audiobook Hitler; the Germans; and the Final Solution by Ian Kershaw in History

Description

The mere mention of "Sunday" will immediately conjure up a rich mix of memories; associations; and ideas for most anyone of any age. Whatever we think of-be it attending church; reading a bulky newspaper; eating brunch; or watching football-Sunday occupies a unique place in Western civilization. But how did we come to have a day with such a singular set of traditions? Here; historian Craig Harline examines Sunday from its ancient beginnings to contemporary America in a fascinating blend of stories and analysis. For the earliest Christians; the first day of the week was a time to celebrate the liturgy; observe the Resurrection; and work. But over time; Sunday in the Western world took on still other meanings and rituals; especially in the addition of both rest and recreation to the day's activities. Harline illuminates these changes in enlightening profiles of Sunday in medieval Catholic England; Sunday in the Reformation; and Sunday in nineteenth-century France-home of the most envied and sometimes despised Sunday of the modern world. He continues with moving portraits of soldiers and civilians trying to observe Sunday during World War I; examines the quiet Sunday of England in the 1930s; and concludes with the convergence of various European traditions in the American Sunday; which also adds some distinctly original habits of its own; such as in the realms of commerce and professional sports. With engaging prose and scholarly integrity; Sunday is an entertaining and long-overdue look at a significant hallmark of Western culture.