Audiobooks narrated by Al Kessel

Disney and Philosophy: Truth, Trust, and a Little Bit of Pixie Dust

Take a magic carpet ride through Disney's wonderful world of films and entertainment experiences, and discover the wisdom within its most popular and enduring stories. Philosophy begins in wonder, and there's no question that Disney's immersive worlds and iconic characters have enchanted generations of children and adults alike, inviting us to escape the mundane into a world of fantasy, imagination, and infinite possibility. In Disney and Philosophy, essays from thirty-two deep-thinking Disneyphiles chart a course through the philosophical world of Disney, tapping into the minds of the great sages of the ages-Plato, Aristotle, Confucius, Descartes, and Goofy-to explore universal questions of freedom, personal identity, morality, family, and friendship: Can Sleeping Beauty know that she's not dreaming? Does turning our emotions and memories 'inside out' tell us who we are? What can Toy Story and Wall-E teach us about being human? Is hakuna matata really such a problem-free philosophy? If you've ever asked who you are, what is right, or what your purpose is, Disney and Philosophy will spark your curiosity and imagination with a whole new world of unexpected insight into the Magic Kingdom.

Richard Davis, William Irwin (Author), Al Kessel, Emily Ellet (Narrator)

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The Life and Times of Ward Kimball: Maverick of Disney Animation

In this engaging, cradle-to-grave biography, award-winning author Todd James Pierce explores the life of Ward Kimball, a lead Disney animator who worked on characters such as Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Jiminy Cricket, and the Mad Hatter. Through unpublished excerpts from Kimball's personal writing, material from unpublished interviews, and new information based on interviews conducted by the author, Pierce defines the life of perhaps the most influential animator of the twentieth century. As well as contributing to classics such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Pinocchio, from the late 1940s to the early 1970s, Kimball established a highly graphic, idiosyncratic approach to animation alongside the studio's more recognizable storybook realism. In effect, Ward Kimball became the only animator to run his own in-studio production team largely outside of Walt Disney's direction. Through Kimball, the studio developed a series of nonfiction animation programs in the 1950s that members of Congress pointed to as paving the way for NASA. The studio also allowed Kimball's work to abandon some ties to conventional animation, looking instead to high art and graphic design as a means of creating new animated forms, which resulted in films that received multiple Academy Award nominations and two awards.

Todd James Pierce (Author), Al Kessel (Narrator)

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The Cries of Jesus from the Cross: A Fulton Sheen Anthology

As death approaches, the human heart speaks its greatest words of love to those it holds most dear. So it was with Jesus who in His final hours gave us seven last 'words' rich with spiritual meaning for every human soul. For the first time ever, Archbishop Fulton Sheen's complete writings and reflections on Christ's last words have been compiled into this one book. Sheen shows how the seven words are, in fact, a full catechism on the spiritual life. From them, you'll learn the secrets to living the Beatitudes, ways to avoid the deadly vices of anger, envy, lust, and pride, and how to cultivate the heavenly virtues of fortitude, prudence, justice, and charity. Few books are such an inspiring call to sanctity, and few books are such a spiritual powerhouse. With Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen as your guide, you'll also learn: why, during His Passion, Jesus never proclaimed his innocence; why Jesus appealed to His Father to forgive, but did not Himself forgive directly; what Jesus's third word from the Cross says about lust; why, like Jesus, the most innocent among us must suffer; why darkness covered the earth after Jesus spoke his fourth word; the seven words spoken unto Jesus while He hung on the Cross and what they reveal about the impact of Christ's Passion on your soul; and much more.

Fulton J. Sheen (Author), Al Kessel (Narrator)

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The Only Answer Is Prayer: An Intimate Walk with God into the Miraculous

Prayer is more than important-it's vital. We have to do more than just want God to move in our lives, our families, our nation, and the world. We must actively seek him in prayer! When we call out to God, he hears us, is with us, and helps us. Prayer is never an interruption but always an invitation. God invites us to go deeper in the place of prayer. Using practical teaching and moving testimonies, these Deeper Fellowship Church pastors will help you hunger to partner with God and discover greater intimacy with Christ; boost your strength to pray till you see results; position yourself to be part of the greatest outpouring of the Spirit the world has ever seen; and agree with heaven to see the plans and purposes of God become reality on the earth. God doesn't want you to drown in unanswered prayer, but to walk in authority and to experience his best. You can connect with God right now and experience the life-changing power of his presence with you through prayer.

Caleb Grant, Jason Mcmullen, William Mcdowell (Author), Al Kessel (Narrator)

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Tullahoma: The Forgotten Campaign that Changed the Civil War, June 23 - July 4, 1863

July 1863 was a momentous month in the Civil War. News of Gettysburg and Vicksburg electrified the North and devastated the South. Sandwiched geographically between those victories and lost in the heady tumult of events was news that William S. Rosecrans's Army of the Cumberland had driven Braxton Bragg's Army of Tennessee entirely out of Middle Tennessee. The brilliant campaign nearly cleared the state of Rebels and changed the calculus of the Civil War in the Western Theater. Despite its decisive significance, few people even today know of these events. The publication of Tullahoma: The Forgotten Campaign that Changed the Course of the Civil War, June 23-July 4, 1863 by award-winning authors David A. Powell and Eric J. Wittenberg, forever rectifies that oversight. Powell and Wittenberg mined hundreds of archival and firsthand accounts to craft a splendid study of this overlooked campaign that set the stage for the Battles of Chickamauga and Chattanooga, the removal of Rosecrans and Bragg from the chessboard of war, the elevation of Ulysses S. Grant to command all Union armies, and the early stages of William T. Sherman's Atlanta Campaign. Tullahoma-one of the most brilliantly executed major campaigns of the war-was pivotal to Union success in 1863 and beyond. And now listeners will know precisely why.

David A. Powell, Eric J. Wittenberg (Author), Al Kessel (Narrator)

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Psychology, Theology, and Spirituality in Christian Counseling

The American Association of Christian Counselors and Tyndale House Publishers are committed to ministering to the spiritual needs of people. This book is part of the professional series that offers counselors the latest techniques, theory, and general information that is vital to their work. While many books have tried to integrate theology and psychology, this book takes another step and explores the importance of the spiritual disciplines in psychotherapy, helping counselors to integrate the biblical principles of forgiveness, redemption, restitution, prayer, and worship into their counseling techniques. Since its first publication in 1996, this book has quickly become a contemporary classic-a go-to handbook for integrating what we know is true from the disciplines of theology and psychology and how that impacts your daily walk with God. This book will help you integrate spiritual disciplines-such as prayer, Scripture reading, confession-into your own life and into counseling others.

Mark R. Mcminn (Author), Al Kessel (Narrator)

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Chasing Contentment: Trusting God in a Discontented Age

We're all searching for contentment. Whether it's in relationships, families, jobs, finances, or something else entirely, we all want to be happy and fulfilled. And yet, all too often we find ourselves disappointed with what God has given us. But the apostle Paul says that he learned the secret of being content in any and every situation. Is this level of contentment possible for believers today? In this immensely practical book, Erik Raymond teaches us what contentment is (the inward gracious spirit that joyfully rests in God's providence) and how we can learn it through the same Holy Spirit who was in Paul. Wisely and winsomely, this book helps us discover the key to contentment, encouraging us to trust in God rather than our circumstances, no matter what life brings our way.

Erik Raymond (Author), Al Kessel (Narrator)

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Social Intelligence: The New Science of Success

Karl Albrecht defines social intelligence (SI) as the ability to get along well with others while winning their cooperation. SI is a combination of sensitivity to the needs and interests of others, sometimes called your "social radar," an attitude of generosity and consideration, and a set of practical skills for interacting successfully with people in any setting. Social Intelligence provides a highly accessible and comprehensive model for describing, assessing, and developing social intelligence at a personal level. This book is filled with intriguing concepts, enlightening examples, stories, cases, situational strategies, and a self-assessment tool-all designed to help you learn to navigate social situations more successfully.

Karl Albrecht (Author), Al Kessel (Narrator)

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Dying and Death: Getting Rightly Prepared for the Inevitable

Can any good come from thinking about death? Our natural tendency is to answer that question no! But what if our meditation on death was informed by a theological understanding of death, a recognition of the comfort Jesus's death affords Christians, and ethical guidance for dealing with death in these complicated days of modern medical developments? Rather than being morbidly unhelpful, authors Joel R. Beeke and Christopher W. Bogosh contend that meditating on dying and death can be profitable, even necessary, for us. Are you prepared to say that your death will be 'gain' (Phil. 1:21)?

Christopher Bogosh, Joel Beeke (Author), Al Kessel (Narrator)

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Lost and Found: How Jesus helped us discover our true selves

There are many paths to lose your way. And only one way to find it. So said Jesus of Nazareth, the most compelling and controversial teacher of all time. This book aims to make sense of his counterintuitive claim: Unless we lose our lives for his sake, we will never discover our true selves. Writers from around the world tell their stories of healing and hope amid many hardships. Joni Eareckson Tada, Sam Allberry, Christopher Yuan, Aixa de Lopez, and many other contributors share how God found them amid many dangers, toils, and snares.

Aixa De Lopez, Bernard N. Howard, Chris Castaldo, Christopher Yuan, Collin Hansen, Jason Cook, Jeff Robinson, Joni Eareckson Tada, Quina Aragon, Sam Allberry, Sam Chan, Vaneetha Rendall Risner (Author), Al Kessel, Ann Richardson (Narrator)

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How an Economy Grows and Why It Crashes: Collector's Edition

Straight answers to every question you've ever had about how the economy works and how it affects your life In this Collector's Edition of their celebrated How an Economy Grows and Why It Crashes, Peter Schiff, economic expert and bestselling author of Crash Proof and The Real Crash, once again teams up with his brother Andrew to spin a lively economic fable that untangles many of the fallacies preventing people from really understanding what drives an economy. The 2010 original has been described as a 'Flintstones' take on economics that entertainingly explains the beauty of free markets. The new edition has been greatly expanded in both quantity and quality. A new introduction and two new chapters bring the story fully up to date. With the help of lively humor and deceptively simple storytelling, the Schiffs bring the complex subjects of inflation, monetary policy, recession, and other important topics in economics down to Earth. The story starts with three guys on an island who barely survive by fishing barehanded. Then one enterprising islander invents a net, catches more fish, and changes the island's economy fundamentally. Using this story the Schiffs apply their signature take-no-prisoners logic to expose the glaring fallacies and gaping holes permeating the global economic conversation.

Andrew J. Schiff, Peter D. Schiff (Author), Al Kessel (Narrator)

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Fungipedia: A Brief Compendium of Mushroom Lore

An illustrated mini-encyclopedia of fungal lore, from John Cage and Terrence McKenna to mushroom sex and fairy rings. Fungipedia presents a delightful A-Z treasury of mushroom lore. With more than 180 entries-on topics as varied as Alice in Wonderland, chestnut blight, medicinal mushrooms, poisonings, Santa Claus, and waxy caps-this collection will transport both general readers and specialists into the remarkable universe of fungi. Combining ecological, ethnographic, historical, and contemporary knowledge, author and mycologist Lawrence Millman discusses how mushrooms are much more closely related to humans than to plants, how they engage in sex, how insects farm them, and how certain species happily dine on leftover radiation, cockroach antennae, and dung. He explores the lives of individuals like African American scientist George Washington Carver, who specialized in crop diseases caused by fungi; Beatrix Potter, creator of Peter Rabbit, who was prevented from becoming a professional mycologist because she was a woman; and Gordon Wasson, a J. P. Morgan vice-president who almost single-handedly introduced the world to magic mushrooms. Millman considers why fungi are among the most significant organisms on our planet and how they are currently being affected by destructive human behavior, including climate change.

Lawrence Millman (Author), Al Kessel (Narrator)

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Audiobooks Narrated by Al Kessel