The First Christmas
A Story of New Beginnings
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Narrated by:
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Stephen Mitchell
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By:
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Stephen Mitchell
About this listen
“I love The First Christmas. What a charming way Stephen Mitchell has found to tell my favorite story of all, the nativity, character by character (I love the donkey and the ox), with wise and thrilling interludes about God, reality, truth.” (Anne Lamott)
In The First Christmas, Stephen Mitchell brings the Nativity story to vivid life as never before. A narrative that is only sketched out in two Gospels becomes fully realized here with nuanced characters and a setting that reflects the culture of the time. Mitchell has suffused the birth of Jesus with a sense of beauty that will delight and astonish listeners.
In this version, we see the world through the eyes of a Whitmanesque ox and a visionary donkey, starry-eyed shepherds and Zen-like wise men, each of them providing a unique perspective on a scene that is, in Western culture, the central symbol for good tidings of great joy. Rather than superimposing later Christian concepts onto the Annunciation and Nativity scenes, he imagines Mary and Joseph experiencing the angelic message as a young Jewish woman and man living in the year 4 BCE might have experienced it, with terror, dismay, and ultimate acceptance. In this context, their yes becomes an act of great moral courage.
Listeners of every background will be enchanted by this startlingly beautiful reimagining of the Christmas tale.
A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Essentials
“The First Christmas is a wonderful book, tender and rich with bursts of humor, filled with curious contrivances and surprises. Reading it felt like opening a brightly-wrapped Christmas present and finding a second box (also brightly wrapped) inside, and inside that box a third, and then another, and another, and another. Until, at the very center, in a tiny box, there is a diamond: the wisdom contained within this telling.” (Elizabeth Gilbert)
"As is often said about an important and riveting and life-changing event: you had to be there. In The First Christmas, Mitchell puts us there, and the bird and rebirth happen in the reader as well - no matter how well we know the story. Mitchell's illumined text is a star that leads us to a new understanding of the Bethlehem moments in our lives." (Julia Alvarez, author of How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents and In the Time of the Butterflies)
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Most of us have times when, if we are honest, we’d admit to feeling like our lives are embarrassingly small and insignificant. Times when it seems like we’re going through a whole lot of pain and striving without much to show for it. Like our daily pursuits don’t really matter in the long run. At times like that, we can’t help wondering if we really matter - to the world or even to God. In Chasing Vines, Beth Moore gives us a new hope, revealing the abundant secrets of a fruitful, Kingdom-building, God-pleasing life.
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Not worth the listen or read
- By laurardavis on 02-25-20
By: Beth Moore
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Siddhartha
- By: Hermann Hesse, Gunther Olesch - translator, Anke Dreher - translator, and others
- Narrated by: David Cross
- Length: 4 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
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In Siddhartha, Herman Hesse conveys a very profound message for all those who seek meaning in their lives. Though set in India, the concerns of Siddhartha are universal, expressing Hesse's general interest in the conflict between mind, body, and spirit. It is a story of a Brahmin boy who follows his heart and ventures out into the world to experience life as a pious Brahmin, a Samana, a rich merchant, a lover, and ordinary ferryman to a father - each life bringing a new awakening, bringing him closer to the truth until he is finally one with Buddha.
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Not THAT David Cross
- By OrangeCounty on 02-09-18
By: Hermann Hesse, and others
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Siddhartha
- By: Herman Hesse, Paul Ansdell - translator
- Narrated by: Paul Ansdell
- Length: 4 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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Siddhartha, the ninth book written by Herman Hesse, is about a young Indian boy who leaves his home in hopes of finding enlightenment with the wise "Goutama", which in this story is the Buddha. After learning what he can from Goutama, he decides to go off into the busy city, and leads a life of greed and lust. When he realizes that the lifestyle is not fulfilling, and he reflects on his life, he goes to a river and contemplates suicide.
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Beautiful writing and narration.
- By John Kurtz on 06-13-17
By: Herman Hesse, and others
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Unveiled
- The Bible, the Qur'an, and Women
- By: Esther Ahmad, J. Chester
- Narrated by: Saira Ayers
- Length: 4 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
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Born the unwanted third daughter, Esther Ahmad grew up Muslim in Pakistan. Her faith and country drove every aspect of her first 18 years, from what she wore and what she ate to her prospects for work and marriage, even to the manner of her death. Unveiled chronicles Esther’s conversion to Christianity and her escape from radical Islam. Chapter by chapter, Esther lays out the lies of the Qur’an and holds them against the truths she found in the Bible.
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Fantastic Testimony
- By Paula on 04-28-22
By: Esther Ahmad, and others
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Mary Magdalene Revealed
- The First Apostle, Her Feminist Gospel & the Christianity We Haven't Tried Yet
- By: Meggan Watterson
- Narrated by: Meggan Watterson
- Length: 8 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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A gospel, as ancient and authentic as any of the gospels that the Christian bible contains, was buried deep in the Egyptian desert after an edict was sent out in the 4th century to have all copies of it destroyed. Fortunately, some rebel monks were wise enough to refuse - and thanks to their disobedience and spiritual bravery, we have several manuscripts of the only gospel that was written in the name of a woman: The Gospel of Mary Magdalene.
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The Sample on audible is not from this book
- By Krykie on 08-23-19
By: Meggan Watterson
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The Bad Habits of Jesus
- Showing Us the Way to Live Right in a World Gone Wrong
- By: Leonard Sweet
- Narrated by: Dean Gallagher
- Length: 4 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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Did Jesus have bad habits? In our culture we have a tendency to describe Jesus in ways that soften his revolutionary edge. Len Sweet uncovers and presents to us the offensive and scandalous Jesus described in the Bible. Did he disappear when people needed him most? Yes. Did he refuse to answer questions directly? Yes. Did Jesus offend the people of his day? Absolutely yes. Popular author and speaker Len Sweet examines the words and actions of Jesus and places them in context.
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My I have the bad habits of Jesus
- By Bob I. on 02-26-17
By: Leonard Sweet
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Desire
- The Journey We Must Take to Find the Life God Offers
- By: John Eldredge
- Narrated by: Kelly Ryan Dolan
- Length: 6 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
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Sometimes it seems we just can't get what we want. Circumstances thwart our best-laid plans. We struggle to live a heartfelt life. Worst of all, says Eldredge, the modern church mistakenly teaches its people to kill desire (calling it sin) and replace it with duty or obligation (calling it sanctification).
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Nothing Less Than Life-Changing
- By Randall on 09-28-04
By: John Eldredge
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Siddhartha
- By: Hermann Hesse, Gunther Olesch - translator, Anke Dreher - translator, and others
- Narrated by: Mike Vendetti
- Length: 4 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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Siddhartha, written by Hermann Hesse in 1920 deals with a man's lifelong search for self discovery during the time of Buddha. He grows up the son of a Brahman, and his quest for self discovery takes him through living as an asthetic until he actually meets the Buddha, but decides not to follow him, but rather discover the joys of sex and a wealth through a beautiful courtesan. He lives the life of the Playboy until one day he renounces it all to seek a more spiritual being. In the end Siddhartha does find enlightenment.
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Interesting audiobook
- By Anonymous User on 07-17-23
By: Hermann Hesse, and others
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Experiencing Spirituality
- Finding Meaning through Storytelling
- By: Ernest Kurtz, Katherine Ketcham
- Narrated by: Sean Pratt, Shannon Parks
- Length: 8 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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In Experiencing Spirituality, Ernest Kurtz and Katherine Ketcham take listeners on a journey through storytelling as a means of self-discovery. Recounting and interpreting great wisdom stories from all ages and all cultures, as well as telling many of their own, the authors shed light on such experiences as awe, wonder, humor, confusion, and forgiveness. In story after story, seekers look to those whose lives reveal a special quality - sometimes called spirituality - and ask the masters what they must do to attain that same quality.
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Another winner!
- By Strawberrygirl2 on 01-11-15
By: Ernest Kurtz, and others
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I Say unto You
- Jesus - Son of God or Mystic?
- By: OSHO
- Narrated by: OSHO
- Length: 16 hrs and 29 mins
- Original Recording
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What if Jesus were not a supernatural being conceived by a virgin but a real human being who had experienced the awakening of consciousness known as "enlightenment" in the East? This extraordinary line-by-line commentary on some of the best-known New Testament Gospels from Matthew and John tests the hypothesis that Jesus was a mystic, not a miracle worker of supernatural origin. Osho convincingly makes the case that the stories of Jesus' life were never meant to be a factual record of history but rather are teaching parables.
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Be nobody and have all
- By Mario on 11-04-16
By: OSHO
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Dreamers
- Legacies of the Ancient River, Book 1
- By: Angela Hunt
- Narrated by: Stina Nielsen
- Length: 13 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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In the land of Pharaoh, Tuya has always been a slave. As a little girl, she was sold as a playmate to a wealthy child who became her best friend. But as she approaches womanhood, beautiful Tuya is betrayed and cast out. Now she belongs to Potiphar, captain of Pharaoh's guard. Yet her heart is owned by handsome Joseph, sold into slavery by his own brothers. Proud, arrogant Joseph dreams of freedom, of his own household, of Tuya as his queen.
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I was so immersed in the story I couldn’t sleep until done.
- By Micah70 on 05-17-23
By: Angela Hunt
What listeners say about The First Christmas
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Linda Wagner
- 12-18-22
Beautiful story!
This is such an interesting take on the nativity! I was especially intrigued by the tale of the two "Wise Men." What a great way to put this event into the context of Jesus' life on earth! I'm going back to listen again ...
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- Anonymous User
- 10-26-23
VERITAS EQUINAS
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A review requires at least 15 words
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Verify as soon as possible please and thank you for your patience and understanding and I will be in touch with you soon as possible thank you for your patience and understanding and I will keep you posted on the progress of the project and I will continue to work on it and I will get back to you with the details of the project thank you for your patience and understanding and I will look forward to seeing you soon and I will be in touch with you soon thank you for your patience and I will keep you updated on the progress of the project and I
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- Sally Pamplin
- 11-26-21
A Living Nativity
Stephen Mitchell brings the Christmas Story alive and personalizes it by developing the characters through what imaginary could have been their thoughts as they lived through this very holy experience. It enhanced for me the essence of the annunciation with Gabriel as a messenger of Light through birth of Jesus by personalizing it with Meister Eckhart’s probing question, “What good is it to me if Mary gave birth to the son of God…and I do not also give birth, how can it help me?”
This provided a meditative experience for me and I will read it every Christmas.
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- Amazon Customer
- 01-03-23
Merry Christmas
Listened to this book over the Christmas holiday and found it so interesting and pleasant. Stephen Mitchells offers wisdom to the story.
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- Libby Hoenstine
- 12-07-23
The development of each characters depth of introspection
The absence of Christian projection onto the story of the first Christmas, making the story more historically correct
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- Lilydivine
- 12-22-22
Not good and Not Christian
I found this title under the "Christian" category in audible. It is not.
The author states in the beginning he hopes that this book will appeal to everyone (Muslims, etc.). Making me feel that believes an "all paths lead up the mountain" type of fallacy. One chapter later, the author states that any mature person wouldn't WANT the prophecy to come true to see a lion laying down next to a lamb. (It may be that these verses of Scripture are being metaphoric, *maybe* but saying it wouldn't be desirable is nearing blasphemous). When the author stated that the Good Shephard's rod & staff aren't comforting "even if divinely wielded" I turned it off. The author obviously doesn't know the Good Shephard and I don't care to listen to a book about Christmas that is written by someone who is still, unfortunately, lost.
I am even more perturbed by the fact that I cannot return this title because of Audible's irritating policy change that started in October.
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