Bennie Rosas
- 5
- reviews
- 2
- helpful votes
- 13
- ratings
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The Rise and Fall of Alexandria
- Birthplace of the Modern Mind
- By: Justin Pollard, Howard Reid
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 11 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,034
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 702
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 700
Founded by Alexander the Great and built by self-styled Greek pharaohs, the city of Alexandria at its height dwarfed both Athens and Rome. It was the marvel of its age, legendary for its vast palaces, safe harbors, and magnificent lighthouse. But it was most famous for the astonishing intellectual efflorescence it fostered and the library it produced. If the European Renaissance was the "rebirth" of Western culture, then Alexandria, Egypt, was its birthplace.
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4 out of 5 stars
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A good listen
- By Jeffrey on 10-02-08
- The Rise and Fall of Alexandria
- Birthplace of the Modern Mind
- By: Justin Pollard, Howard Reid
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
Unbelievably Epic
Reviewed: 01-03-21
This is the kind of history that changes my whole world view. It is very nicely written and performed. Each character and moment in this epic history comes alive, in turn, and is subsequently buried by the tragedies that ensure.
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A History of China
- By: Hilda Hookham
- Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
- Length: 11 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall3.5 out of 5 stars 141
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Performance3.5 out of 5 stars 80
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Story3.5 out of 5 stars 82
Trying to squeeze an entire history of Chinese civilization into a brief, one volume account is a formidable task, but one that has succeeded brilliantly here. Hilda Hookham has provided us with a concise story that, while not getting too entangled with personalities and cultural issues, manages to navigate the swirling passage of events that comprise over 3,000 years of Chinese political history.
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2 out of 5 stars
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Audible Can Do Better Than This
- By Kimberly on 04-30-11
- A History of China
- By: Hilda Hookham
- Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
A nice pace for a huge topic
Reviewed: 01-02-21
Oddly boring, given the content matter is pretty spectacular, but the pace of the storytelling has a certain tedium to it. The reader has a great voice and I find the long slow history to be rather pleasant overall.
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The Storm Before the Storm
- The Beginning of the End of the Roman Republic
- By: Mike Duncan
- Narrated by: Mike Duncan
- Length: 10 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 8,978
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 8,045
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 8,001
The Roman Republic was one of the most remarkable achievements in the history of civilization. After its founding in 509 BCE, the Romans refused to allow a single leader to seize control of the state and grab absolute power. The Roman commitment to cooperative government and peaceful transfers of power was unmatched in the history of the ancient world. But by the year 133 BCE, the republican system was unable to cope with the vast empire Rome now ruled.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Interesting, albeit a bit dry
- By Aria on 11-14-17
- The Storm Before the Storm
- The Beginning of the End of the Roman Republic
- By: Mike Duncan
- Narrated by: Mike Duncan
Extremely relevant
Reviewed: 12-20-20
Duncan delivers a finely honed exposition on pre-imperial Rome, in the late years of the Republic and the decline and fall of the Democratic Roman Republic. This is a more refined and deeper delivery of a topic he covered in the early episodes of the History of Rome podcast. I listened twice. There's a lot of names to keep track of so a little bit of research, and a second listen, really helped to cement the absolutely wild and extremely relevant story that unfolds in this history.
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Lost to the West
- The Forgotten Byzantine Empire That Rescued Western Civilization
- By: Lars Brownworth
- Narrated by: Lars Brownworth
- Length: 10 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,880
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,526
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,527
Filled with unforgettable stories of emperors, generals, and religious patriarchs, as well as fascinating glimpses into the life of the ordinary citizen, Lost to the West reveals how much we owe to the Byzantine Empire that was the equal of any in its achievements, appetites, and enduring legacy. For more than a millennium, Byzantium reigned as the glittering seat of Christian civilization.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Just a delight for anyone interested in history !
- By Cinders on 05-28-13
- Lost to the West
- The Forgotten Byzantine Empire That Rescued Western Civilization
- By: Lars Brownworth
- Narrated by: Lars Brownworth
Amazement in Every Chapter
Reviewed: 06-13-20
A captivating history of over 1000 years of the Eastern Empire encapsulates a history of the world at the crossroads of cultures and religions and civilizations. Enthusiastically performed by the author.
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The Cold War
- A New History
- By: John Lewis Gaddis
- Narrated by: Jay Gregory, Alan Sklar
- Length: 9 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 983
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 709
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 704
Drawing on new and often startling information from newly opened Soviet, Eastern European, and Chinese archives, this thrilling account explores the strategic dynamics that drove the Cold War, provides illuminating portraits of its major personalities, and offers much fresh insight into its most crucial events. Riveting, revelatory, and wise, it tells a story whose lessons it is vitally necessary to understand as America once more faces an implacable ideological enemy.
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5 out of 5 stars
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WOW
- By Cordell eddings on 10-13-07
- The Cold War
- A New History
- By: John Lewis Gaddis
- Narrated by: Jay Gregory, Alan Sklar
Good Overall but through rose-colored glasses
Reviewed: 05-22-20
This is an engaging and well written narrative of the cold war era in world history. Much emphasis is given to the world leaders, at the expense of everyday people's experiences. There is a chummy tone that crops up occasionally, revealing a strong Pro-Capitalism Pro-Reagan-Thatcher bias of the author. It concludes on such a high note in 1992, you might almost assume we entered a world of peace, utopia and Democratic Capitalism at that point. However I would recommend The Long Hangover as a sobering follow-up book.
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2 people found this helpful