Seven Themes You Can't Escape
How Our Deepest Longings Keep Showing Up in Story
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Prime members: New to Audible?Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Seven Themes You Can't Escape
Buy for $14.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Stephen M. Schedra
-
By:
-
David R. Megill
About this listen
What do Sherlock Holmes, Star Wars, A Christmas Carol, and Charlotte's Web have in common? Seven identical and profound themes.
Actually we use only these four stories as examples of seven inescapable themes, found in whole or in part in every story in every medium from books to movies. I believe these themes are inescapable, not because our culture imposes them upon creators but because they reflect our deepest longings. Even in our current climate of deconstruction, any story that truly denies all these themes at once does so only with the clear intention of ignoring these very themes, thus providing greater support for the inherent expectation for and love of these concepts in us.
We would really like to believe this is real: this longing for meaning, for plot and design and divine appointment, for redemption, for justice. I have come to believe the good news that our desire for meaning arises from the truth that there is meaning. There is a story behind the universe that makes it all makes sense. Every story we write, draw, compose, or perform is a seeking after that one true story of the universe. This is why the themes continue to pop up in story after story.
©2016 David R. Megill (P)2016 David R. MegillListeners also enjoyed...
-
What I Learned in Narnia
- By: Douglas Wilson
- Narrated by: Daniel Newman
- Length: 4 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 33
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 31
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 31
One rainy day, years ago, a little girl named Lucy discovered that the back of a wardrobe isn't always just the back of a wardrobe. Sometimes, it's a door into another world. In Lucy's case, that other world was called Narnia, and though she was among the first to enter it, she was by no means the last. Millions of children (young and old) have followed her there and met its strange but wonderful inhabitants - Mr. Tumnus, Reepicheep, and Puddleglum, among others.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Many great insights analyzing the Narnia series
- By Christopher, Miriam, and Penelope Brehm on 06-06-21
By: Douglas Wilson
-
Falling Upward
- A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life
- By: Richard Rohr
- Narrated by: Richard Rohr
- Length: 6 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 3,744
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3,189
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3,152
In the first half of life, we are naturally preoccupied with establishing ourselves; climbing, achieving, and performing. But as we grow older and encounter challenges and mistakes, we need to see ourselves in a different and more life-giving way. This message of falling down - that is in fact moving upward - is the most resisted and counterintuitive of messages in the world's religions. Falling Upward offers a new paradigm for understanding one of the most profound of life's mysteries: how those who have fallen down are the only ones who understand "up".
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
I almost gave up on Christianity until I read this
- By J. Mark Wells on 09-03-14
By: Richard Rohr
-
Making Sense of God
- An Invitation to the Skeptical
- By: Timothy Keller
- Narrated by: Sean Pratt
- Length: 9 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 932
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 817
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 810
Timothy Keller invites skeptics to consider that Christianity is more relevant now than ever. As human beings we cannot live without meaning, satisfaction, freedom, identity, justice, and hope. Christianity provides us with unsurpassed resources to meet these needs. Written for both the ardent believer and the skeptic, Making Sense of God shines a light on the profound value and importance of Christianity in our lives.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Good for confirming existing beliefs...
- By Mikkikon on 12-20-16
By: Timothy Keller
-
Jesus Among Secular Gods
- The Countercultural Claims of Christ
- By: Ravi Zacharias, Vince Vitale
- Narrated by: Peter Berkrot
- Length: 8 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 1,228
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,074
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 1,061
Ravi Zacharias and Vince Vitale defend the absolute claims of Christ against modern belief in the "secular gods" of atheism, scientism, relativism, and more. The rise of these secular gods presents the most serious challenge to the absolute claims of Christ since the founding of Christianity itself. The Christian worldview has not only been devalued and dismissed by modern culture, but its believers are openly ridiculed as irrelevant. This audiobook is fresh, insightful, and important, and faces head on today's most urgent challenges to Christian faith.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Not Quite What I Expected
- By David on 09-29-18
By: Ravi Zacharias, and others
-
How to Be a Stoic
- Using Ancient Philosophy to Live a Modern Life
- By: Massimo Pigliucci
- Narrated by: Peter Coleman
- Length: 6 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,054
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 881
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 866
Whenever we worry about what to eat, how to love, or simply how to be happy, we are worrying about how to lead a good life. No goal is more elusive. In How to Be a Stoic, philosopher Massimo Pigliucci offers Stoicism, the ancient philosophy that inspired the great emperor Marcus Aurelius, as the best way to attain it. Stoicism is a pragmatic philosophy that teaches us to act depending on what is within our control and separate things worth getting upset about from those that are not.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Great book needs better narration
- By Caleb on 11-07-18
-
Creating Character Arcs
- The Masterful Author's Guide to Uniting Story Structure, Plot, and Character Development
- By: K.M. Weiland
- Narrated by: Sonja Field
- Length: 5 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 979
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 809
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 792
Have you written a story with an exciting concept and interesting characters - but it just isn't grabbing the attention of readers or agents? It's time to look deeper into the story beats that create realistic and compelling character arcs. Internationally published, award-winning novelist K.M. Weiland shares her acclaimed method for achieving memorable and moving character arcs in every book you write.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Why We Read (Listen To) These Books
- By C. Deputy on 06-07-18
By: K.M. Weiland
-
What I Learned in Narnia
- By: Douglas Wilson
- Narrated by: Daniel Newman
- Length: 4 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 33
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 31
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 31
One rainy day, years ago, a little girl named Lucy discovered that the back of a wardrobe isn't always just the back of a wardrobe. Sometimes, it's a door into another world. In Lucy's case, that other world was called Narnia, and though she was among the first to enter it, she was by no means the last. Millions of children (young and old) have followed her there and met its strange but wonderful inhabitants - Mr. Tumnus, Reepicheep, and Puddleglum, among others.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Many great insights analyzing the Narnia series
- By Christopher, Miriam, and Penelope Brehm on 06-06-21
By: Douglas Wilson
-
Falling Upward
- A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life
- By: Richard Rohr
- Narrated by: Richard Rohr
- Length: 6 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 3,744
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3,189
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3,152
In the first half of life, we are naturally preoccupied with establishing ourselves; climbing, achieving, and performing. But as we grow older and encounter challenges and mistakes, we need to see ourselves in a different and more life-giving way. This message of falling down - that is in fact moving upward - is the most resisted and counterintuitive of messages in the world's religions. Falling Upward offers a new paradigm for understanding one of the most profound of life's mysteries: how those who have fallen down are the only ones who understand "up".
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
I almost gave up on Christianity until I read this
- By J. Mark Wells on 09-03-14
By: Richard Rohr
-
Making Sense of God
- An Invitation to the Skeptical
- By: Timothy Keller
- Narrated by: Sean Pratt
- Length: 9 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 932
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 817
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 810
Timothy Keller invites skeptics to consider that Christianity is more relevant now than ever. As human beings we cannot live without meaning, satisfaction, freedom, identity, justice, and hope. Christianity provides us with unsurpassed resources to meet these needs. Written for both the ardent believer and the skeptic, Making Sense of God shines a light on the profound value and importance of Christianity in our lives.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Good for confirming existing beliefs...
- By Mikkikon on 12-20-16
By: Timothy Keller
-
Jesus Among Secular Gods
- The Countercultural Claims of Christ
- By: Ravi Zacharias, Vince Vitale
- Narrated by: Peter Berkrot
- Length: 8 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 1,228
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,074
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 1,061
Ravi Zacharias and Vince Vitale defend the absolute claims of Christ against modern belief in the "secular gods" of atheism, scientism, relativism, and more. The rise of these secular gods presents the most serious challenge to the absolute claims of Christ since the founding of Christianity itself. The Christian worldview has not only been devalued and dismissed by modern culture, but its believers are openly ridiculed as irrelevant. This audiobook is fresh, insightful, and important, and faces head on today's most urgent challenges to Christian faith.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Not Quite What I Expected
- By David on 09-29-18
By: Ravi Zacharias, and others
-
How to Be a Stoic
- Using Ancient Philosophy to Live a Modern Life
- By: Massimo Pigliucci
- Narrated by: Peter Coleman
- Length: 6 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,054
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 881
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 866
Whenever we worry about what to eat, how to love, or simply how to be happy, we are worrying about how to lead a good life. No goal is more elusive. In How to Be a Stoic, philosopher Massimo Pigliucci offers Stoicism, the ancient philosophy that inspired the great emperor Marcus Aurelius, as the best way to attain it. Stoicism is a pragmatic philosophy that teaches us to act depending on what is within our control and separate things worth getting upset about from those that are not.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Great book needs better narration
- By Caleb on 11-07-18
-
Creating Character Arcs
- The Masterful Author's Guide to Uniting Story Structure, Plot, and Character Development
- By: K.M. Weiland
- Narrated by: Sonja Field
- Length: 5 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 979
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 809
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 792
Have you written a story with an exciting concept and interesting characters - but it just isn't grabbing the attention of readers or agents? It's time to look deeper into the story beats that create realistic and compelling character arcs. Internationally published, award-winning novelist K.M. Weiland shares her acclaimed method for achieving memorable and moving character arcs in every book you write.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Why We Read (Listen To) These Books
- By C. Deputy on 06-07-18
By: K.M. Weiland
-
Story Structure: The Key to Successful Fiction
- The Red Sneaker Writers Book Series, Volume 1
- By: William Bernhardt
- Narrated by: William Bernhardt
- Length: 2 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 311
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 265
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 258
"Writing is structure,” William Goldman said, but too often aspiring writers plunge into their work without grasping this fundamental principle. Story structure is one of the most important concepts for a writer to understand - and ironically, one of the least frequently taught. In this book, New York Times best-selling author William Bernhardt explains the elements that make stories work, using examples spanning from Gilgamesh to The Hunger Games.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Book is an Infomercial
- By Crystal White on 03-11-15
-
Why Suffering?
- Finding Meaning and Comfort When Life Doesn't Make Sense
- By: Ravi Zacharias, Vince Vitale
- Narrated by: Ravi Zacharias, Vince Vitale
- Length: 7 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 629
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 548
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 539
Why would a loving and powerful God allow so much pain and suffering? In Why Suffering? Ravi Zacharias and Vince Vitale carefully walk you through a variety of responses that considered together provide a clear, comprehensive, and convincing answer.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Best time spent / benefit ratio book of my life
- By Dani on 01-05-15
By: Ravi Zacharias, and others
-
The Stories We Tell
- How TV and Movies Long for and Echo the Truth
- By: Mike Cosper
- Narrated by: Lloyd James
- Length: 7 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 25
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 24
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 24
The average American watches five hours of TV every day. Collectively, we spend roughly $30 billion on movies each year. Simply put, we're entertainment junkies. But can we learn something from our insatiable addiction to stories? Mike Cosper thinks so. From horror flicks to rom-coms, the tales we tell and the myths we weave inevitably echo the narrative underlying all of history: the story of humanity's tragic sin and God's triumphant salvation.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Ho mum
- By P. Hadley on 05-17-17
By: Mike Cosper
-
The Secrets of Story
- Innovative Tools for Perfecting Your Fiction and Captivating Readers
- By: Matt Bird
- Narrated by: Eric Michael Summerer
- Length: 12 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 736
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 638
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 627
The Secrets of Story is a revolutionary and comprehensive writing guide for the 21st century, focused on clever ways to get an audience to fully identify with an all-too-human hero. Authors will learn to how to cut through pop culture noise and win over a jaded modern audience by rediscovering the heart of writing: shaping stories that ring true to our shared understanding of human nature.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Good Story Impossible? 'Au Contraire'!
- By Gillian on 05-26-17
By: Matt Bird
-
C.S. Lewis
- A Life Inspired
- By: Wyatt North, Christopher Gordon
- Narrated by: David Glass
- Length: 2 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 93
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 78
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 76
A man of reason and vigorous discourse, and a renowned professor of literature and philosophy, C.S. Lewis, always "Jack" to family and friends, never shied from intellectual debate, and through his written works encouraged others to wrestle with the difficult questions of faith. A master of visual illustration and allegory, Lewis wrote with the intuitive understanding that his readers wrestled with the same questions about the Christian story, about pain, suffering, and notions of Heaven and Hell, as he himself had wrestled.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Narration very disappointing.
- By Tricia on 03-14-16
By: Wyatt North, and others
-
Happy
- Why More or Less Everything Is Absolutely Fine
- By: Derren Brown
- Narrated by: Derren Brown
- Length: 14 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 630
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 557
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 554
In Happy Derren Brown explores changing concepts of happiness - from the surprisingly modern wisdom of the Stoics and Epicureans in classical times right up until today, when the self-help industry has attempted to claim happiness as its own. He shows how many of self-help’s suggested routes to happiness and success – such as positive thinking, self-belief and setting goals – can be disastrous to follow and, indeed, actually cause anxiety. Happy aims to reclaim happiness and to enable us to appreciate the good things in life, in all their transient glory.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A witty and thoughtful take on stoicism
- By Sam Russell on 04-07-19
By: Derren Brown
-
The Vertical Self
- How Biblical Faith Can Help Us Discover Who We Are in an Age of Self Obsession
- By: Mark Sayers
- Narrated by: Mark Sayers
- Length: 5 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 36
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 32
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 30
It's time for a return to Radical Holiness. Welcome to the 21st century, where you can now purchase and exchange personalities, depending on mood and circumstance; where you are told that you can be anyone you want to be, and identity is no longer based in a sense of self but rather in the imagery you choose at that moment. The Bible contains a radically different way of understanding our identity. The path that God has chosen for us to discover who we really are is the path of holiness.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Lots of good take home points!
- By Brittany on 04-03-18
By: Mark Sayers
-
20 Master Plots
- And How to Build Them
- By: Ronald B. Tobias
- Narrated by: Barry Abrams
- Length: 9 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 50
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 46
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 45
The best stories linger in the hearts and minds of readers for decades. These tales gain their power through plots that connect with the audience on both an emotional and intellectual level. Ronald B. Tobias details these 20 time-tested plots. Each is discussed and analyzed, illustrating how a successful plot integrates all the elements of a story. Tobias then reveals how to use these plots effectively in your own work.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Some Good Ideas
- By Christine Amsden on 10-05-20
By: Ronald B. Tobias
-
The World According to Star Wars
- By: Cass R. Sunstein
- Narrated by: Kaleo Griffith
- Length: 5 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 202
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 178
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 176
A deeply original celebration of George Lucas' masterpiece as it relates to history, presidential politics, law, economics, fatherhood, and culture by a Harvard legal scholar and former White House advisor.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
The title says it all
- By Steve on 06-16-16
By: Cass R. Sunstein
-
Hollywood Heroes
- How Your Favorite Movies Reveal God
- By: Frank Turek, Zach Turek
- Narrated by: Frank Turek, Taylor Lambert
- Length: 7 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 113
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 104
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 103
What if Batman knew your name and wanted to be friends with you? What if you were the one that Tony Stark died to save? What if it was you that Luke Skywalker would stop at nothing to redeem? Hollywood Heroes will awaken you to these questions and help you to see a God who stops at nothing to redeem you. Fictional stories about heroes help us realize that there is evil to fight, souls to be won, and growth to be achieved. It helps us recognize - regardless of religious or cultural beliefs - that sacrificing your life for another’s is a powerful and beautiful display of love.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Pop culture heroes mimicking Jesus
- By ARMEL COATES ANDRADA on 05-17-22
By: Frank Turek, and others
-
If I Had Lunch with C. S. Lewis
- Exploring the Ideas of C. S. Lewis on the Meaning of Life
- By: Alister McGrath
- Narrated by: Ralph Lister
- Length: 4 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 71
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 59
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 58
Have you ever wondered…whether God exists? whether life has meaning? Whether pain and suffering have a purpose? This audiobook is my invitation to sit down with C. S. Lewis and me to think about some of the persistent questions and dilemmas every person faces in life. We’ll explore Lewis’s thoughts on everything from friendships to heaven, from the reasons for faith to the power of stories.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A great overview
- By Kevin on 12-31-14
By: Alister McGrath
-
The Story of Reality
- How the World Began, How It Ends, and Everything Important That Happens in Between
- By: Gregory Koukl, Nancy Pearcey - foreword
- Narrated by: Gregory Koukl
- Length: 5 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 680
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 614
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 611
Christianity is a picture of reality. It explains why the world is the way it is. When the pieces of this puzzle are properly assembled, we see the big picture clearly. Christianity is a true story of how the world began, why the world is the way it is, what role humans play in the drama, and how all the plotlines of the story are resolved in the end. In The Story of Reality, best-selling author and host of Stand to Reason Gregory Koukl explains the five words that form the narrative backbone of the Christian story.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great Book, Bad Editing
- By Mark V. Groen on 02-05-17
By: Gregory Koukl, and others
Related to this topic
-
If I Had Lunch with C. S. Lewis
- Exploring the Ideas of C. S. Lewis on the Meaning of Life
- By: Alister McGrath
- Narrated by: Ralph Lister
- Length: 4 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 71
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 59
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 58
Have you ever wondered…whether God exists? whether life has meaning? Whether pain and suffering have a purpose? This audiobook is my invitation to sit down with C. S. Lewis and me to think about some of the persistent questions and dilemmas every person faces in life. We’ll explore Lewis’s thoughts on everything from friendships to heaven, from the reasons for faith to the power of stories.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A great overview
- By Kevin on 12-31-14
By: Alister McGrath
-
All Things Shining
- Reading the Western Classics to Find Meaning in a Secular World
- By: Hubert Dreyfus, Sean Dorrance Kelly
- Narrated by: David Drummond
- Length: 8 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 176
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 145
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 145
The religious turn to their faith to find meaning. But what about the many people who lead secular lives and are also hungry for meaning? What guides, what approaches are available to them? Distinguished philosophers Hubert Dreyfus and Sean Dorrance Kelly explain that a secular life charged with meaning is indeed within reach.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent Book that refreshes the classics
- By Tod on 06-14-11
By: Hubert Dreyfus, and others
-
Falling Upward
- A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life
- By: Richard Rohr
- Narrated by: Richard Rohr
- Length: 6 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 3,744
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3,189
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3,152
In the first half of life, we are naturally preoccupied with establishing ourselves; climbing, achieving, and performing. But as we grow older and encounter challenges and mistakes, we need to see ourselves in a different and more life-giving way. This message of falling down - that is in fact moving upward - is the most resisted and counterintuitive of messages in the world's religions. Falling Upward offers a new paradigm for understanding one of the most profound of life's mysteries: how those who have fallen down are the only ones who understand "up".
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
I almost gave up on Christianity until I read this
- By J. Mark Wells on 09-03-14
By: Richard Rohr
-
Unafraid
- Moving Beyond Fear-Based Faith
- By: Benjamin L. Corey
- Narrated by: Patrick Lawlor
- Length: 7 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 37
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 34
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 34
Benjamin L. Corey thought he was suffering a crisis of faith, but it turned out to be a spiritual awakening. Corey became aware that the constant fear of hell and judgment that defined his Christian faith was out of sync with the idea that God acts from love and promises to deliver us from fear. In the wake of this realization came newfound insights - from reading the Bible to reexamining American life and the church's role in the wider world.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Faith Shift Handbook
- By Chas Barnes on 12-23-17
-
The Artisan Soul
- Crafting Your Life into a Work of Art
- By: Erwin Raphael McManus
- Narrated by: Erwin Raphael McManus
- Length: 5 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 275
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 241
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 239
In The Artisan Soul, Erwin Raphael McManus, author, thought leader, and founder of MOSAIC in Los Angeles, pens a manifesto for human creativity and the beginning of a new renaissance. McManus not only calls us to reclaim our creative essence but reveals how we can craft our lives into works of art. There are no shortcuts to quality, and McManus celebrates the spiritual process that can help us discover our true selves.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Bravo
- By Achley on 05-20-16
-
Uncommon Gratitude
- Alleluia for All That Is
- By: Joan Chittister, Rowan Williams
- Narrated by: Joan Chittister O.S.B., Dan Havron O.F.M.
- Length: 5 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 41
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 35
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 34
This series of reflections reveals the importance of gratitude in helping us see beyond the immediate to a broader and deeper reality. The discovery of this perpetual alleluia will help you discover what you are, become who you are, and grow with gratitude into the unknown.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Spiritual platform for left-wing ideology
- By John Glemby on 06-29-19
By: Joan Chittister, and others
-
If I Had Lunch with C. S. Lewis
- Exploring the Ideas of C. S. Lewis on the Meaning of Life
- By: Alister McGrath
- Narrated by: Ralph Lister
- Length: 4 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 71
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 59
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 58
Have you ever wondered…whether God exists? whether life has meaning? Whether pain and suffering have a purpose? This audiobook is my invitation to sit down with C. S. Lewis and me to think about some of the persistent questions and dilemmas every person faces in life. We’ll explore Lewis’s thoughts on everything from friendships to heaven, from the reasons for faith to the power of stories.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A great overview
- By Kevin on 12-31-14
By: Alister McGrath
-
All Things Shining
- Reading the Western Classics to Find Meaning in a Secular World
- By: Hubert Dreyfus, Sean Dorrance Kelly
- Narrated by: David Drummond
- Length: 8 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 176
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 145
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 145
The religious turn to their faith to find meaning. But what about the many people who lead secular lives and are also hungry for meaning? What guides, what approaches are available to them? Distinguished philosophers Hubert Dreyfus and Sean Dorrance Kelly explain that a secular life charged with meaning is indeed within reach.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent Book that refreshes the classics
- By Tod on 06-14-11
By: Hubert Dreyfus, and others
-
Falling Upward
- A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life
- By: Richard Rohr
- Narrated by: Richard Rohr
- Length: 6 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 3,744
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3,189
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3,152
In the first half of life, we are naturally preoccupied with establishing ourselves; climbing, achieving, and performing. But as we grow older and encounter challenges and mistakes, we need to see ourselves in a different and more life-giving way. This message of falling down - that is in fact moving upward - is the most resisted and counterintuitive of messages in the world's religions. Falling Upward offers a new paradigm for understanding one of the most profound of life's mysteries: how those who have fallen down are the only ones who understand "up".
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
I almost gave up on Christianity until I read this
- By J. Mark Wells on 09-03-14
By: Richard Rohr
-
Unafraid
- Moving Beyond Fear-Based Faith
- By: Benjamin L. Corey
- Narrated by: Patrick Lawlor
- Length: 7 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 37
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 34
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 34
Benjamin L. Corey thought he was suffering a crisis of faith, but it turned out to be a spiritual awakening. Corey became aware that the constant fear of hell and judgment that defined his Christian faith was out of sync with the idea that God acts from love and promises to deliver us from fear. In the wake of this realization came newfound insights - from reading the Bible to reexamining American life and the church's role in the wider world.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Faith Shift Handbook
- By Chas Barnes on 12-23-17
-
The Artisan Soul
- Crafting Your Life into a Work of Art
- By: Erwin Raphael McManus
- Narrated by: Erwin Raphael McManus
- Length: 5 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 275
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 241
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 239
In The Artisan Soul, Erwin Raphael McManus, author, thought leader, and founder of MOSAIC in Los Angeles, pens a manifesto for human creativity and the beginning of a new renaissance. McManus not only calls us to reclaim our creative essence but reveals how we can craft our lives into works of art. There are no shortcuts to quality, and McManus celebrates the spiritual process that can help us discover our true selves.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Bravo
- By Achley on 05-20-16
-
Uncommon Gratitude
- Alleluia for All That Is
- By: Joan Chittister, Rowan Williams
- Narrated by: Joan Chittister O.S.B., Dan Havron O.F.M.
- Length: 5 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 41
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 35
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 34
This series of reflections reveals the importance of gratitude in helping us see beyond the immediate to a broader and deeper reality. The discovery of this perpetual alleluia will help you discover what you are, become who you are, and grow with gratitude into the unknown.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Spiritual platform for left-wing ideology
- By John Glemby on 06-29-19
By: Joan Chittister, and others
-
After You Believe
- Why Christian Character Matters
- By: N. T. Wright
- Narrated by: Antony Ferguson
- Length: 10 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 367
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 297
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 288
We are all spiritual seekers, intuitively knowing there is more to life than we suspect. This is a book for anyone who is hoping there is something more while we’re here on Earth. There is. We are being called to join the revolution, and Wright insightfully encourages readers to find new purpose and clarity by taking us on an eye-opening journey through key biblical passages that promise to radically alter the work of the church and the direction of our lives.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
True Spirituality
- By Wayne on 04-11-11
By: N. T. Wright
-
Insurrection
- To Believe is Human. To Doubt, Divine.
- By: Peter Rollins
- Narrated by: Joshua Swanson
- Length: 4 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 99
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 87
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 85
In this incendiary new work, the controversial author and speaker Peter Rollins proclaims that the Christian faith is not primarily concerned with questions regarding life after death but with the possibility of life before death. In order to unearth this truth, Rollins prescribes a radical and wholesale critique of contemporary Christianity that he calls pyro-theology.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
The deconstructed cliff
- By ND4SP33D on 09-22-16
By: Peter Rollins
-
Angels and Ages
- A Short Book About Darwin, Lincoln, and Modern Life
- By: Adam Gopnik
- Narrated by: Adam Gopnik
- Length: 7 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 76
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 48
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 46
Written 200 years after Charles Darwin and Abraham Lincoln shared a birthday on February 12, 1809, this insightful account sheds new light on two men who changed the way we think about the meaning of life and death. Award-winning journalist Adam Gopnik's unique perspective, combined with previously unexplored stories and figures, reveals two men planted firmly at the roots of modern views and liberal values.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Connecting Darwin and Lincoln
- By Joshua Kim on 06-10-12
By: Adam Gopnik
-
Angels All Around Us
- A Sightseeing Guide to the Invisible World
- By: Anthony DeStefano
- Narrated by: Anthony DeStefano
- Length: 5 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 100
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 78
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 79
Everybody has one. It's called a "haunt detector". It's the little alarm that goes off in our heads whenever we detect that something mysterious or supernatural has occurred. You could be sitting around relaxing, and for no special reason you start thinking about someone. Then the phone rings; you pick it up, and amazingly, it's that person! Many of us have experienced this phenomenon.What is it? Anthony DeStefano answers this compelling question in his fascinating new book, The Invisible World.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Simplistic
- By Margaret on 03-26-12
-
The Sin of Certainty
- Why God Desires Our Trust More than Our "Correct" Beliefs
- By: Peter Enns
- Narrated by: Tom Perkins
- Length: 5 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 697
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 610
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 603
With compelling and often humorous stories from his own life, Bible scholar Peter Enns offers a fresh look at how Christian life truly works, answering questions that cannot be addressed by the idealized traditional doctrine of "once for all delivered to the saints".
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Title may mislead the actual content
- By Adam Shields on 05-26-16
By: Peter Enns
-
To Show and to Tell
- The Craft of Literary Nonfiction
- By: Phillip Lopate
- Narrated by: Arthur Morey
- Length: 7 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 76
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 62
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 62
Distinguished author Phillip Lopate, editor of the celebrated anthology The Art of the Personal Essay, is universally acclaimed as “one of our best personal essayists” ( Dallas Morning News). Here, combining more than 40 years of lessons from his storied career as a writer and professor, he brings us this highly anticipated nuts-and-bolts guide to writing literary nonfiction. A phenomenal master class shaped by Lopate’s informative, accessible tone, and immense gift for storytelling.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Not a guide on writing personal essays
- By A. Yoshida on 08-07-13
By: Phillip Lopate
-
A Life Observed
- A Spiritual Biography of C.S. Lewis
- By: Devin Brown
- Narrated by: Jon Gauger
- Length: 7 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 65
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 58
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 58
A Life Observed tells the inspiring story of Lewis' spiritual journey from cynical atheist to joyous Christian. Drawing on Lewis' autobiographical works, books by those who knew him personally, and his apologetic and fictional writing, this spiritual biography brings the beloved author’s story to life while shedding light on his best-known works.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
A beautifully written remembrance
- By Rob on 02-06-18
By: Devin Brown
-
Six Walks in the Fictional Woods
- By: Umberto Eco
- Narrated by: Nick Sullivan
- Length: 5 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 89
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 81
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 80
In this exhilarating book, we accompany Umberto Eco as he explores the intricacies of fictional form and method. Using examples ranging from fairy tales and Flaubert, Poe and Mickey Spillane, Eco draws us in by means of a novelist's techniques, making us his collaborators in the creation of his text and in the investigation of some of fiction's most basic mechanisms.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
big ideas presented simply
- By Ashton on 01-31-14
By: Umberto Eco
-
The Reason for God
- Belief in an Age of Skepticism
- By: Timothy Keller
- Narrated by: Timothy Keller
- Length: 5 hrs and 46 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 4,310
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3,556
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 3,503
The End of Faith. The God Delusion. God Is Not Great. Letter to a Christian Nation. Best seller lists are filled with doubters. But what happens when you actually doubt your doubts? Timothy Keller, the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, addresses the frequent doubts that skeptics, and even ardent believers, have about religion.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Unrivaled Apologetics
- By Daniel on 05-01-13
By: Timothy Keller
-
The Man Who Invented Fiction
- How Cervantes Ushered in the Modern World
- By: William Egginton
- Narrated by: Michael Butler Murray
- Length: 8 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 48
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 44
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 43
In the early 17th century, a crippled, graying, almost toothless veteran of Spain's wars against the Ottoman Empire published a novel. It was the story of a poor nobleman, his brain addled from studying too many novels of chivalry, who deludes himself that he is a knight errant and sets off on hilarious adventures. That story, Don Quixote, went on to sell more copies than any other book beside the Bible, making its author, Miguel de Cervantes, the single most-read author in human history.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Very Interesting and Informative, but Poorly Read
- By LCorSMT on 06-21-23
By: William Egginton
-
The Art of Fiction
- By: Ayn Rand
- Narrated by: Marguerite Gavin
- Length: 6 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 218
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 133
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 129
Ayn Rand discusses how a writer combines abstract ideas with concrete action and description to achieve a unity of theme, plot, characterization, and style, the four essential elements of fiction. Here, too, are Rand's illuminating analyses of passages from famous writers, rewrites of scenes from her own works, and fascinating rules for building dramatic plots and characters with depth.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Get Stein on Writing
- By Lois on 12-04-09
By: Ayn Rand
-
Reframe
- From the God We've Made to God with Us
- By: Brian Hardin
- Narrated by: Brian Hardin
- Length: 4 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 163
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 144
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 143
Each day, over 150,000 people around the world receive their doses of the word from Brian Hardin, vision and voice of the Daily Audio Bible. Now Brian's distinct, emotive tone delivers the message of his heart in his latest book, Reframe. His words come to life as he describes God's incredible love for his people and as he challenges listeners to consider their next steps in light of this truth.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
This Book is a Gift. It is Enjoyable. It is Real and Resonate
- By COJoebro on 04-28-16
By: Brian Hardin