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- 40
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- helpful votes
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- ratings
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Food: A Cultural Culinary History
- Written by: Ken Albala, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Ken Albala
- Length: 18 hrs and 22 mins
- Original Recording
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Eating is an indispensable human activity. As a result, whether we realize it or not, the drive to obtain food has been a major catalyst across all of history, from prehistoric times to the present. Epicure Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin said it best: "Gastronomy governs the whole life of man."
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Amazing
- By tc on 2018-11-17
- Food: A Cultural Culinary History
- Written by: Ken Albala, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Ken Albala
really worthwhile course !
Reviewed: 2021-02-11
great course that I would highly recommend. the instructor is not only extremely knowledgeable, but also accessible and engaging. food and culture are so inextricably linked that so much of the material in this course is great for general knowledge and also remains relevant to our everyday lives. definitely a good listen for people interested in history, culture, and gastronomy.
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Alaric the Goth
- An Outsider's History of the Fall of Rome
- Written by: Douglas Boin
- Narrated by: Chris MacDonnell
- Length: 8 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
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Denied citizenship by the Roman Empire, a soldier named Alaric changed history by unleashing a surprise attack on the capital city of an unjust empire. Stigmatized and relegated to the margins of Roman society, the Goths were violent "barbarians" who destroyed "civilization," at least in the conventional story of Rome's collapse. But a slight shift of perspective brings their history, and ours, shockingly alive.
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only okay...
- By A on 2021-02-06
- Alaric the Goth
- An Outsider's History of the Fall of Rome
- Written by: Douglas Boin
- Narrated by: Chris MacDonnell
only okay...
Reviewed: 2021-02-06
I chose this book as it seemed well reviewed and a new take on the famous fall of Rome. That said I was not a huge fan for the following reasons :
- the author's objective is clear to change the narrative that the Roman Empire is seen as the 'good guys'. That said he does not present a more balanced account, he just flips the script with the Romans seemingly being all bad and the Goths being a tolerant and good people. He also seems to judge the Romans very harshly by modern standards of pluralism.
- as the author admits at the start, there are major gaps in the information about Alaric's life. So it feels to me as not a story about him, but a story about this time in the Roman Empire with random facts and assumptions about Alaric.
- I found the author's tendency to jump around in time to make this book difficult to follow especially in audio form.
To summarize this is not a bad book, but it is not one I really enjoyed or would recommend
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Putin: Prisoner of Power
- Written by: Misha Glenny
- Length: 2 hrs and 45 mins
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On New Year’s Eve 1999, a young Vladimir Putin appeared on Russian TV screens — awkward, self-conscious... and the new President. Two decades later, Putin is still in power, standing self-assured and at ease on the world stage. How did a once little known KGB bureaucrat become one of the most dominant figures of twenty first century politics? In this gripping narrative history, Misha Glenny, journalist and best-selling author of McMafia, tells the story of an unexpected and swift rise to power — one full of political intrigue, backroom deals, courtroom battles and war.
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Never thought I wanted to know
- By Anonymous User on 2020-02-26
- Putin: Prisoner of Power
- Written by: Misha Glenny
good reporting
Reviewed: 2021-01-18
interesting and important story. worth the listen for sure. very easy time commitment needed
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A Promised Land
- Written by: Barack Obama
- Narrated by: Barack Obama
- Length: 29 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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In the stirring, highly anticipated first volume of his presidential memoirs, Barack Obama tells the story of his improbable odyssey from young man searching for his identity to leader of the free world, describing in strikingly personal detail both his political education and the landmark moments of the first term of his historic presidency - a time of dramatic transformation and turmoil.
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I wanted to love this eAudiobook so much more
- By Laurie ‘The Baking Bookworm’ on 2020-12-19
- A Promised Land
- Written by: Barack Obama
- Narrated by: Barack Obama
the room where it happens...
Reviewed: 2021-01-17
I'm not a fan of political biographies or autobiographies, so I was not sure what I would think of this. Overall it is a great book, well written with awesome narration from Obama himself. That said a few minor notes are
- it does a bit of his pre - politics history which was not my favourite.
- very detailed! This long book only ends at the Osama raid in 2011 and will be followed by a entire second volume.
-this book is good for a behind the scenes look at presidential decision making and as such is very political, so be careful if you have no interest in politics.
Overall, as long as you know what you are getting into, this is a great book! Thank you Mr. Obama for setting such a good example for our leaders.
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The Other Side of History: Daily Life in the Ancient World
- Written by: Robert Garland, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Robert Garland
- Length: 24 hrs and 28 mins
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Look beyond the abstract dates and figures, kings and queens, and battles and wars that make up so many historical accounts. Over the course of 48 richly detailed lectures, Professor Garland covers the breadth and depth of human history from the perspective of the so-called ordinary people, from its earliest beginnings through the Middle Ages.
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Loved it!
- By Trent T on 2018-10-29
- The Other Side of History: Daily Life in the Ancient World
- Written by: Robert Garland, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Robert Garland
awesome lecture series
Reviewed: 2020-12-15
This is really a great lecture series that would be of interest to anybody who appreciates history or the grand scale of the human experience. The lecturer is both erudite and engaging. The only thing to warn of is there is no reference to eastern societies (Chineses, Japanese, Mongol, etc) it sticks to more well known ones (Egyptian, Greek, Roman etc.).
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If It Bleeds
- Written by: Stephen King
- Narrated by: Will Patton, Danny Burstein, Steven Weber
- Length: 15 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
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From number-one New York Times best-selling author, legendary storyteller, and master of short fiction Stephen King comes an extraordinary collection of four new and compelling novellas - Mr. Harrigan's Phone, The Life of Chuck, Rat, and the title story If It Bleeds - each pulling you into intriguing and frightening places.
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Narration is captivating!
- By Catherine L on 2020-06-25
- If It Bleeds
- Written by: Stephen King
- Narrated by: Will Patton, Danny Burstein, Steven Weber
a mixed bag
Reviewed: 2020-10-09
Mr. Harrigan's Phone - okay, but nothing special
The Life of Chuck - great story. one of the best short stories I have heard from King. some very cool ideas.
if it Bleeds- a continuation of the storyline from Mr Mercedes. I did not like that book, andwas not a fan of this story.
Rat- really great storytelling. classic King here!
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Pale Rider
- The Spanish Flu of 1918 and How It Changed the World
- Written by: Laura Spinney
- Narrated by: Paul Hodgson
- Length: 10 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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With a death toll of between 50 and 100 million people and a global reach, the Spanish flu of 1918–1920 was the greatest human disaster. And yet, in our popular conception it exists largely as a footnote to World War I. Laura Spinney recounts the story of an overlooked pandemic, tracing it from Alaska to Brazil, from Persia to Spain and from South Africa to Odessa. She shows how the pandemic was shaped by the interaction of a virus and the humans it encountered, and how this devastating natural experiment put both the ingenuity and the vulnerability of humans to the test.
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decent book
- By A on 2020-09-14
- Pale Rider
- The Spanish Flu of 1918 and How It Changed the World
- Written by: Laura Spinney
- Narrated by: Paul Hodgson
decent book
Reviewed: 2020-09-14
Good book, without being great. As mentioned by other reviewers, this book does not go in chronological order but jumps around in time depending on what each chapter is about. this can be a bit confusing, but still overall a decent listen.
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The Black Death: The World's Most Devastating Plague
- Written by: Dorsey Armstrong, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Dorsey Armstrong
- Length: 12 hrs and 10 mins
- Original Recording
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Many of us know the Black Death as a catastrophic event of the medieval world. But the Black Death was arguably the most significant event in Western history, profoundly affecting every aspect of human life, from the economic and social to the political, religious, and cultural. In its wake the plague left a world that was utterly changed, forever altering the traditional structure of European societies and forcing a rethinking of every single system of Western civilization: food production and trade, the church, political institutions, law, art, and more.
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A Great Educational Listen
- By shalot on 2018-06-12
- The Black Death: The World's Most Devastating Plague
- Written by: Dorsey Armstrong, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Dorsey Armstrong
great lecture series!
Reviewed: 2020-09-14
When I first saw this lecture series, I thought it would be hours of dry academic lessons. That could not be further from the truth. The teacher is young and enthusiastic which makes the lessons always interesting. The length of each of them (about 30 mins) is perfect for being able to dive into a topic but not too long that it's overly burdensome. Overall great subject matter that is all the more relevant due to our current pandemic. Definitely recommend.
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The Stranger in the Woods
- The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit
- Written by: Michael Finkel
- Narrated by: Mark Bramhall
- Length: 6 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
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For readers and listeners of Jon Krakauer and The Lost City of Z, a remarkable tale of survival and solitude - the true story of a man who lived alone in a tent in the Maine woods, never talking to another person and surviving by stealing supplies from nearby cabins for 27 years.
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FASCINATING!!!!
- By Allison Dewar on 2018-09-13
- The Stranger in the Woods
- The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit
- Written by: Michael Finkel
- Narrated by: Mark Bramhall
Good, but not without its problems (SPOLIERS)
Reviewed: 2020-06-19
This is a very interesting story, but should not be mistaken for a traditional ‘survival’ story. It is most relevant for relating how a person could live without human contact for decades. Although this was no small feat of survival, the fact the so many supplies were stolen from cabins, mitigates that aspect of the story. It is clear that Knight likely has some different mental make-up which ensures that he is fine without human contact, but also very difficult to interact with (as the author found out). And this relationship is where I have my objections...
I was originally going to give this story a higher rating, but the actions of the author near the end I find to be very bothersome. I get that he wants to explore the reasons behind Knight’s unusual lifestyle, but he then seems to forget the some of the main points of Knight’s lifestyle were that he had complete autonomy and privacy. Knight could easily have died any winter day, but the author seems to be completely dismayed by the fact that he may one day make the choice to kill himself by going back outside. Similarly, Knight repeatedly asks to be left alone, and the author just disregards these requests. I will now do what the author seems to have difficulty doing and leave this story (and Knight himself) alone.
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The Origins of Political Order: From Prehuman Times to the French Revolution
- Written by: Francis Fukuyama
- Narrated by: Jonathan Davis
- Length: 22 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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Virtually all human societies were once organized tribally, yet over time most developed new political institutions which included a central state that could keep the peace and uniform laws that applied to all citizens. Some went on to create governments that were accountable to their constituents. We take these institutions for granted, but they are absent or are unable to perform in many of today’s developing countries—with often disastrous consequences for the rest of the world.
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Cannot possibly retain the info... waste of $$
- By Nick on 2019-05-02
- The Origins of Political Order: From Prehuman Times to the French Revolution
- Written by: Francis Fukuyama
- Narrated by: Jonathan Davis
Great but, not great format
Reviewed: 2020-06-18
I love this book and Fukuyama's ideas and writing, but due to length and the material covered, I do not believe it is well served as an audio book. I recommend getting the paper version for reading.