Hannah Elarabawy
- 10
- reviews
- 11
- helpful votes
- 13
- ratings
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The Gambler
- By: Fyodor Dostoevsky
- Narrated by: Simon Prebble
- Length: 6 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 804
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 709
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 703
The Gambler paints a stark picture of the attractions—and addictions—of gambling. Using skillful characterization, Dostoevsky faithfully depicts life among the gambling set in old Germany. This probing psychological novel explores the tangled love affairs and complicated lives of Alexey Ivanovitch, a young gambler, and Polina Alexandrovna, the woman he loves.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Gravity of odds and the frailty of human hope
- By Darwin8u on 01-16-13
- The Gambler
- By: Fyodor Dostoevsky
- Narrated by: Simon Prebble
cool insights about gambling
Reviewed: 01-11-21
I liked this book but did the mistake of reading it after the amazing Crime and Punishment narrated by Anthony Heald. It was fascinating to go into the mind of a gambler and what it does to one's personality and life.
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1 person found this helpful
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Dostoevsky in 90 Minutes
- By: Paul Strathern
- Narrated by: Robert Whitfield
- Length: 2 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 537
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 457
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 455
After narrowly avoiding a firing squad when he was just twenty-eight years old, Dostoevsky never took things lightly. His great novels burst upon the European literary scene like a succession of thunderbolts. His understanding of the darker and more extreme recesses of the human mind cast a forceful light into these areas of experience. The raw psychology and passionate involvement of his books galvanized writers and thinkers as disparate as Nietzsche and Kafka.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Author doesn’t actually like Dostoevsky
- By Customer on 07-11-21
- Dostoevsky in 90 Minutes
- By: Paul Strathern
- Narrated by: Robert Whitfield
First hour was good
Reviewed: 01-04-21
The first hour was an interesting and engaging account of Dostoevsky's life but then it started to get into summaries of each of his books which I didn't appreciate either bc I already know the plot or I plan to read that book.
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1 person found this helpful
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The Overcoat
- By: Nikolai Gogol
- Narrated by: Michael Redgrave
- Length: 20 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 102
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 88
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Story4 out of 5 stars 89
Published in 1842, Nikolai Gogol’s The Overcoat recounts the sad tale of Akavy Akakievich Bashmachkin, played by Michael Redgrave.
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2 out of 5 stars
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Not An Audiobook
- By Jess Willow on 02-24-21
- The Overcoat
- By: Nikolai Gogol
- Narrated by: Michael Redgrave
A nice taste of Gogol's work
Reviewed: 01-04-21
This was my first Gogol reading and it was just as I expected it to be. I liked the irony and dark humor. That said, I realize that Gogol is not my cup of tea. I like reading classics that don't feel like a school reading (if that makes sense) and this did feel a little bit AP Literature'y. The narration was very difficult to follow with the sonic blasts, low quality sound and background music. It does seem like quite an old recording. I was able to get used to it around 5 minutes in and did appreciate the awesome narration and voice-changing which made it worth it. It's only 20 minutes so I'd say it's bearable to follow-through if you want to familiarize yourself with Gogol's style and one of his most famous short stories.
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1 person found this helpful
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Meditations
- By: Marcus Aurelius, George Long - translator, Duncan Steen - translator
- Narrated by: Duncan Steen
- Length: 5 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 12,711
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 10,606
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 10,473
One of the most significant books ever written by a head of state, the Meditations are a collection of philosophical thoughts by the Emperor Marcus Aurelius (121 - 180 ce). Covering issues such as duty, forgiveness, brotherhood, strength in adversity and the best way to approach life and death, the Meditations have inspired thinkers, poets and politicians since their first publication more than 500 years ago. Today, the book stands as one of the great guides and companions - a cornerstone of Western thought.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Excelent reading of an excellent classic
- By David on 10-22-16
- Meditations
- By: Marcus Aurelius, George Long - translator, Duncan Steen - translator
- Narrated by: Duncan Steen
Love it!
Reviewed: 01-04-21
This is such an amazing book to be savored slowly and intently. I am truly fascinated that I could relate so much to a 2nd century Roman emperor (never thought I'd say that). This was an amazing intro into Stoicism and definitely prompted adding a couple more books to my Wish List. Marcus's wisdom and peace of mind is inspiring and grounding. I'm keeping this in my favorites to listen to when I want to recalibrate my approach to life. If you loved this, try "The Prophet" by Khalil Gibran.
Regarding the narration performance, it was great but I like to be very selective about my 5th star. It was a little monotonic at times but honestly still great overall.
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Kierkegaard in 90 Minutes
- By: Paul Strathern
- Narrated by: Robert Whitfield
- Length: 1 hr and 26 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 605
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 488
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 486
Kierkegaard wasn't really a philosopher in the academic sense. Yet he produced what many people expect of philosophy. His subject was the individual and his or her existence, the "existing being." In Kierkegaard's view, this purely subjective entity lay beyond the reach of reason, logic, philosophical systems, theology, or even "the pretenses of psychology." Nonetheless, it was the source of all these subjects. The branch of philosophy to which Kierkegaard gave birth has come to be known as existentialism.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Great intros
- By Peter on 09-05-04
- Kierkegaard in 90 Minutes
- By: Paul Strathern
- Narrated by: Robert Whitfield
Interesting
Reviewed: 01-04-21
As other reviewers say, this is basically an audio Cliff's notes. It was a good way for me to find out that I'm not that interested in Kierkegaard :P
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The Prophet
- By: Khalil Gibrán
- Narrated by: Peter Batchelor
- Length: 1 hr and 26 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 85
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 69
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 69
World-famous 26 prose poetry fables written in English by the Lebanese-American poet and writer. It was originally published in 1923. It is Gibran's best known work. The Prophet has been translated into over 100 different languages, making it one of the most translated books in history.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Literally the best book!
- By Amazon Customer on 04-25-20
- The Prophet
- By: Khalil Gibrán
- Narrated by: Peter Batchelor
Loved it
Reviewed: 01-04-21
I absolutely loved this book. It is one of those books I am keeping in my favorites to revisit in the future when I want reflect on my life and values. I can't tell you how many times I re-heard chapters to make sure I savored every word. I even bought a compilation of Khalil's works since I do think there are benefits to both listening and reading his work. The narration performance was great but I like to reserve my 5th star for the most amazing performances (P.S. I've only given 5 stars once so far).
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3 people found this helpful
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The Metamorphosis
- By: Franz Kafka
- Narrated by: Ralph Cosham
- Length: 2 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 3,518
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3,036
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Story4 out of 5 stars 3,031
“One morning, as Gregor Samsa was waking up from anxious dreams, he discovered that in bed he had been changed into a monstrous verminous bug.” With this startlingly bizarre sentence, Kafka begins his masterpiece, The Metamorphosis. It is the story of a young traveling salesman who, transformed overnight into a giant, beetle-like insect, becomes an object of disgrace to his family, an outsider in his own home, a quintessentially alienated man. Rather than being surprised at the transformation, the members of his family despise it as an impending burden upon themselves.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Written in 1915
- By Jim "The Impatient" on 09-04-12
- The Metamorphosis
- By: Franz Kafka
- Narrated by: Ralph Cosham
alright
Reviewed: 01-04-21
the reader was a bit monotonic which made it a little boring but honestly not terrible.
this was my first kafka reading and it does live up to the reputation of making me uneasy and repulsed. but I expected it to be a little more vivid/gripping. it seemed to be written in a very "matter of fact" style and it did feel quite dry. also the plot was super slow.
3 stars for living up to Kafka's reputation but none more since it didn't really impress or intrigue me
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Crime and Punishment
- By: Fyodor Dostoevsky, Constance Garnett - translator
- Narrated by: Anthony Heald
- Length: 20 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 10,207
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 9,038
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 9,024
In this intense detective thriller instilled with philosophical, religious, and social commentary, Dostoevsky studies the psychological impact upon a desperate and impoverished student when he murders a despicable pawnbroker, transgressing moral law to ultimately "benefit humanity".
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5 out of 5 stars
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Wonderful reading, disturbing book
- By Tad Davis on 11-03-08
- Crime and Punishment
- By: Fyodor Dostoevsky, Constance Garnett - translator
- Narrated by: Anthony Heald
This is now my favorite audiobook/book!
Reviewed: 01-04-21
No words can capture how phenomenal Anthony Heald's performance of this even more amazing story. There was not a dull moment in all the 20 hours and 28 minutes. This was my first 20+ hour book on Audible and I was a bit wary about the commitment but it definitely surpassed my expectations. Crime and Punishment is one of those books that really does deserve to be a classic, I've never read anything like it. It has some interesting psychological and societal insights and we even get a bonus of some history in there as we learn how St. Petersburg was in the 19th century.
Anthony Heald's performance made it a breeze to remember the numerous characters especially that I was not used to Russian names and the variations used to call on them (last name, first name, first + middle, etc.) His narration was so lively and gripping.. I was so impressed. Unfortunately, I'm not too interested in the other books he's narrated (lots of Star Wars) so far but I'll remain posted on anything he releases moving forward. I'm now a loyal listener!
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1 person found this helpful
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When Women Ruled the World
- By: Kara Cooney
- Narrated by: Kara Cooney
- Length: 9 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,957
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,626
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Story4 out of 5 stars 2,620
This riveting narrative explores the lives of six remarkable female pharaohs, from Hatshepsut to Cleopatra - women who ruled with real power - and shines a piercing light on our own perceptions of women in power today. Female rulers are a rare phenomenon - but thousands of years ago in ancient Egypt, women reigned supreme. But throughout human history, women in positions of power were more often used as political pawns in a male-dominated society. What was so special about ancient Egypt that provided women this kind of access to the highest political office?
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4 out of 5 stars
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A Thoroughly Feminist Review of Ancient Egypt
- By Morgan on 03-07-19
- When Women Ruled the World
- By: Kara Cooney
- Narrated by: Kara Cooney
couldn't make it past 2nd chapter
Reviewed: 01-03-21
I thought I was going to read a book about the queens' lives (good and bad) and instead it was a feminist manifesto. I am a feminist myself but I was looking forward to learning the history not the redundant reiteration of what it is to be a woman. I let it slide the first chapter with the unrelated trump and hillary rant and was hoping for some meat the second chapter but it was still disappointing. It was at a point where I felt I could not trust the author's account bc of how much she was just hyping them up in general. performance was alright but I can't continue.
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15 people found this helpful
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The Butchering Art
- Joseph Lister's Quest to Transform the Grisly World of Victorian Medicine
- By: Lindsey Fitzharris
- Narrated by: Ralph Lister
- Length: 7 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 3,406
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3,063
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3,054
In The Butchering Art, the historian Lindsey Fitzharris reveals the shocking world of 19th-century surgery on the eve of profound transformation. She conjures up early operating theaters - no place for the squeamish - and surgeons, working before anesthesia, who were lauded for their speed and brute strength. They were baffled by the persistent infections that kept mortality rates stubbornly high. A young, melancholy Quaker surgeon named Joseph Lister would solve the deadly riddle and change the course of history.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Not one boring moment!
- By WRF on 12-22-17
- The Butchering Art
- Joseph Lister's Quest to Transform the Grisly World of Victorian Medicine
- By: Lindsey Fitzharris
- Narrated by: Ralph Lister
Good narration and good book
Reviewed: 12-23-20
Nice narration. I'm curious if Ralph Lister could be related to Joseph Lister. The book is super interesting but dragged at times with some redundant details about how bad victorian medicine was. The second half was more enjoyable than the first half but overall it was a great book.
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