Between Heaven and Mirth

Why Joy, Humor, and Laughter Are at the Heart of the Spiritual Life

By: James Martin

Narrated by: James Martin

“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.

Oh Joy!

A great listen. We all need to keep joy in our mundane and spiritual lives.

Joyful reading!

I just love reading and listening to Fr. Martin, who is funny, fun, and both a great writer and narrator! Not only did I learn a lot about joy in faith and a variety of religions, but I gained a lot of joy from reading this book! Recommended to everyone who needs a little joy in their lives!

Great Perspective

A well balanced, easy to listen to and useful perception. It focuses on the important things in life for when we get bogged down by gloom and drudgery. A simple and clear perspective about choices we have in life.
I feel richer for having taken in this book.
Well done, Jim.

Uplifting

Would you consider the audio edition of Between Heaven and Mirth to be better than the print version?

James Martin SJ provides a thoughtful analysis of why humor appears to be missing from the Bible, how to find it by adjusting your cultural perspective and the importance of mirth in religion.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Between Heaven and Mirth?

How animals in sack cloth are a hilarious image in the story of Jonah.

What does James Martin bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

It is always nice to hear the author's voice, particularly when listening to a joke where timing is crucial.

What a great audible!

One of my favorite audibles so far. Went above and beyond my expectations. :)

James Martin's voice was a great pair for his book's words. (I know that sounds like it should always be the case, but it hasn't been with some other audibles I've listened to.)

Really easy listen, yet a very insightful listen.