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    The True Saint Nicholas: Why He Matters to Christmas
    The True Saint Nicholas: Why He Matters to Christmas
    The True Saint Nicholas: Why He Matters to Christmas
    Audiobook2 hours

    The True Saint Nicholas: Why He Matters to Christmas

    Written by William J. Bennett

    Narrated by William J. Bennett

    4.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    Former secretary of education and New York Times bestselling author William Bennett blends his historical expertise with his gift for storytelling into a heartwarming book about the man who ultimately became known as Santa Claus.

    Beloved writer and speaker William Bennett brings the legendary Saint Nicholas to life in this fascinating and faith-affirming book that will change the way you think about Santa Claus and the meaning of Christmas. Bennett reflects on Saint Nicholas’s storied life, which has spanned seventeen centuries across Europe, Asia, and Africa, and reveals an inspiring tale of devotion to God and an example of eternal goodness.

    The True Saint Nicholas: Why He Matters to Christmas focuses on three aspects of Saint Nicholas—historical facts from his life, his legacy in the centuries following his death, and the legendary status that transformed his likeness into the present-day jolly, toy-bearing Santa Claus. The book vividly captures the heart and life of someone who lived long ago—and yet whose life remains an inspiration for everyone to aspire to a higher order of generosity, giving, and devotion to others.

    An instant classic by one of America’s most respected thinkers, The True Saint Nicholas is a memorable keepsake to be shared with family and friends every year to evoke the true spirit of Christmas.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSimon & Schuster Audio
    Release dateNov 3, 2009
    ISBN9780743599399
    Author

    William J. Bennett

    Dr. William J. Bennett is one of America’s most influential and respected voices on cultural, political, and educational issues. Host of The Bill Bennett Show podcast, he is also the Washington Fellow of the American Strategy Group. He is the author and editor of more than twenty-five books. Dr. Bennett served as the secretary of education and chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities  under  President  Ronald  Reagan  and  as  director  of  the  Office  of  National  Drug  Control  Policy  under  President  George  Herbert  Walker Bush.

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    Reviews for The True Saint Nicholas

    4.5/5

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    • 4/5
      A simple and easy to read historical book about the original St. Nicholas. There are many legends and myths that surround the Bishop of Myra in the later third and early fourth century. Bennett sets the tone accurately within history from that period. We have no known writings by this bishop, but his impact was significant in his time.
    • 4/5
      The True Saint Nicholas: Why He Matters to Christmas is a short book, but an enjoyable read. It is not a scholarly book on Saint Nicholas, but it is an informative book of the man and his time that will help the reader understand the traditions of history.William J. Bennett tries to get us to see Nicholas' life not through wringing out identifiable facts, for there are few, but through the life at the time. If other Christians studied books, such as the Didache, then so did Saint Nicholas. If other believers memorized certain chapters from Psalms then so did he. In so doing, Bennett fleshes out the Church Father who later became known as Santa Claus.I would have preferred an attempt to nail down more facts and to identify more sources. One does wonder how true of a portrait of this man this book really is. But like any author, Bennett makes his choices and then follows them to the conclusion. He does provide a list of other books to read. The True Saint Nicholas is a good book to be read during the Christmas season to remind us all of the history that has brought us to this point.