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The Age of Voltaire
- A History of Civlization in Western Europe from 1715 to 1756, with Special Emphasis on the Conflict between Religion and Philosophy
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 42 hrs and 55 mins
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The Age of Voltaire
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Our Oriental Heritage
- The Story of Civilization, Volume 1
- Written by: Will Durant
- Narrated by: Robin Field
- Length: 50 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 45
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 41
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 42
The first volume of Will Durant's Pulitzer Prize-winning series, Our Oriental Heritage: The Story of Civilization, Volume I chronicles the early history of Egypt, the Middle East, and Asia.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Came here from a Elon Musk's recommendation
- By dursim on 2020-08-12
Written by: Will Durant
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Peter the Great
- His Life and World
- Written by: Robert K. Massie
- Narrated by: Frederick Davidson
- Length: 43 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 33
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 29
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Story5 out of 5 stars 28
This superbly told story brings to life one of the most remarkable rulers––and men––in all of history and conveys the drama of his life and world. The Russia of Peter's birth was very different from the Russia his energy, genius, and ruthlessness shaped. Crowned co-Tsar as a child of ten, after witnessing bloody uprisings in the streets of Moscow, he would grow up propelled by an unquenchable curiosity, everywhere looking, asking, tinkering, and learning, fired by Western ideas.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Well Done
- By Tim on 2023-07-12
Written by: Robert K. Massie
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Empire
- Written by: Niall Ferguson
- Narrated by: Sean Barrett
- Length: 15 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 18
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 16
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 16
The British Empire was the largest in all history: the nearest thing to global domination ever achieved. The world we know today is in large measure the product of Britain's age of empire. The global spread of capitalism, telecommunications, the English language, and the institutions of representative government - all these can be traced back to the extraordinary expansion of Britain's economy, population, and culture from the 17th century until the mid-20th. On a vast and vividly colored canvas, Empire shows how the British Empire acted as midwife to modernity.
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5 out of 5 stars
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great education on British colonialism
- By daniel Froese on 2023-02-03
Written by: Niall Ferguson
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A New World Begins
- The History of the French Revolution
- Written by: Jeremy D. Popkin
- Narrated by: Pete Cross, Jeremy D. Popkin
- Length: 21 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 13
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 11
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 11
The principles of the French Revolution remain the only possible basis for a just society - even if, after more than 200 years, they are more contested than ever before. In A New World Begins, Jeremy D. Popkin offers a riveting account of the revolution that puts the listener in the thick of the debates and the violence that led to the overthrow of the monarchy and the establishment of a new society.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Learned a lot
- By Kathryn Smith on 2023-08-17
Written by: Jeremy D. Popkin
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The Search for Modern China
- Written by: Jonathan D. Spence
- Narrated by: Frederick Davidson
- Length: 36 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 9
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 7
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 7
The history of China is as rich and strange as that of any country on earth. Yet for many, China’s history remains unknown, or known only through the stylized images that generations in the West have cherished or reviled as truth. With his command of character and event - the product of 30 years of research and reflection in the field - Spence dispels those myths in a powerful narrative. Over four centuries of Chinese history, Spence fashions the astonishing story of the effort to achieve a modern China.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Takes some getting used to, but great work.
- By Alexandre Lariviere on 2021-10-28
Written by: Jonathan D. Spence
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Six Days of War
- June 1967 and the Making of the Modern Middle East
- Written by: Michael B. Oren
- Narrated by: Robert Whitfield
- Length: 17 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 39
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 33
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 33
In Israel and the West, it is called the Six Day War. In the Arab world, it is known as the June War or, simply, as "the Setback". Never has a conflict so short, unforeseen, and largely unwanted by both sides so transformed the world. The Yom Kippur War, the war in Lebanon, the Camp David accords, the controversy over Jerusalem and Jewish settlements in the West Bank, the intifada, and the rise of Palestinian terror are all part of the outcome of those six days.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Good non-partisan narrative
- By Wade Robertson on 2023-04-29
Written by: Michael B. Oren
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Our Oriental Heritage
- The Story of Civilization, Volume 1
- Written by: Will Durant
- Narrated by: Robin Field
- Length: 50 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 45
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 41
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 42
The first volume of Will Durant's Pulitzer Prize-winning series, Our Oriental Heritage: The Story of Civilization, Volume I chronicles the early history of Egypt, the Middle East, and Asia.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Came here from a Elon Musk's recommendation
- By dursim on 2020-08-12
Written by: Will Durant
-
Peter the Great
- His Life and World
- Written by: Robert K. Massie
- Narrated by: Frederick Davidson
- Length: 43 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 33
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 29
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 28
This superbly told story brings to life one of the most remarkable rulers––and men––in all of history and conveys the drama of his life and world. The Russia of Peter's birth was very different from the Russia his energy, genius, and ruthlessness shaped. Crowned co-Tsar as a child of ten, after witnessing bloody uprisings in the streets of Moscow, he would grow up propelled by an unquenchable curiosity, everywhere looking, asking, tinkering, and learning, fired by Western ideas.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Well Done
- By Tim on 2023-07-12
Written by: Robert K. Massie
-
Empire
- Written by: Niall Ferguson
- Narrated by: Sean Barrett
- Length: 15 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 18
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 16
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 16
The British Empire was the largest in all history: the nearest thing to global domination ever achieved. The world we know today is in large measure the product of Britain's age of empire. The global spread of capitalism, telecommunications, the English language, and the institutions of representative government - all these can be traced back to the extraordinary expansion of Britain's economy, population, and culture from the 17th century until the mid-20th. On a vast and vividly colored canvas, Empire shows how the British Empire acted as midwife to modernity.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
great education on British colonialism
- By daniel Froese on 2023-02-03
Written by: Niall Ferguson
-
A New World Begins
- The History of the French Revolution
- Written by: Jeremy D. Popkin
- Narrated by: Pete Cross, Jeremy D. Popkin
- Length: 21 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 13
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 11
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 11
The principles of the French Revolution remain the only possible basis for a just society - even if, after more than 200 years, they are more contested than ever before. In A New World Begins, Jeremy D. Popkin offers a riveting account of the revolution that puts the listener in the thick of the debates and the violence that led to the overthrow of the monarchy and the establishment of a new society.
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4 out of 5 stars
-
Learned a lot
- By Kathryn Smith on 2023-08-17
Written by: Jeremy D. Popkin
-
The Search for Modern China
- Written by: Jonathan D. Spence
- Narrated by: Frederick Davidson
- Length: 36 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 9
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 7
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 7
The history of China is as rich and strange as that of any country on earth. Yet for many, China’s history remains unknown, or known only through the stylized images that generations in the West have cherished or reviled as truth. With his command of character and event - the product of 30 years of research and reflection in the field - Spence dispels those myths in a powerful narrative. Over four centuries of Chinese history, Spence fashions the astonishing story of the effort to achieve a modern China.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Takes some getting used to, but great work.
- By Alexandre Lariviere on 2021-10-28
Written by: Jonathan D. Spence
-
Six Days of War
- June 1967 and the Making of the Modern Middle East
- Written by: Michael B. Oren
- Narrated by: Robert Whitfield
- Length: 17 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 39
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 33
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 33
In Israel and the West, it is called the Six Day War. In the Arab world, it is known as the June War or, simply, as "the Setback". Never has a conflict so short, unforeseen, and largely unwanted by both sides so transformed the world. The Yom Kippur War, the war in Lebanon, the Camp David accords, the controversy over Jerusalem and Jewish settlements in the West Bank, the intifada, and the rise of Palestinian terror are all part of the outcome of those six days.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Good non-partisan narrative
- By Wade Robertson on 2023-04-29
Written by: Michael B. Oren
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A Distant Mirror
- The Calamitous Fourteenth Century
- Written by: Barbara W. Tuchman
- Narrated by: Wanda McCaddon
- Length: 28 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 40
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 31
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 33
The 14th century reflects two contradictory images: on the one hand, a glittering time of crusades and castles, cathedrals and chivalry, and the exquisitely decorated Books of Hours; and on the other, a time of ferocity and spiritual agony, a world of chaos and the plague.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Good but missed the mark
- By Alexandre Lariviere on 2021-07-14
Written by: Barbara W. Tuchman
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The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind
- Written by: Julian Jaynes
- Narrated by: James Patrick Cronin
- Length: 16 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 39
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 33
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Story5 out of 5 stars 32
At the heart of this classic, seminal book is Julian Jaynes' still-controversial thesis that human consciousness did not begin far back in animal evolution but instead is a learned process that came about only 3,000 years ago and is still developing. The implications of this revolutionary scientific paradigm extend into virtually every aspect of our psychology, our history and culture, our religion - and indeed our future.
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5 out of 5 stars
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An beautifully crafted theory from a genius
- By Anonymous User on 2018-09-18
Written by: Julian Jaynes
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Joan of Arc
- Written by: Mark Twain
- Narrated by: Michael Anthony
- Length: 15 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 14
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 12
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Story5 out of 5 stars 12
Very few people know that Mark Twain wrote a major work on Joan of Arc. Still fewer know that he considered it not only his most important, but also his best work. He spent 12 years in research and many months in France doing archival work, and then made several attempts until he felt he finally had the story he wanted to tell.
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5 out of 5 stars
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A TRULY AMAZING SOUL!
- By Amazon Customer on 2022-04-29
Written by: Mark Twain
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Postwar: A History of Europe Since 1945
- Written by: Tony Judt
- Narrated by: Ralph Cosham
- Length: 43 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 31
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 28
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Story5 out of 5 stars 28
Almost a decade in the making, this much-anticipated grand history of postwar Europe from one of the world’s most esteemed historians and intellectuals is a singular achievement. Postwar is the first modern history that covers all of Europe, both east and west, drawing on research in six languages to sweep readers through 34 nations and 60 years of political and cultural change—all in one integrated, enthralling narrative.
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2 out of 5 stars
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Good content; terrible narrator
- By Daly Close on 2020-01-30
Written by: Tony Judt
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The One World Schoolhouse
- Education Reimagined
- Written by: Salman Khan
- Narrated by: Salman Khan
- Length: 6 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 9
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 8
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Story5 out of 5 stars 8
A free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere: this is the goal of the Khan Academy, a passion project that grew from an ex-engineer and hedge funder's online tutoring sessions with his niece, who was struggling with algebra, into a worldwide phenomenon. Today millions of students, parents, and teachers use the Khan Academy's free videos and software, which have expanded to encompass nearly every conceivable subject; and Academy techniques are being employed with exciting results....
Written by: Salman Khan
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Foundation
- The History of England from Its Earliest Beginnings to the Tudors: The History of England, Book 1
- Written by: Peter Ackroyd
- Narrated by: Clive Chafer
- Length: 18 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 12
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 11
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 11
In Foundation the chronicler of London and of its river, the Thames, takes us from the primeval forests of England's prehistory to the death of the first Tudor king, Henry VII, in 1509. He guides us from the building of Stonehenge to the founding of the two great glories of medieval England: common law and the cathedrals. He shows us glimpses of the country's most distant past - a Neolithic stirrup found in a grave, a Roman fort, a Saxon tomb, a medieval manor house.
Written by: Peter Ackroyd
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American Caesar
- Douglas MacArthur 1880-1964
- Written by: William Manchester
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 31 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 16
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 13
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Story5 out of 5 stars 13
Virtually all Americans above a certain age hold strong opinions about Douglas MacArthur. They either worship him or despise him. Now, in this superb book, one of our most outstanding writers, after a meticulous three-year examination of the record, presents his startling insights about the man. The narrative is gripping, because the general's life was fascinating. It is moving, because he was a man of vision. It ends, finally, in tragedy, because his character, though majestic, was tragically flawed.
Written by: William Manchester
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The Rising Sun
- The Decline and Fall of the Japanese Empire, 1936-1945
- Written by: John Toland
- Narrated by: Tom Weiner
- Length: 41 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 63
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 48
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Story5 out of 5 stars 48
This Pulitzer Prize-winning history of World War II chronicles the dramatic rise and fall of the Japanese empire, from the invasion of Manchuria and China to the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Told from the Japanese perspective, The Rising Sun is, in the author’s words, "a factual saga of people caught up in the flood of the most overwhelming war of mankind, told as it happened - muddled, ennobling, disgraceful, frustrating, full of paradox."
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5 out of 5 stars
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very well done
- By Frank on 2022-06-10
Written by: John Toland
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You Talkin' to Me?
- How to Write Great Dialogue
- Written by: Linda Seger, John Rainey
- Narrated by: George Newbern
- Length: 5 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 1
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 1
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Story5 out of 5 stars 1
In You Talkin’ to Me?, Seger and Rainey are here to help with all your dialogue problems. In each chapter, they explore dialogue from a different angle and discuss examples of great dialogue from films and novels. To cap it all off, each chapter ends with examples of poor dialogue, which are annotated by Linda and then rewritten by John so that listeners don’t just learn how to recognize when it’s done well - they also learn how to make dialogue better. Whether you’re writing fiction or nonfiction, for the screen or the page, this book will get your characters talking.
Written by: Linda Seger, and others
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The Invention of Surgery
- A History of Modern Medicine: From the Renaissance to the Implant Revolution
- Written by: David Schneider MD
- Narrated by: Peter Noble
- Length: 23 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 7
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 6
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Story4 out of 5 stars 6
Written by an author with plenty of experience holding a scalpel, Dr. David Schneider's in-depth biography is an encompassing history of the practice that has leapt forward over the centuries from the dangerous guesswork of ancient Greek physicians through the world-changing implant revolution of the 20th century.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Good until the end
- By Emily Holmes on 2022-12-17
Written by: David Schneider MD
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The Great Game
- The Struggle for Empire in Central Asia
- Written by: Peter Hopkirk
- Narrated by: Alex Wyndham
- Length: 17 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 18
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 15
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Story5 out of 5 stars 15
The Great Game between Victorian Britain and Tsarist Russia was fought across desolate terrain from the Caucasus to China, over the lonely passes of the Parmirs and Karakorams, in the blazing Kerman and Helmund deserts, and through the caravan towns of the old Silk Road - both powers scrambling to control access to the riches of India and the East. When play first began, the frontiers of Russia and British India lay 2000 miles apart; by the end, this distance had shrunk to 20 miles at some points.
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5 out of 5 stars
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if only history is taught like this in school
- By hsia pai wu on 2023-06-27
Written by: Peter Hopkirk
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The Wealth of Nations
- Written by: Adam Smith
- Narrated by: Gildart Jackson
- Length: 36 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 48
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 39
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 39
The foundation for all modern economic thought and political economy, The Wealth of Nations is the magnum opus of Scottish economist Adam Smith, who introduces the world to the very idea of economics and capitalism in the modern sense of the words.
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5 out of 5 stars
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a must!
- By Bean on 2022-02-17
Written by: Adam Smith
Publisher's Summary
The Age of Voltaire, the ninth volume of The Story of Civilization, is an in-depth examination of France and England in the first half of the 18th century. In this masterful work, listeners will encounter:
- The English ideas that inspired the Enlightenment in France - skepticism, scientific experiment, constitutional government, "natural rights", and individual liberty
- The salons of Paris, where the wits and thinkers of all Europe gathered to exchange ideas
- The philosophers - intellectuals, playwrights, and poets who consulted and consorted with kings and queens
- Voltaire himself - the incarnation of the Enlightenment and a devotee of reason who still defended religious faith
- Mme. Pompadour, patron of the philosophers, who seduced King Louis XV and through him influenced French policy
- The Augustan Age in English literature - Alexander Pope's poetry, Jonathan Swift's satires, and the novels of Samuel Richardson and Henry Fielding
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What listeners say about The Age of Voltaire
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Michael
- 2016-01-06
Voltaire, Frederick, and Bach, Oh My!
This is the 9th book of the 11 book excellent, integrated history, Story of Civilization series. For my review of the series as a whole see my review of “Our Oriental Heritage”. This volume covers 1715 to 1756 in Western Europe including the life and thought of Voltaire, Frederick the Great, Bach, Diderot, and the Encyclopediests. Even if you don’t like reading history, you should give this series a try. This series presents an integrated history of ideas, personalities, and the ebbs and flows of history, and not just dry retellings of events and dates.
The subtleties of the relationship between Voltaire and Frederick is explored, as is the sometimes strained relationships between the Encyclopediests. I have read other histories covering this period but they did not provided as balanced a presentation of these relationships. Much of this volume explores the conflict between religion and philosophy and science. Being an integrated history, the art, science, medicine, rulers, laws, religion, philosophy, and morals of the period are covered.
Wonderfully narrated by Grover Gardner.
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15 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jeff
- 2015-10-21
REAL TREASURE
There are plenty of good books, great books even, then there are books that are so remarkable that they transcend there intended purpose. completing this series has to change your life-why? because it puts everything you know into context which enables you to understand yourself,your community, your government your world and its times. beyond that its just all so fascinating and well written that its hard to imagine anything better. It makes me want to teach history but not the kind of boring trash I was exposed to in school. I try to tell my kids stories from history. At first they dont even want to hear it because history as they have experienced it and as I did is brutally boring- but if i can get them to listen they are fascinated but confused, they always say well why dont we learn cool stuff like that in school??. Good question. It not only saddens me it pisses me off. Anyway this is an outstanding book that could make a history lover out of anyone.
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14 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Arthur Pendragon
- 2015-06-09
The Most Exquisite History Series
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
Definitely. I have read dozens of books on world history, and none compare to the thoroughness, insight into the nature of man via history, and philosophical perspectives and penmanship of Will Durant.
Who was your favorite character and why?
N/A
What about Grover Gardner’s performance did you like?
Excellent narrator. His pace, tone, and inflections seem to communicate the meaning of the author's words in an enthusiastic, effective, and effortless manner.
If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?
N/A
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9 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Gary
- 2016-11-16
Brick by brick story telling
The authors look at the bricks that go into making up the building of civilization (and more so than with the other volumes in the series they mean the 'cultured man' (almost always a man in this telling)). But, sometimes to understand the whole building it's best not to dwell too much on each of the bricks separately as the authors do within this volume.
There is a lack of context for most of the stories told about the people featured in this volume. Very little on the moving pieces that make up Western Europe as a whole. But, with the Durant's one always gets a beautiful turn of phase and deep thoughts thrown in from time to time, "a mob never has reason, but only has feelings". Voltaire, is always interesting: 'the Catholics believe they are eating the body, the Protestants think they are eating both bread and the body, and the Calvinist think they are eating only bread", "is it one person, one nature, and one will, or two persons, one nature, and one will......".
But as with every book in the series there is a weird anachronistic racism or misogynism that lurks around. They should have known better by 1965: 'who can trust a woman on the opinion of another woman". I guess, they think that was a funny line, but why did you put that woman's opinion in the story if you were going to negate her opinion by negating the opinion of all women regarding other women. There's other misogynism in the story, but it wouldn't be the Durants if they didn't have those kind of anachronisms floating within their story.
I don't really need one hour on what they claim was the first English 'novel' "Pamela", and its follow up "Clarissa" each with their multiple volumes by Richardson (as I was thinking during the long summaries about each novel, "Pamela tells nothing, and Clarissa tells it all"), but I really did not need to know what they contained in such excruciating detail. A lot of this Volume shares too much. I didn't think that about the other three volumes I've read in this series.
Sometimes, it's better to ignore the bricks and talk about the building. Also, there is more to Western Europe than just England and France (and just a little bit of Germany, but that's mostly because Voltaire was there. Good gosh, there was a German enlightenment and part of it was taking place during that time). The world is a moving web with interactions beyond just two nodes especially since those nodes exist in the real world. Regretfully, audible doesn't have Paul Hazards "Crisis of the European Mind, 1680-1715". It's a better book, and I would recommend that instead.
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6 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Paul H Aube
- 2017-02-18
Still the degradation of humanity
This part continues to show the conflict between wisdom, religion and secularism. Behind all this is the motivation for wealth, power and the unreachable illusion of freedom and happiness.
Having listened to the series since the beginning, the author presents an excellent continued history of the social developments as population and societies and ethnic groups evolve.
My point of view as of now is that humans are a sorry species. But the Story of Civilization is an excellent gem.
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- SDB Mike
- 2016-01-12
Great book. Great reader.
I have been steadily listening to Durant's entire series for about 18 months. It is an excellent series and fuels further study -- and this is coming from an engineer by education and trade. Durant has only very subtle bias and makes this journey invaluable.
Gardner and Rodnicki (sp?) trade back and forth in the task of narration and are excellent.
Happy listening and learning!
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- KnightT
- 2019-01-30
Voltaire and the expansion of modern philosophy
This work is a change of pace in the Durants’ wonderful history series. It documents Voltaire and the change in European philosophy that led to changes in religion and monarchy in Europe. These changes also influenced those in other countries, including the Americas. I enjoyed this emphasis on philosophy and how it overcame those who tried to suppress fundamental rights that we often take for granted today.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 2019-04-17
Poetry in prose.
The best and most comprehensive overview of European thought and history. The Durants spin wonderful factual stories from history and it's personalities. 5 readings are not enough to digest this multilayered pageant. Especially appreciate inclusion of the Turks and the Persians, so often omitted from European history. Not to mention Poland, Scandinavia, Russia, etc.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Nora
- 2016-04-28
Excellent
Absolutely loved it, I'm looking forward to the next installment. Grover Gardner is an excellent narrator.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Del
- 2023-09-15
My favorite book of my favorite series
Who needs fiction, when the lives of our ancestors are so interesting? If you want a deep dive into every movement of Voltaire’s life, this is not the book for you. But if you want to know how Voltaire became Voltaire, and how he impacted the world and cultures around him, you cannot beat this narrative.
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