michael
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The Closing of the American Mind
- By: Allan Bloom
- Narrated by: Christopher Hurt
- Length: 14 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 589
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 441
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 431
In one of the most important books of our time, Allan Bloom, a professor of social thought at the University of Chicago and a noted translator of Plato and Rousseau, argues that the social and political crisis of 20th-century America is really an intellectual crisis.
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5 out of 5 stars
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VERY IMPORTANT WORK!
- By Douglas on 06-29-10
- The Closing of the American Mind
- By: Allan Bloom
- Narrated by: Christopher Hurt
Must read book; distracting audio recording
Reviewed: 01-02-21
This audiobook recording is plagued by what sounds like an unintended second track that bleeds in and out at the level of background noise. Given the often heady nature of Bloom's writing, the background noise is quite distracting.
The book itself is an entertaining form of true education; both in politics, history, philosophy, and a masterful use of the English language. I found the preface and introduction sections to be pedantic and at first doubted the value of listening to the following 14 hours of audio. But the book itself is quite good, particularly if you are interested in a very intelligent person's description of the de-evolution of the university-societal complex since the 1960's. If you are well aware of the horrific state of America today (January 1, 2021) and want to understand (on a level higher than Levin/Savage/diSouza/Shapiro) how we got here, I highly recommend Bloom's book -- but not this edition of the audiobook.
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1 person found this helpful
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Radical Chic and Mau-Mauing the Flak Catchers
- By: Tom Wolfe
- Narrated by: Harold N. Cropp
- Length: 4 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 354
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 305
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 301
In "Radical Chic", Wolfe focuses primarily on one symbolic event: a gathering of the politically correct at Leonard Bernstein’s duplex apartment on Park Avenue to meet spokesmen of the Black Panther Party. He re-creates the incongruous scene - and its astonishing repercussions - with high fidelity. In the companion essay, Wolfe travels west to San Francisco to survey another meeting-ground between militant minorities and the liberal white establishment. "Mau-Mauing the Flak Catchers" deals with the newly emerging art of confrontation, as practiced by San Francisco’s militant minorities.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Outstanding
- By michael on 01-05-14
- Radical Chic and Mau-Mauing the Flak Catchers
- By: Tom Wolfe
- Narrated by: Harold N. Cropp
Outstanding
Reviewed: 01-05-14
What did you love best about Radical Chic and Mau-Mauing the Flak Catchers?
This brilliantly told piece of history is one that no doubt many power people hope you'll never find out about. Wolfe's writing is so rich with humor and insight, and the narration is so good, you'll think you're watching a play.
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9 people found this helpful
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The Real Crash
- America's Coming Bankruptcy - How to Save Yourself and Your Country
- By: Peter D. Schiff
- Narrated by: Oliver Wyman
- Length: 12 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 730
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 631
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 629
In The Real Crash, New York Times best-selling author Peter D. Schiff argues that America is enjoying a government-inflated bubble, one that reality will explode... with disastrous consequences for the economy and for each of us. Schiff demonstrates how the infusion of billions of dollars of stimulus money has only dug a deeper hole: The United States government simply spends too much and does not collect enough money to pay its debts, and in the end, Americans from all walks of life will face a crushing consequence.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Important Book with Somewhat Misleading Title
- By John on 07-08-12
- The Real Crash
- America's Coming Bankruptcy - How to Save Yourself and Your Country
- By: Peter D. Schiff
- Narrated by: Oliver Wyman
This Book is Brilliant
Reviewed: 09-12-13
Would you listen to The Real Crash again? Why?
No, but I will definitely read the paper book and make notes.
What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?
It is an eye-opening education that you will find almost nowhere else.
Did the narration match the pace of the story?
Too bad the question doesn't match the context of the book. There is no story. But the narration is not very good. Technically, the voice over work is not bad in terms of sound recording, but the pacing and affectation are all over the place as if there was no director or adult supervision in the recording sessions. It's really too bad Schiff didn't bother to record this himself. He has countless hours of media experience, and it would have been an outstanding product in his own voice.
If you could give The Real Crash a new subtitle, what would it be?
Read this while you still can.
Any additional comments?
Read this while you still can.
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Fate of the States
- The New Geography of American Prosperity
- By: Meredith Whitney
- Narrated by: Jo Anna Perrin
- Length: 6 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall3.5 out of 5 stars 48
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 39
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Story3.5 out of 5 stars 40
One of the most respected voices on Wall Street, Meredith Whitney shot to global prominence in 2007 when her warnings of a looming crisis in the financial sector proved all too prescient. Now, in her first book, she expands upon her biggest call since the financial crisis. Whitney offers a sobering vision of the next few decades, with the coastal states continuing to struggle while the central corridor (Texas to North Dakota) continues to thrive. Whitney also offers practical ideas to help the struggling parts of the country - before the fate of the states becomes irreversible.
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2 out of 5 stars
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Too obviously political
- By Laura on 09-19-13
- Fate of the States
- The New Geography of American Prosperity
- By: Meredith Whitney
- Narrated by: Jo Anna Perrin
Excellent Information; Awful Narration
Reviewed: 09-12-13
What did you love best about Fate of the States?
Information is excellent
What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?
Awful narration
What didn’t you like about Jo Anna Perrin’s performance?
It stopped, eventually.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
No, just cringe
Any additional comments?
For those really interested in the subject, I recommend the paper version. You'll want the numbers, anyway, and will spare yourself hours of painful narration. It's really too bad more authors don't narrate their own books; especially those with a good deal of experience in the media.
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