Michael

Before WWI, Not Bad, After WWI Hopelessly Biased

Reviewed: 01-03-16

Dr. Boyer's account of the discovery of America, founding of Jamestown & Plymouth, the Revolution, first half of the 19th Century, and up through the Civil War & Reconstruction isn't half bad, if a bit heavy on social vs. military or political history. This is why, overall, it gets two stars instead of one. In the Gilded Age, the narrative becomes a bit "social justice" heavy, but returns to relative balance through WWI. After WWI, he seems so bent on coloring anything that can be construed as conservative or Republican as "dark", "reactionary", "intransigent" , etc., that the narrative loses objectivity and becomes a caricature of what is often criticized about academia today... namely, that objectivity gives place to ideological interpretation to ensure students know WHAT to think instead of trying to teach them HOW to think. It seems too risky to simply present the facts without ideological interpretation. And my goodness, must everything be cast in the light of racism, sexism, sexuality, or social justice? If an academic must write that, please, let them do it in the sociology department.

The reader did a good job... especially expressing the underlying contempt for the right that the author seems to have taken no pains to hide.

If you want a good, pithy, but incredibly sweeping and erudite read on history, listen to The Lessons of History by Will & Ariel Durant (read brilliantly by Grover Gardner). While you may not agree with all of the conclusions, the breadth of the analysis and the erudite, gentle, philosophical, and humble way in which is it written makes it hard to resist. I must've listened 20 times by now, and I learn something every time. A refreshing contrast to this, well, piece of work.

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1 person found this helpful

The Most Intelligent Book You'll Hear This Year

Reviewed: 10-21-15

Brilliant! The writing, history, and artistic structure are masterful; the thesis is spot on; and the performance is pitch perfect. Mr. Walsh has written a robust defense of Western Culture and supported it with art, music, history, and philosophy. Structuring the defense around Faust is masterful in itself and the performance just rounds out that mastery. Having thus far listened just once, but planning to begin a second listen on tomorrow's morning commute, I can only imagine this will be one of those staples one returns to; like The Lessons of History, A Christmas Carol, Good Omens, or The Everlasting Man. Thank you, Mr. Walsh, for gloriously defending our culture and being willing to identify the logical, nihilistic end of today's post-modern cynicism that masquerades as culture... (from an admitted Kahaniac).

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11 people found this helpful

One "Killing" Too Far

Reviewed: 10-21-15

Mr. O'Reilly really should stick to the culture war, where he is generally on firmer ground. When he veers into economics and world affairs, he's simply out of his depth, and this book proves it. The writing is cliche'd, hyperbolic, and adolescent and seems to grasp for occasional eloquence in such an obvious way that it comes across hackneyed and grossly out of place. The analysis is weak and slanted to support the pre-conceived thesis, "heated encounters" seem embellished, and the recounting of the President's decline is distorted and amplified in service, again, to the "killing" thesis. The "killing" thesis seemed to work well enough with the Lincoln, Kennedy, and Jesus books that the writing could be tolerated, and because they were actually killed. This book presents hypothesis as thesis, then sets about inductively conforming history to the narrative. It's not often this reader (listener) leaves a book unfinished. Add this one to that short list.

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1 person found this helpful

Defending the Exceptional American Experiment

Reviewed: 11-23-11

Dr. Schlesinger does a masterful job of detailing the exceptional nature of the American experiment, why it has endured, and the adolescent & intellectually dishonest philosophies that are popularly attempting to dismantle it. The philosophies themselves would be laughable had their purveyors not captured tenured chairs at some of our finest universities and been provided uncritical support and promotion by our entertainment and media establishment. I consume 25-30 audiobooks & lecture series a year and have done so for nigh 15 or so years now. This one holds an honored place near the top of that great library and is one I will return to in the fullness of time. Highly recommended.

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4 people found this helpful

Just a Pleasure

Reviewed: 05-03-11

What a pleasure it is to listen to men who've spent their lives learning and writing our history. They have such an accomplished knowledge and are so articulate and passionate for the periods they study. And Roger Mudd is just a wonderful interviewer. I downloaded this several years ago and have listened to it probably a dozen times or more since. Whenever I need a pick me up, listening to David McCullough's passion for our history will do the trick. He's just a national treasure. Download this title and don't look back... you won't regret it.

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2 people found this helpful

Just Wonderful

Reviewed: 05-30-09

The story is enchanting enough, but Mr. Jarvis' reading and voices make it just splendid. This reader is very glad to have listened to rather than read this classic and gives this version an unqualified endorsement. Excellent!

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RIGHT!

Reviewed: 07-07-05

"Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself." Milton Friedman

"The republican is the only form of government which is not eternally at open or secret war with the rights of mankind."
- Thomas Jefferson

"We are apt to forget that the vast majority of men and women who fell under the totalitarian spell were activated by unselfish motives, ready to accept the role of martyr or executioner, as the cause demanded."
- Arthur Koestler

Equating anything in modern America with the murderous totalitarian regimes (Fascist Italy, Nazi Germany, Communist USSR) that ravaged the European continent in the 20th century is simply leftist hyperbole. However, likening religious to political totalitarianism has some merit and Mr. Berman does a fair job of it. Leftys, please argue based on ideas....... oh, I forgot, your ideas have been soundly defeated by history itself.

Read this book. Classic liberalism (what might be termed libertarianism today) appeals to the best in us, leftist hyperbole to the worst.

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21 people found this helpful

I Am Humbly in Awe.

Reviewed: 11-05-04

Will Durant started out caught up in the socialist ferver of his time and one will find remnants of that in his writing. Yet the breadth of what he wrote trumps any idealogical subtleties and places him firmly in the company of such timeless writers as Wells and Gibbon. Reading Durant I find myself so appreciative of this supremely educated man's breadth of perspective that he matched with a humble lack of presumption (an amazing feat for someone so learned). I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK. Who wouldn't want to read the conclusions of a man who spent over half a century studying, synthesizing, and writing The Story of Civilization. WONDERFUL!

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68 people found this helpful