Michael
- 9
- reviews
- 7
- helpful votes
- 17
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Made in Scotland
- My Grand Adventures in a Wee Country
- By: Billy Connolly
- Narrated by: Gordon Kennedy
- Length: 6 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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Billy Connolly may be a citizen of the world, but in his heart he's never been far from his homeland. Made in Scotland is Billy's unique and intimate portrait of his native Scotland, a love letter to the places and people that made him. It's an adventure inspired by a single incident: the moment Billy received his Knighthood and was asked, 'How does it feel to have achieved all this when you came from nothing?' His response was, 'But I did come from something!'
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A little disappointing but still a fan
- By Gillian Shippen on 20-01-2021
- Made in Scotland
- My Grand Adventures in a Wee Country
- By: Billy Connolly
- Narrated by: Gordon Kennedy
Brilliantly Billy!
Reviewed: 31-12-2019
This is a fascinating and, of course, immensely funny look at Billy’s life and connection to his homeland. Although slightly disappointing that Connolly was not up to reading it, Gordon Kennedy’s narration is so good there are times you forget it’s not the Big Yin himself. Billy really opens up in his usual fashion which is to say his honesty and frankness about himself and his life is so refreshing compared to some of the more guarded autobiographies I’ve read. This is a must read (listen!) for anyone who has ever had their funny bone tickled by one of the best comedians the world has ever known.
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Always Look on the Bright Side of Life
- A Sortabiography
- By: Eric Idle
- Narrated by: Eric Idle
- Length: 8 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
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We know him best for his unforgettable roles on Monty Python - from the Flying Circus to The Meaning of Life. Now, Eric Idle reflects on the meaning of his own life in this entertaining memoir that takes us on a remarkable journey from his childhood in an austere boarding school through his successful career in comedy, television, theatre and film.
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Not just an Idle fan
- By Anonymous User on 01-11-2018
- Always Look on the Bright Side of Life
- A Sortabiography
- By: Eric Idle
- Narrated by: Eric Idle
Alt title: Diary of a Self-confessed Name Dropper!
Reviewed: 02-12-2019
Idle confesses up front that he’s going to drop a LOT of famous names throughout his book. Why not I say?!?!?! What a remarkable life Idle has led and when one of your best friends was George Harrison, I think you’re entitled, nay - compelled - to list as many of your “connections” as possible. What’s remarkable about all this is that Idle still seems to view all these celebrities with a certain sense of awe - humbly seeming not to realise he is a bigger celebrity than most of them! This is a very warm, frank and above all human, self-reflection on a life that has had all the ups and downs we’ve come to expect of the “rich and famous” yet Idle never yields to self-pity or (worse still) self-loathing and his infectious sense of humour is ever present throughout. A brilliant book, brilliantly told by the funny man himself. Do NOT miss this one!
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Wednesdays with Bob
- By: Derek Rielly, Bob Hawke
- Narrated by: Jim Daly
- Length: 7 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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On Wednesdays, Robert J. Hawke - Australia's 23rd and oldest living prime minister - has welcomed Derek Rielly into his home to share fine cigars and irreverent conversation. On a sun-soaked balcony, the maverick young writer and the charismatic old master talk life, death, love, sex, religion, politics, sport...and everything in between.
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A worthwhile listen
- By Anonymous User on 11-02-2019
- Wednesdays with Bob
- By: Derek Rielly, Bob Hawke
- Narrated by: Jim Daly
Highly insightful and entertaining.
Reviewed: 02-12-2019
As someone who worked for Bob Hawke in the latter years of his Prime Ministership I found so much of this book brought a wry, warm and familiar smile to my face. I had heard Bob tell many of these “stories” in person but the insights of Rielly were still very enlightening and the questions he put to the great man showed both a deep respect of and admiration for his subject. Excellently narrated by Jim Daly who portrays both protagonists perfectly without the “cartoonish” impersonation of Hawke (and others) we have become used to from TV and radio comedians. Very highly recommended.
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Berlin Diary
- The Journal of a Foreign Correspondent, 1934–1941
- By: William L. Shirer
- Narrated by: Tom Weiner
- Length: 15 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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By the acclaimed journalist and New York Times best-selling author of The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, this day-by-day eyewitness account of the momentous events leading up to World War II in Europe is the private, personal, utterly revealing journal of a great foreign correspondent.
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A little gem about ww2 and human nature
- By raz on 29-09-2017
- Berlin Diary
- The Journal of a Foreign Correspondent, 1934–1941
- By: William L. Shirer
- Narrated by: Tom Weiner
Absolutely brilliant!
Reviewed: 02-12-2019
From the war correspondent who would later write arguably the best book regarding Nazi Germany (The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich) Shirer’s first hand reporting of all he witnessed in the build up to and commencement of WWII is quite remarkable. This was a man in the thick of Nazi activity and propaganda but some of his insights into the mistakes made be Hitler’s opponents are particularly dismaying. Very well read by Tom Weiner, this was a most enjoyable audible book. Very highly recommended.
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The History of the Ancient World
- From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome
- By: Susan Wise Bauer
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 26 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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This is the first volume in a bold new series that tells the stories of all peoples, connecting historical events from Europe to the Middle East to the far coast of China, while still giving weight to the characteristics of each country. Susan Wise Bauer provides both sweeping scope and vivid attention to the individual lives that give flesh to abstract assertions about human history. This narrative history employs the methods of "history from beneath" - literature, epic traditions, private letters, and accounts - to connect kings and leaders with the lives of those they ruled.
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Absorbing, never-dull narration of our history
- By PAS on 18-03-2019
- The History of the Ancient World
- From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome
- By: Susan Wise Bauer
- Narrated by: John Lee
War! What is it good for? Absolutely nothing!
Reviewed: 28-09-2019
My headline for this review is a summary of this book. It’s thorough in one regard for sure. As thorough as it can be in trying to cover thousands of years of human history in just a bit over 26 hours based on the few scraps of writing we have discovered. The problem is it’s just a long story of war and battle which continues to this day. What does that say about humans and our propensity to destroy each other? Sadly, a lot. In all these thousands of years of “civilisation” we have learned precious little. I persisted to the end because I always do but this was hard going and trying to retain much of the ceaseless descriptions of war and the (mostly) men who waged them is quite difficult. Might be better to read this (making use of the maps etc which, though provided with the audio version, are quite useless when you’re listening while driving!) and use it as an undoubtedly invaluable study guide rather than an entertaining listen on the way to and from work!
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The American Civil War
- By: Gary W. Gallagher, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Gary W. Gallagher
- Length: 24 hrs and 37 mins
- Original Recording
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Between 1861 and 1865, the clash of the greatest armies the Western hemisphere had ever seen turned small towns, little-known streams, and obscure meadows in the American countryside into names we will always remember. In those great battles, those streams ran red with blood-and the United States was truly born.
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Excellent but better post-production needed
- By Anonymous User on 05-05-2019
- The American Civil War
- By: Gary W. Gallagher, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Gary W. Gallagher
Brilliant series
Reviewed: 24-06-2019
Professor Gallagher clearly knows his American Civil War history but moreover he reminds us constantly to look to what the people of the times thought and wrote not just what historians have written later. His lectures are laced with quotes taken directly from the letters, documents, books and journals of the people who were living the Civil War not just analysing it with the benefit of hindsight. This is a brilliant series of lectures.
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Confucius, Buddha, Jesus, and Muhammad
- By: Mark W. Muesse, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Mark W. Muesse
- Length: 18 hrs and 56 mins
- Original Recording
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No understanding of human life, individual or collective, could be complete without factoring in the role and contribution of these history-shaping teachers. Now, this 36-lecture series takes you deep into the life stories and legacies of these four iconic figures, revealing the core teachings, and thoughts of each, and shedding light on the historical processes that underlie their phenomenal, enduring impact.
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Excellent course!
- By Michael on 15-05-2015
- Confucius, Buddha, Jesus, and Muhammad
- By: Mark W. Muesse, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Mark W. Muesse
Excellent course!
Reviewed: 15-05-2015
A most enjoyable course of discovery about these amazing men and their teachings. The lectures are interesting, informative and unbiased. As a person of no religious persuasion I was interested in learning about the men who have shaped humanity without the secularism often associated with this subject. I was very pleasantly relieved to discover a lecturer with the ability to approach this course with an analytical mind without losing the "humanism" that any discussion of these four incredible human beings deserves. Brilliantly done!
7 people found this helpful
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The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich
- A History of Nazi Germany
- By: William L. Shirer
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 57 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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Since its publication in 1960, William L. Shirer’s monumental study of Hitler’s German empire has been widely acclaimed as the definitive record of the 20th century’s blackest hours. The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich offers an unparalleled and thrillingly told examination of how Adolf Hitler nearly succeeded in conquering the world. With millions of copies in print around the globe, it has attained the status of a vital and enduring classic.
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Outstanding!
- By Tigershark on 05-07-2014
- The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich
- A History of Nazi Germany
- By: William L. Shirer
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
A brilliant study of humankind's darkest regime.
Reviewed: 22-03-2015
William L Shirer not only had remarkable access to the documents and diaries of Hitler's Nazi regime but actually experienced first hand as well. This personal insight makes this much more than an academic dissertation on this horrendous period in human history. In Shirer's narrative you can really feel the exasperation and despair of those watching on as the 20th century's worst megalomaniac tore the world apart and ultimately brought himself and his people to ruin.
The fall of Hitler's Third Reich is a favourite subject of so many movies and documentaries but what was particularly interesting was Shirer's insight into how Hitler managed to get to the place where he could wreak the havoc that was WW II. His brutal indictment of the actions, and mostly inactions, of the nations that would eventually become allied against Hitler, that could have and should have stopped Hitler in his tracks long before millions and millions of innocent people lost their lives, was a real eye-opener.
Very well read by Grover Gardner who maintains this strong but very long narrative with great tone and inflection.
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Steve Jobs
- The Exclusive Biography
- By: Walter Isaacson
- Narrated by: Dylan Baker, Walter Isaacson (introduction)
- Length: 25 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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In Steve Jobs: The Exclusive Biography, Walter Isaacson provides an extraordinary account of Jobs' professional and personal life. Drawn from three years of exclusive and unprecedented interviews Isaacson has conducted with Jobs as well as extensive interviews with Jobs' family members and key colleagues from Apple and its competitors, this is the definitive portrait of the greatest innovator of his generation.
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Fantastic story
- By JPD on 13-06-2019
- Steve Jobs
- The Exclusive Biography
- By: Walter Isaacson
- Narrated by: Dylan Baker, Walter Isaacson (introduction)
The definitive work on Steve Jobs
Reviewed: 22-03-2015
Given how difficult it must have been to get close to Steve Jobs, Isaacson's access to him, and his remarkable relationship with him over many years, means nobody will ever have been in a better position to write a biography of one of the most remarkable men of our times. It helps that Isaacson is a great writer with a high sense of objectivity. A great read (listen!). Very well narrated too.