St. Nicholas
The History, Legend, and Folklore Behind Christmas Customs and the Beloved Patron Saint of Children and SailorsBy George Harley McKnight
Length2h 47m
About this audiobook
George Harley McKnight's *St. Nicholas* is a learned yet accessible study of the saint's historical identity, legendary career, and remarkable afterlife in European custom. Drawing on hagiography, medieval literature, folklore, and the history of religious observance, McKnight traces how the bishop of Myra became associated with generosity, children, gift-giving, and the Christmas season. The book follows the gradual movement from Byzantine and medieval accounts through continental celebrations and English-speaking traditions, illuminating the cultural processes by which a Christian saint was transformed into the familiar figure of Santa Claus. Its method is historical and comparative, while its prose combines scholarly documentation with the narrative appeal appropriate to a subject shaped by story, ritual, and popular imagination. McKnight writes as a literary and cultural historian attentive to the interaction between texts and living custom. His interest in medieval Christianity, folklore, and the transmission of legends enables him to distinguish historical evidence from later accretion without dismissing the imaginative power of either. The book reflects an early twentieth-century scholarly effort to understand popular tradition as a serious record of cultural memory. Recommended for readers of religious history, folklore, medieval studies, and Christmas culture, *St. Nicholas* offers both a carefully researched biography of a tradition and a compelling account of cultural transformation. It is especially valuable for anyone seeking to understand how saints' legends survive by adapting to new communities, values, and festivals.
Audiobook details
Rating★★★★ 4.0 (22)
Includes Goodreads, Amazon
GenreSpirituality and Religion
Length2 hrs 47 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateNov 25, 2023
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1What Christmas Did for Jerusha Grumble (Annotated)
2CHAPTER II BIOGRAPHY AND LEGEND
3CHAPTER III THE BOY ST. NICHOLAS AND ST. NICHOLAS THE PATRON SAINT OF SCHOOLBOYS
4CHAPTER IV ST. NICHOLAS AND THE DOWERLESS MAIDENS
5CHAPTER V THE BOY BISHOP, OR NICHOLAS BISHOP
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6CHAPTER VI VARIED BENEFICENT ACTIVITY
7CHAPTER VII ST. NICHOLAS PLAYS
8CHAPTER VIII ST. NICHOLAS AS PATRON SAINT
9CHAPTER IX PAGAN HERITAGE OF ST. NICHOLAS
10CHAPTER X ST. NICHOLAS, DEFENDER OF THE FAITH
11CHAPTER XI CONCLUSION
12CHAPTER I
13CHAPTER II
14CHAPTER III
15CHAPTER IV
16CHAPTER V
17CHAPTER VI
18CHAPTER VII
19CHAPTER VIII
20CHAPTER IX
21CHAPTER X
22CHAPTER XI
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