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Between Heaven and Mirth: Why Joy, Humor, and Laughter Are at the Heart of the Spiritual Life Audiobook
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(3.02) - 382 listener ratings
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“Between Heaven and Mirth will make any reader smile. . . . Father Martin reminds us that happiness is the good God’s own goal for us.” —Timothy M. Dolan, Archbishop of New York
From one of America’s most beloved spiritual leaders and the New York Times bestselling author of The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything and Jesus: A Pilgrimage Father James Martin, SJ, comes a revolutionary look at how you can change your life and save your spirit through joy, humor, and laughter.
Martin shares how you can strike a healthy balance between spirituality and daily life and live as a joyful believer. In Between Heaven and Mirth, he uses scriptural passages, the lives of the saints, the spiritual teachings of other traditions, and his own personal reflections to show us why joy is the inevitable result of faith, because a healthy spirituality and a healthy sense of humor go hand-in-hand with God's great plan for humankind.
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"This book is written by a Jesuit Priest. It talks about finding the joy and laughter in ones faith and focusing on the joy and abundance that comes from loving God instead of our sinful nature. I enjoyed the humor and stories. The Author is presuasive without being preachy. Authoritative without being condescending and mostly he takes into acount that all of us aren't Catholic. We all have met that serious, cranky, pious person at church who finds comfort in rules and focusing on humans sinful nature but as he says isn't it more fun to laugh instead?"
— Danielle (4 out of 5 stars)
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“Whether you’re Catholic or Pentecostal, Buddhist or Hindu, or a stalwart atheist, Martin’s hilarious Between Heaven and Mirth will infuse you with this believer’s vivacity for being alive. Martin is a great spiritual teacher, and his book sanctifies the laughter we use both to praise the blessed and to endure the insuffereable. A classic.”
— Mary Karr, New York Times bestselling author of Lit -
“Jim is a Jesuit priest and a funny guy. I’m grateful to know both of him.”
— Stephen Colbert -
“With insights from Martin’s own rich experiences, examples from the lives of the saints, explorations of some overlooked Bible stories, helpful ideas from classic texts on joy and laughter, and, yes, even some jokes, Between Heaven and Mirth is a unique and much-needed guide to help rediscover joy, laughter, and delight.”
— San Francisco Chronicle -
“Weaving funny anecdotes and jokes with biblical and historical research and interviews with scholars, Martin does much to rescue the Christian tradition from joylessness. In his telling, church history is filled with levity…Winsome and comical but also provocative and thoughtful, Martin’s book is a breath of fresh air for those who would take religion—and themselves—too seriously.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review) -
Most people don’t realize that Jesus relied upon a sense of humor to spread the word of God, or that several saints were known for playful sarcasm that could evoke belly laughs…Martin’s book suggests numerous ways to foster the strength of gracious good humor and makes a wonderful case for replacing suffering and sadness with an abundance of levity and joy.”
— Booklist -
“Between Heaven and Mirth will make any reader smile, as Father Martin wonderfully writes of the joy that God gives us. Humor and laughter have an important place in the life that God desires for us all.”
— Timothy Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York -
“Not only is this book onto something good, but it is onto something foundational. I have never met a somber believer who does much good for others in the long run. I have met joyous believers who heal, change, and transform the world. Jim Martin will tell you why this true!”
— Richard Rohr, OFM, author of Falling Upward
Between Heaven and Mirth Listener Reviews
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" James Martin is very down to earth. This book gave me a lot to think about. "
— Janet, 2/16/2014 -
" Good book, and it could have used even more humor. "
— John, 2/9/2014 -
" Read a little too much like a text book for me. Some interesting points though. I almost quit, I had to force myself "
— Carmen, 2/6/2014 -
" Enjoyed this look at a joyful God and why levity and humor are great ways for Catholics to live our faith. A great follow up to The Jesuit Guide to Almost Everything. "
— Kim, 1/23/2014 -
" A bit uneven. Some really good parts that made me think deeply about the role that humor plays in my relationship with God, and then some dry parts that were a bit difficult to get through. All in all, a pretty decent book. "
— Chris, 1/7/2014 -
" I think the last couple of chapters were the most valuable parts of this book for me personally. While I liked the book over all, I'm not sure how memorable it will be for me. "
— Laura, 1/5/2014 -
" Why are many clergy and religious folks so serious? Jesuit priest James Martin contends that humor and joy should be at the heart of the spiritual life. His books makes a good case for this premise and is sprinkled with jokes throughout. "
— Kitty, 12/31/2013 -
" This is an OK book. While I'm enamored of the topic, it just never seemed like he got to the heart of the connection that I believe DOES exist between humor and God's spirit moving within us. So ... good, but not great. "
— Birney, 12/6/2013 -
" At first I was getting a little frustrated that it was taking me so long to get through this book. It's a pretty light an accessible read, so others shouldn't fear! It all worked out for the best, though as the later chapters ended up being very applicable to the moments in which I was reading them. "
— Jen, 12/15/2012 -
" Very good read here. Simply written but maintains reader's interest. Has a lot of jokes (corniness warning) but isn't just a joke book--about the need for humor in spirituality. "
— Rachel, 10/17/2012 -
" I appreciated this book. Some of it was redundant and some of the jokes were bad, which explains the three stars, but he brings a necessary perspective to an overly serious topic. But if we're going for Catholic humorists, G.K. Chesterton is definitely the best. "
— Teegan, 9/17/2012 -
" What a great fun read! "
— Marcia, 8/25/2012 -
" A great book about an important facet of spiritual life that may be easily overlooked. Also a good reminder not to take myself and my thoughts so seriously :) "
— Peggy, 8/19/2012 -
" A joyful and humorous read. Also a nice intro or review to different modes of prayer and meditation. "
— David, 7/23/2012 -
" This is a fun book by a fantastic author on the examination of joy and happiness as a part of the Christian tradition. A lot to think about, told in a fun way. I plan on re-reading this one. "
— Val, 5/3/2012
About James Martin
Reverend James Martin, SJ, is a Jesuit priest, editor-at-large of America magazine, and the author of several books, including the New York Times bestseller Jesus. He has written for many publications, including the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, and he is a regular commentator in the national and international media. He has appeared on all the major radio and television networks, as well as in venues ranging from NPR’s Fresh Air, Fox’s O’Reilly Factor, and the PBS NewsHour to Comedy Central’s Colbert Report. Before entering the Jesuit order in 1988, he graduated from the Wharton School of Business and worked for General Electric for six years.