. It's often the one we try first -- or the one we use as a last resort when all the other ordering methods fail. It's boring, but it works, and it's so ingrained that it's hard to imagine not using it. But despite its endurance for most of its history, the alphabet wasn't initially used to order much of anything. Judith Flanders, author of A Place For Everything, a history of alphabetical order, says that in societies like ancient Rome and early medieval Europe, writing implements were still rare. So what mattered most was organizing knowledge in a way that helped you to memorize it. And that was usually much easier to do in the order you naturally came across the information, like: chronologically, or by size, or geography, or region, or hierarchically.Alphabetical Order

I have loved Christmas since I was a child. The hopes of snow and flying reindeer, that special Christmassy feeling in the air. I still sense that as a grown up, but the festive season seems to come with a lot more pressure these days. This year, instead of trying to create the perfect Instagrammable Christmas, what if we just relaxed and focused on what really matters? Welcome to Season Two of the Calm Christmas podcast with bestselling self-help author Beth Kempton. This series is all about making the season special for less – less stress, less expense, less pressure… Episode 1 is on the theme of PREPARE and includes:A cosy introduction to The Calm Christmas PodcastPondering the question of what Christmas means to you – and to meSome beautiful wintery words from some of my favourite writers and poetsJournaling prompts for reflecting on your Christmas experiencesPlus our weekly nature corner, recipes, wellbeing ideas and tips for getting ahead for ChristmasI hope this podcast will help you locate Christmas as an anchor in the stormy seas of winter in this world right now. New episodes every Wednesday throughout November and December. Remember to subscribe to get new episodes as soon as they drop! CLICK HERE to sign up for my FREE two-week writing course, the Winter Writing Sanctuary (runs Nov 22 – Dec 4 2021) For more details of my book Calm Christmas and a Happy New Year go to bethkempton.com/christmasTo be in with a chance of winning a signed copy of The Almanac 2022 by Lia Leendertz and my book Calm Christmas, head over to Instagram @bethkempton. The deadline for entries is 4pm UK time on Friday November 5, 2021. Take good care, Beth (@bethkempton on Instagram)Featured in this episode:·      Good Hours by Robert Frost, in A Mind of Winter edited by Robert Atwan·      We Can be Film Stars, Just for One Day by Sue Townsend in On Christmas: A seasonal anthology by Gyles Brandreth·      Of Calcutta, Christmas and New Year by Suhel Seth in On Christmas: A seasonal anthology by Gyles Brandreth ·      Introduction by Judith Flanders in Poems for Christmas·      Christmas: A biography by Judith Flanders ·      The Almanac: A seasonal guide to 2022  by Lia Leendertz ·      Royal Horticultural Society's Gardening Through The Year by Ian Spence·      East Wind Melts the Ice by Liza Dalby ·      Calm Christmas and a Happy New Year by Beth Kempton 

Christmas has always been about riotous feasting and getting drunk – never about renewing your faith. Presents are not really part of a proper Christmas party. Social historian Judith Flanders debunks Christmas myths and traditions and explores how everything you think you know about Christmas is wrong. She even questions whether Christmas ever really existed at all.   

If you're under the impression that encyclopedias and dictionaries in the West were always organized from A to Z, think again. We have chosen to classify knowledge in many ways, each reflecting the values of the age. Patrick Cox speaks with Judith Flanders, author of A Place for Everything: The Curious History of Alphabetical Order about the centuries-long resistance to alphabetization, and why A to Z may now be here to stay. Photo of a dictionary in the Boston Public Library by Trevor Pritchard via Creative Commons. Music in this episode by Circus Marcus, Jason Leonard, Alexander Boyes, Podington Bear, Die Minimalistin, Yan Terrien and Lobo Loco. Read more about Judith Flanders here. Read a transcript of the episode here.

If you're under the impression that encyclopedias and dictionaries in the West were always organized from A to Z, think again. We have chosen to classify knowledge in many ways, each reflecting the values of the age. Patrick Cox speaks with Judith Flanders, author of A Place for Everything: The Curious History of Alphabetical Order about the centuries-long resistance to alphabetization, and why A to Z may now be here to stay. Photo of a dictionary in the Boston Public Library by Trevor Pritchard via Creative Commons. Music in this episode by Circus Marcus, Jason Leonard, Alexander Boyes, Podington Bear, Die Minimalistin, Yan Terrien and Lobo Loco. Read more about Judith Flanders here. Read a transcript of the episode here.

The Long-Awaited, Over Due Easter Episode is here... and since the Eastern Orthodox Church apparently doesn't recognize Easter until May 2nd... I guess it's still early? Anyway, in today's episode I have author and blogger Gina Dalfonzo on to talk about Dickens' The Life of Our Lord, and we end up chatting about A Tale of Two Cities... though I don't mention it in the podcast, I think Tale of Two Cities might qualify as an "Easter Carol" - a great story to read every year at Easter time! I also finish reading The Life of Our Lord and offer up a new book recommendation: "Christmas: A Biography" by Judith Flanders. Links: Dickensblog: https://dickensblog.typepad.com/ Christmas: A Biography https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XWGZC1F/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1 Help Support the Show: Buy Me a Coffee? www.ko-fi.com/cozychristmas Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/CozyChristmasPodcast  Time Stamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:48 Cozy Christmas Book Corner Recommendation: Christmas: A Biography 05:27 Interview with author Gina Dalfonzo about “The Life of Our Lord” 48:35 Story Time: The Life of Our Lord, part 3  01:01:28 Some concluding thoughts on Easter Music: Deck the Halls by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100263 Artist: http://incompetech.com/ Bethlehem - Christmas by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100307 Artist: http://incompetech.com/  

Michael Rosen and historian Judith Flanders talk about how we categorise things, using alphabetical order and more. Produced by Sally Heaven for BBC Audio in Bristol

My guest in this week’s books podcast is the historian Judith Flanders, whose A Place For Everything tells the story of a vital but little considered part of intellectual history: alphabetical order. Judith tells me how this innovation both reflected and enabled the movement from oral to written culture, from a dogmatic to a secular worldview, and made possible the modern administrative state. And we touch on, among other things, prototypes of the Post-It note, the contribution of the French Revolution to indexing, the bizarre British Library shelfmark for Gawain and the Green Knight, and why Dewey, of decimal fame, was an utter rotter.

Sam's guest in this week’s books podcast is the historian Judith Flanders, whose A Place For Everything tells the story of a vital but little considered part of intellectual history: alphabetical order. Judith tells Sam how this innovation both reflected and enabled the movement from oral to written culture, from a dogmatic to a secular worldview, and made possible the modern administrative state. They touch on, among other things, prototypes of the Post-It note, the contribution of the French Revolution to indexing, the bizarre British Library shelfmark for Gawain and the Green Knight, and why Dewey, of decimal fame, was an utter rotter.

Judith Flanders shares all the types of Christmas traditions that have arisen in the almost 2000 year history of Christmas. Kim Balaschak explains the Russian tradition of New Year's Ornaments.

Award winning author Judith Flanders discusses her book Christmas: A Biography. She explains two major assumptions that are made about the holiday and how we have grown to accept many myths and legends as fact. Christmas is a holiday that we all know, do not really know at all. She talks about the early Roman celebrations such as Saturnalia and the importance of the winter solstice. Flanders also discusses the reasons that December 25th was chosen to celebrate the nativity. She does into detail about the many food traditions that accompany the holiday. She explains the reason for the use of greenery and the history of the use of the Christmas tree. She covers the giving of gifts and the origins of Santa Clause from St. Nicholas to Coca-Cola and she busts a few myths along the way. She even discusses the history of the reindeer from Donner and Blitzen to Rudolph - for who we have Montgomery Ward and Gene Autry to thank for that. She explains how carols did not start as Christmas songs and were not incorporated into church and religious services until modern times. She discusses the importance of carols during WWII and their proliferation due to radio and TV. She finishes with what Christmas really is and what it could look like in the future.HOST: Rob MellonFEATURED BREW: Rogue's 2020 Santa's Private Reserve Peppermint Bark Milk Stout, Rogue Brewery, Newport, OregonBOOK: Christmas: A Biographyhttps://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Biography-Judith-Flanders/dp/1250190797/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3N25ZBE7MD30G&dchild=1&keywords=christmas+a+biography+by+judith+flanders&qid=1608248862&sprefix=christmas+a+bio%2Caps%2C168&sr=8-1MUSIC: Bones Fork

Judith Flanders on the not-so-obvious genius of alphabetical order. Peter Martin describes cultural wars over dictionaries in early America.

There are two things about Christmas that you can count on, says historian and author Judith Flanders: most of the origin stories you’ve heard are false and people have always thought ‘Christmas was better in the old days.’ Though it may not be true that Santa’s red suit came from Coca Cola, nor that Prince Albert brought the Christmas tree to Britain, the history of Christmas that Flanders relates in her 2017 book, Christmas: A Biography, is just as compelling. In this episode, I talk to her about the history of the Christmas tree, a subject I first looked into a couple of years ago when dwelling on a simple question: what does it mean to bring a tree into our homes in the dead of winter? Flanders, who has written numerous books on the Victorian period - including The Invention of Murder: How the Victorians Revelled in Death and Detection and Created Modern Crime and The Victorian City: Everyday Life in Dickens’ London - as well as her own crime fiction, is more reluctant to speculate on the larger meanings of certain historical connections - for instance, that the tree of knowledge was probably the earliest inspiration for the Christmas tree - than I might be, but she helps us set the record straight, telling us, for instance, about the impact of Goethe’s novel, The Sorrows of Young Werther, which was all the rage at the end of the eighteenth century and introduced many to the German tradition of the Christmas tree. Revisiting this history of Christmas and of the Christmas tree in particular puts current customs and our own personal histories - for those of us who celebrate Christmas - into a broader perspective and reminds us that this celebration was originally - and still is - a chance to take a break and have a good time in what (for those of us in the Northern hemisphere) is the darkest time of the year. Thanks to Dave Larzelere for his rendition of O Tannenbaum, to Sonia Fujimori for her recording of her family expedition to cut down their Christmas tree and to my Mom and Dad for all the great memories of Christmas trees past.

Is Santa really Dutch? Were Christmas Trees introduced by Prince Albert? Was Christmas once a time of faith, rather than riotous feasting? In this lecture, social historian Judith Flanders considers Christmas myths and Christmas memory, and will explore how everything you think you know about Christmas is wrong. She looks at the long history of nostalgia for a different kind of Christmas, and whether Christmas ever really existed at all.A lecture by Judith Flanders 9 DecemberThe transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events/christmas-legendsGresham College has been giving free public lectures since 1597. This tradition continues today with all of our five or so public lectures a week being made available for free download from our website. There are currently over 2,000 lectures free to access or download from the website.Website: http://www.gresham.ac.uk Twitter: http://twitter.com/GreshamCollege Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greshamcollege Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/greshamcollege

Judith Flanders historian, journalist and author of Christmas: A Biography joined Sean on the show.

From a ballet stream to Homer's wine-dark sea. Thea Lenarduzzi and Lucy Dallas are joined by the historian and critic Judith Flanders to review the return of dance with new offerings from the Akram Khan Company and the Royal Ballet, and the novelist and poet Will Eaves returns to the Odyssey to explore the nature of memory. Back on Stage – The Royal Ballet, available online until November 8thThe Silent Burn Project – Akram Khan CompanyMichael Clark: Cosmic Dancer – Barbican, until January 2021, then at the V&A Dundee See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tilly Lloyd from Unity Books, Wellington, reviews A Place for Everything: the Curious History of Alphabetical Order by Judith Flanders. Published by Picador (hardback).

Protesters in Hong Kong are re-emerging after the COVID 19 lock down but Anthony Dapiran sees further repression and dark days ahead. Alex Rogers and Helen Rosenbaum outline their concerns over the impacts of deep sea mining. A curious history of Alphabetical order- Judith Flanders looks back at its origins and adoption.

James Waddell on the disorderly history of alphabetic order; Beejay Silcox, who fled Cairo for Western Australia as the coronavirus spread, tells a tale of star-crossed lovers; Jordan Sand gives a short cultural history of mask-wearingA Place for Everything: The curious history of alphabetical order by Judith Flanders See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Here in episode 3, Noah chats with Judith Flanders, a New York Times best-selling author and one of the foremost social historians of the Victorian Era. Together, they take a journey across Victorian London and look at it through the eyes of Charles Dickens, one of the most important figures of the era. Remember, if you like this podcast you can help spread the word when you rate and review it wherever you listen to podcasts! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The office party... unwelcome relatives... indigestion... alcoholic overindulgence... hideous decorations... Among all the inevitable woes that accompany the festive season, Yuletide music is surely one of the most annoying and pervasive. But what are its origins, its essential ingredients and intrinsic worth? And has the commercial always been a major element of most Christmas music? On a mission to find out, Tom Service has been listening to a lot of it, so you don't have to. Including contributions from Judith Flanders, author of 'Christmas: a Biography' and some of those whose perennial Christmas hits invariably provide the season's soundtrack. David Papp (producer)

Today on Midday, Tom's guest is world renowned social historian Judith Flanders. In her book, Christmas: A Biography, Ms. Flanders examines the facts and fiction of Christmas past – and how they inform and sometimes mis-inform our understanding of Christmas present.

What is the true meaning of Christmas? mhbpodcast.com For more information about the history of Christmas, I recommend "Christmas: A Biography" by Judith Flanders.

The traditional Christmas dinner of a turkey, potatoes, green beans, and fruit pie has been around for nearly two hundred years. But why? The story of how we got here is one of ancient winter feasting, agricultural societies, socio-economics, religion, a pig that’s technically a fish, and turkeys on stagecoaches. In this episode, Brian and historian Judith Flanders explore why the standard Christmas dinner is stuck in a nineteenth century time warp.  Links Christmas: A Biography by Judith Flanders Music in this episode "Chrysalis" — Podington Bear, via Free Music Archive "Burned" — Podington Bear, via Free Music Archive "Under the Stars" — Shady Dave, via FreeSound "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech "April" — Kai Engel, via Free Music Archive "Wish Background" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech

Air Date: 12/18/2018 Today, as we do each year, we take a look at the current state of the War on Christmas™ but with more of a historical focus on how we got here Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991   Episode Sponsors: ExpressVPN.com/LEFT| Madison-Reed.com+ Promo Code: Left Amazon USA| Amazon CA| Amazon UK| Clean Choice Energy Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content: Support our show on Patreon!   SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Judith Flanders explains that Christmas has always been whatever you want it to be Part 1 - @ThisIsHellRadio - Air Date 12-26-17 Historian Judith Flanders explores the populist, adaptive, multi-purpose, meaning of Christmas. Ch. 2: Looking at the winding path of the celebration of Christmas to the subsequent war on it - Past/Present - Air Date 12-21-15 Neil argued the “war on Christmas” is largely a media phenomenon, noting that many religious leaders have chosen to ignore the controversy or to argue that the real war on Christmas is the holiday’s over-commercialization. Ch. 3: Judith Flanders explains that Christmas has always been whatever you want it to be Part 2 - @ThisIsHellRadio - Air Date 12-26-17 Historian Judith Flanders explores the populist, adaptive, multi-purpose, meaning of Christmas. Ch. 4: White Supremacy and the So-Called “War on Christmas” - The Chauncey DeVega Show - Air Date 1-6-18 Randy Blazak is the guest on this week’s episode of The Chauncey DeVega Show. He is a tenured sociologist and criminologist who has taught at Portland State University as well as the University of Oregon. Ch. 5: Discussing exactly which Christmas carols we should be outraged about - Messy Mouthy Mandatory - Air Date 12-19-17 Ronit and Katie talk holidays and slut-shaming Christmas carols. Ch. 6: Judith Flanders explains that Christmas has always been whatever you want it to be Part 3 - @ThisIsHellRadio - Air Date 12-26-17 Historian Judith Flanders explores the populist, adaptive, multi-purpose, meaning of Christmas. VOICEMAILS Ch. 7: Thoughts on the Brazilian election and the global right-wing backlash - Jeff from California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 8: Final comments MUSIC: Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Ring Out the Bells for Christmas (1907) - Edison Concert Band (Blue Dot Sessions) Losers on a Christmas Eve - Greg Atkinson (Blue Dot Sessions) (He Came in Like a) Santa Claus - The Gregory Brothers (Blue Dot Sessions) Auld Lang Syne - United States Marine Band (Blue Dot Sessions) "Baby It's Cold Outside" Gets a Feminist Remix - caseymh2010 (Blue Dot Sessions) Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher| Spotify| Alexa Devices| +more Check out the BotL iOS/AndroidApp in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on iTunesand Stitcher!

Scott read all 4 books in the series over the course of 4 days. You will too. Host Scott McNulty.

Domestic CEO talks with author Judith Flanders, whose new book, The Making of Home, investigates the fascinating evolution of our homes. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1Ke3CD6

In 1810 someone told hundreds of London merchants that Mrs. Tottenham at 54 Berners Street had requested their services. She hadn't. For a full day the street was packed with crowds of deliverymen struggling to reach a single door -- and the practical joker was never caught. In this episode of the Futility Closet podcast we'll hear descriptions of the chaos in Berners Street and meet Theodore Hook, the man who probably planned the whole thing. We'll also revisit the mysterious corpse found on an Australian beach in 1948 and puzzle over an octopus stuck in a tree. Sources for our segment on the Berners Street hoax: Judith Flanders, The Victorian City: Everyday Life in Dickens' London, 2012. Robert Chambers, The Book of Days, 1832. Theodore Hook, The Life and Remains of Theodore Edward Hook, 1849. John Gibson Lockhart, Theodore Hook, A Sketch, 1852. John Timbs, Lives of Wits and Humourists, 1862. Satirist, or, Monthly Meteor, "The Hoax: An Epistle From Solomon Sappy, Esquire, in London, to his brother Simon at Liverpool," Jan. 1, 1811, pp. 59-61. Listener mail: The new developments in the mystery of the Somerton man are detailed in this article on The Advertiser. Here's "No E," four minutes of E-less hip-hop by Zach Sherwin and George Watsky (thanks, Jocelyn): This week's lateral thinking puzzle was contributed by listener Nick Madrid. You can listen using the player above, or subscribe on iTunes or via the RSS feed at http://feedpress.me/futilitycloset. Many thanks to Doug Ross for the music in this episode. If you have any questions or comments you can reach us at podcast@futilitycloset.com. Thanks for listening!

Medium Acclaimed South African writer Damon Galgut on his novel Arctic Summer, plus Kate Colquhoun and Judith Flanders on Victorian true crime, and AL Kennedy roadtests new writing apps.