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The Beautiful Brain
- Length: 3 hrs and 40 mins
- Categories: Health & Wellness, Physical Illness & Disease
Non-member price: $30.38
Publisher's Summary
Winner of the Silver Sports Podcast award at the 2020 British Podcast Awards
This is a story about the beautiful game – football. (Or soccer, as it's known in Australia). The highs, the lows, historic match days and foul play. It’s a celebration of a beloved player, a history maker, and his tragic ending at the final whistle. It’s a story about science and discovery, about the people on the frontline of life changing research.
But above all it’s a story about family, and about consequence.
All of this is wrapped up in three little letters, C.T.E.
A four part investigative documentary from multi-award winning producer Hana Walker-Brown (Audio Production Awards Best Documentary [Winner, 2017, 2016], Prix Europa [Nominee, 2018, 2017, 2015], Åke Blomström Prize [Winner, 2015] Hearsay International Audio Arts Award [Nominee, 2014] and Charles Parker Prize Gold Award [Winner, 2013]) The Beautiful Brain looks at the devastating effects of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) – a degenerative brain disease found in people who’ve suffered severe or repeated blows to the head.
Beginning with the story of FA Cup winner Jeff Astle, the podcast expands outwards looking at the widows, daughters and families who are left fighting for answers following the death of their loved ones. As the series progresses Hana’s investigation leads her from Britain’s football pitches to support groups for victims of domestic violence and beyond, sparking a vital discussion about accountability and the urgent need for further scientific studies into CTE.
This is an Audible Original Podcast. Free for members. You can download all 4 episodes to your Library now.
What listeners say about The Beautiful Brain
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Anonymous User
- 19-06-2019
Intense story
Intense. I had no idea about this. What's even worse was the kick back from people who wanted the research to be rescinded. Terrible.
5 people found this helpful
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- Pash Afaridan
- 12-11-2019
Eye opening. I'm loving documentary audiobooks
If your not into soccer then just work your way through the first 20 mins; but a very enjoyable book after that. The first 20 mins is still required to connect (emotionally) with the person and family, and what they had to go through.
2 people found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 08-10-2019
Worth a listen
Great. Emotional, eye opening and informative. If you love to play sport it's worth a listen. If you're interested in the brain or degenerative diseases this opens the door to CTE.
2 people found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 07-10-2019
valid, groundbreaking takes guts
i found this book compelling and challenging. we are the sum total of our brain
2 people found this helpful
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- the Chandlers
- 10-07-2019
fascinating, heart breaking, eye opening!
amazing story and intellectually satisfying as well. highly recommend for medics and sports fans (Or their families)
2 people found this helpful
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- Emma Peel
- 14-03-2020
Found this story so compelling I need to know more
It was equal in empathy and research. the interviews were balanced between both to give multiple aspects to frame the topic of CTE. well written, constructed and read. loved it
1 person found this helpful
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- AMM
- 28-02-2020
Excellent doco
I've told many people about this. Such a well paced written investigation. I'd love to listen to more work by this author. Really useful information.
1 person found this helpful
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- Clayts
- 07-08-2019
A brilliant listening Documentary.
Every human being should listen and heed this documentary. our children's lives depend on it.
1 person found this helpful
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- Shona
- 21-01-2021
Insightful and beautifully told
An amazingly told story of the link between brain injury and dementia. Haunting and sad but Well worth the listen..
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- Diane Johnson
- 29-11-2020
intriguing
Enjoyed it very much. Loved the narration. My only criticism is it is a bit repetitive.
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- M.G.
- 02-05-2019
Excellent Moving Story
This is excellent. True story that moved me to tears. Told with compassion and respect I think this will stay with me for years to come.
2 people found this helpful
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- Alexander
- 03-06-2019
A Paper Thin Jeff Astle Biography
Largely disappointed (although I a greatly appreciate that it's free). More like a 3 and a half hour radio discussion
1 person found this helpful
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- S Stevenson
- 29-04-2019
Amazing
Absolutely loving this series so far! It’s very well put together and you really do get immersed into the story. Highly recommended
1 person found this helpful
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- Mosstin Powers
- 22-04-2019
Outstanding
An horrific tale compellingly told. Free stones left unturned in the telling. The Astle family come across as incredibly stoical and proud people. A shame perhaps that Gordon Taylor's utter indifference to the Astle's story wasn't emphasised more. Brilliantly researched and written.
4 people found this helpful
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- Nina S.
- 09-12-2020
this could have been good
this could have been a good podcast (what an interesting topic!) but was completely ruined with the dramatic music and a load of pseudophilosophical jibberish that was absolutely unnecessary and was only making this sound cheap.
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- Rachel S.
- 29-10-2020
Interesting and emotive.
Excellent explanations of a complex issue. Wonderfully narrated by the author with incredibly emotive interviews. Highlights the important topic of brain injury stemming from trauma. Interesting to anyone with a love of football or, like me, interested in brain trauma. Brilliant.
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- Voyager
- 01-10-2020
Poignant, Penetrating and Powerful
I appreciated the research that had gone into bringing this multifaceted issue to our attention. Having multiple viewpoints ensured that the message encompassed the maximum number of the listening public. The writer's storytelling made it humane and touching. And, for a medical condition with such a devastating prognosis, the story left me with hope that this is something we can stop dead in its tracks. Just do one thing.
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- lisa stanley
- 30-06-2020
not what I thought would be. moving story!!
I thought this wascdome kind of mindfulness podcast as called beautiful brain. downloaded it quick to listen to whole I walked the dogs. when football came on i thought...oh no. carried on listening an i thought was brilliant! very moving story. so glad I downloaded it.
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- Ellie Mac
- 23-06-2020
interesting
got bored half way through with bits keep being repeated. I think it would have been better over 2 episodes
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- 3ripul A
- 13-06-2020
very enlightening!
I'm looking forward to sharing this knowledge with my students and my local community.
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